The first robot torchbearer in the Olympic Games came from Baidu. What kind of black technology is behind it?

"Fire and water blend" has come true!

On February 2nd, the torch relay of Beijing Winter Olympics began to pass. The first underwater robot torch docking in Olympic history attracted the attention of countless netizens. When they saw the scene of "fire and water blending", netizens were excited and proud, and a series of question marks popped up in their heads: How can a fire be lit underwater? What fuel does the underwater torch burn? Who developed this torch?

the reporter of zhongqingbao zhongqingwang exclusively contacted the research and development team-31 China Third Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology. Zhang Bo, a researcher of the institute and head of the research and development project of the special torch technology of "Winter Olympics with Science and Technology", answered the questions that netizens were concerned about one by one. Zhang Bo's unit is an aerospace high-tech enterprise specializing in aerospace power technology research. In their words, "combustion technology is the housekeeping skill of our aerospace power people".

On February 2nd, 222, Beijing Winter Olympics Park, the torch handover was completed by the amphibious robot and the next underwater variable structure robot. The robot and the torch carry out collaborative tests on the ice. The underwater torch focuses on "waterproof" and "oxygen supplement"

Zhang Bo introduced that in junior high school physics class, combustion needs three conditions: combustible, combustion improver and ignition source, and this torch research and development also starts from these aspects.

On the afternoon of February 2nd, Beijing Winter Olympics Park, the torch was handed to the amphibious robot from the 254th torchbearer An Guoyu. The amphibious robot "lifted" the lighted torch into the water, and docked with the variable structure robot underwater. Then another mechanical arm reached out of the water and handed the Olympic flame to the 255th torchbearer An Xiangyi.

kindling burns smoothly in both air and water. Zhang Bo said that the most important factors to make the fire burn underwater are "waterproof" and "oxygen supplement".

"Waterproof" refers to protecting the ignition source, that is, creating a "waterless environment" for the fire. Zhang Bo said that the flame was placed in a "cylinder"-shaped "cavity", and the burning flame was surrounded by a pneumatic waterproof cover like a "gas film". It was these two designs that ensured that the Olympic flame was "isolated" from water and burned smoothly under water. In addition, the underwater oxygen conditions are insufficient, and the torch burner also has its own combustion improver to supplement enough oxygen for the Olympic flame burning. The fuel is "high-purity household liquefied gas", which is the first time in the world.

What fuel is the torch burning? Many netizens speculated based on the experience of the previous Olympic torch relay.

Actually, the underwater special torch was first used in the Olympic history in Sydney, Australia in 2, followed by the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia in 214 and Pyeongchang, South Korea in 218. In 214, the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia pioneered the underwater torch relay, and in 218, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea pioneered the robot torchbearer.

However, the underwater torch relay of Beijing Winter Olympics is different from the above two technical routes. Zhang Bo introduced that this time the team chose the gaseous fuel-propane, which is "high-purity household liquefied gas".

According to him, if the underwater torch uses solid fuel, it is difficult to avoid smoke pollution during combustion. Zhang Bo said that propane was chosen this time to solve the problem that the flame can be maintained in air and underwater for a long time without pollution.

The p>222 Beijing Winter Olympics is not only the first group of underwater robot torchbearers in Olympic history, who carry the torch underwater by robots, but also the special torch developed this time, which is "the first green clean water-air trans-medium torch with smokeless combustion in the world". The difficulty is comparable to the docking of the cabin of the space station

The torch sparrow is small and complete. Zhang Bo said that from the technical principle and system composition, the underwater torch can be compared with a small gas fuel engine. The engine not only realizes underwater combustion, but also realizes the integration and automatic control with the robot through a series of control mechanisms and programs.

Zhang Bo said that the docking of the space station is in a vacuum, and the underwater torch docking should also consider the disturbance of water flow. From this point of view, the docking of the torch is more difficult than the docking of the cabin of the space station, and "the accuracy and stability of the torch docking are extremely high".

Set up a tent on the ice at minus 2 degrees Celsius and spend the New Year's Eve in the experiment

The torch development task is arduous and time is tight, especially before the official torch relay in October 221, the R&D team has been intensively carrying out the integrated joint experiment of the torch and multi-type robots.

Zhang Bo said that during this period, all members of the team hardly took a day off. In order to simulate the real transmission environment, the team carried out experiments on the frozen ice surface of Dahuofang Reservoir in Fushun, Shenyang. In the weather of MINUS 2 degrees Celsius, tents were set up on the ice surface in the uninhabited suburbs. The team moved the equipment to the experimental area along the lakeside path and ice surface every day by manpower. There, it will be dark at 5 pm, and the team often ends the task of the day and withdraws to the station at 8 or 9 pm every day.

On New Year's Day in p>222, the team completed the underwater torch relay of amphibious robot and variable structure robot for the first time under outdoor conditions, and spent an unforgettable and special New Year on the ice. On New Year's Eve, the team did the final drill for the torch relay, and they were still busy.

On the afternoon of February 2, when interviewed by a reporter from Zhongqing Daily and Zhongqing.com, Zhang Bo's nasal voice was slightly heavy, but his voice was very relaxed. He said: "In fact, in the 28 Beijing Olympic Games, we undertook the torch development work. At that time, I just joined the job and watched my predecessors do it. I feel very honored to participate in it personally this time. Our institute has been committed to the innovation of power products for 64 years. This success is also a verification of our research and development capabilities. "

He told reporters that after being in the ice and snow for several months, he concentrated on testing and perfecting the technical details in a real environment, in exchange for the successful completion of the underwater robot torch relay mission, which showed the world the unique charm of the high-tech Olympics.