New Novel: Tokyo Ghoul: A Hunter in Tokyo
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Chapter 114 – Power Plant
Paradis Island, Wall Maria, inner wall of Shiganshina District.
White snow covered the land, and the construction Titans lifted massive magnets, using their imposing bodies to install them into specially designed structures.
Gale and Hange were responsible for supervising the installation of the coils, rotors, and other delicate components.
They were placing the final materials into the power plant.
In July of last year, when Gale set sail with the Navy One, he learned about the structure and principles of power plants.
From July 847 to 848, they worked tirelessly, traveling back and forth between Paradis Island and the border of Isfar, trying to create a prototype power plant.
However, due to technological barriers, they were unable to manufacture some fundamental materials.
For example, the most crucial element is the magnet.
Natural magnets are extremely rare, and even when they do exist, their quantity and quality are insufficient for building large-scale power plants.
To artificially create magnets, a high-voltage current is required to impart magnetism to metal.
The problem is that without magnets, it is impossible to generate high-voltage current, and without high-voltage current, magnets cannot be produced.
This has become a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma.
Fortunately, electricity has been known in this world for several years.
About ten years ago, a researcher discovered electric current.
Over the past decade, although electric motor technology has remained stagnant, with a significant lack of other electrical technologies beyond electric lights and telegraphs, most materials related to power generation can be acquired on the market.
Through the channels of the Isfar people, Paradis Island had them purchase large quantities of materials related to electrical systems—such as magnets and copper—from markets in neighboring countries.
After acquiring the equipment, Gale immediately returned to Paradis Island to complete the final piece of the power plant puzzle.
They worked tirelessly until nightfall, finally completing the preparation of all materials and equipment amid the freezing wind.
All that remained was to supply energy to the power plant.
"Mr. Hannes, now it's up to you."
Gale patted Hannes on the shoulder.
Gale was about to turn fifteen and was already the same height as Hannes. His body had become well-toned due to the training Levi put him through.
His appearance was increasingly less of a factor when speaking with elders, which reassured Gale after not being taken seriously in some conversations due to his age.
"Yes." Hannes nodded and walked into the snowy field.
Everyone retreated to a safe distance, then launched a signal flare into the night sky.
Boom!
A golden flash of lightning tore through the sky, and a Colossal Titan appeared in the snowy field.
When the Colossal Titan transforms, it can generate a high-temperature explosion.
Those who control the Titan's power can regulate the intensity of the explosion, reaching a level equivalent to a small nuclear bomb. If the power is mastered, it is also possible to transform without producing any explosion at all.
In the six months since inheriting the power of the Colossal Titan, Hannes had mastered this ability.
When transforming within his own country's territory, he caused no explosion, simply standing majestically in the snowy night.
At a height of 60 meters, most of the visible area was shrouded in darkness.
Only the power plant remained, its surroundings wrapped in small flickering flames that swayed weakly in the wind, as if it were about to be swallowed by the darkness.
The Colossal Titan crouched down and inserted its arm into the concrete structure.
Hannes held his breath and focused all his attention on that arm.
Steam burst from the Colossal Titan's body; its arms began to heat up, and the surging vapor scattered the falling snow.
Inside the power plant, the temperature rose sharply, and the water in the boilers began to boil, emitting a whistle similar to that of a steam siren.
High-temperature, high-pressure steam was compressed and discharged through pipes.
The mechanical energy released during this process caused the rotor to spin. The conductor cut through the magnetic field, and through electromagnetic induction, electric current was generated, causing the power plant to operate at high speed.
Gale heard an electrical sound—a hiss, a faint buzzing like hot oil crackling—reaching his ears.
The darkness lit up as the electric lights placed over the snow turned on.
Countless points of light bloomed before Hannes's eyes.
He looked down at the ground, yet it felt as though he were gazing at a star-filled sky.
Those twinkling lights made the snow-covered land seem like a dream.
The experiment was a success; after losing the muscle of his arm, Hannes returned to human form.
Armin recorded data at the power plant. The Colossal Titan released heat at full speed, keeping the area illuminated for four hours. During those four hours, the snowy field was brightly lit.
Gale and Hange went to the power plant to inspect it, and everything was functioning normally.
The theory of the Titan-powered power plant is feasible—its structure is even simpler and more practical than that of a thermal power plant!
Large power plants do not need to consider fuel-related issues, whereas typical thermal plants must always take into account the impact of smoke and compounds emitted during fuel combustion on the equipment.
Without proper cleaning equipment, dust and pollution can easily cause failures in the power plant, and in severe cases, even explosions.
On the other hand, the power plant powered by the Colossal Titan does not need to consider this problem.
The Colossal Titan's heat-generating capacity comes directly from its muscle mass. The process of releasing heat is equivalent to burning its own muscles.
The process by which the Colossal Titan consumes muscle simply converts its muscles into steam—and that steam can also be used as the energy source for the power plant!
A single arm can operate at full power for four hours. If the Colossal Titan were to lie on the ground and power plants were installed on its head, torso, and limbs, the duration of power generation would increase more than tenfold.
Moreover, it is important to note that Hannes used the power of an intelligent Titan.
Intelligent Titans cannot obtain energy from sunlight nor repair their own bodies.
However, the Colossal Titans that form the walls do not face this limitation.
Those unconscious Wall Titans, even if they lose muscle mass, can recover after being exposed to sunlight.
You only need to calculate the data so that the recovery efficiency and muscle consumption of the Wall Titans are perfectly synchronized.
In this way, you could create tens of thousands of highly efficient, virtually clean, and pollution-free Titan power plants.
This is the potential of a power plant powered by Titan power!
Not even the greatest problem of electric current transmission poses an obstacle for them.
There is no need to consider the loss of direct current over long-distance transmission, nor to research and manufacture complex alternating current systems to reduce losses.
Because within the walls, Colossal Titans are everywhere.
They can connect equipment near the power plants and obtain electricity locally, without worrying about transmission issues.
"This is insane!" Even Gale, who had seen modern society, exclaimed in astonishment.
"Yes, it's possible!"
Once again, he was convinced that he could recover the lost time in this race!