Japanese Media: China Takes a Significant Step Toward Nuclear Fusion Power
On July 14, the Japanese YouTube channel "Space Channel" published an article titled "China's Artificial Sun of Nuclear Fusion Moves Closer to Practical Application."
The article states: Like the sun, it generates immense energy on Earth—China has now taken a crucial step toward achieving such nuclear fusion power.
In China’s fusion research facility, "CRAFT," the world’s largest superconducting magnet has passed final testing, demonstrating key technologies required for future fusion reactors.
Nuclear fusion is expected to become next-generation energy, emitting almost no carbon dioxide and relying on relatively abundant fuel. On the other hand, a long-standing challenge has been how to control ultra-high-temperature plasma exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius and stably integrate it into power generation.
The focus of this project lies in the superconducting magnets developed by the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In fusion reactors, ultra-hot plasma cannot touch the container walls. Instead, powerful magnetic fields are used to confine the plasma in mid-air.
In other words, the magnetic field acts like an "invisible track," guiding extremely hot particles along predetermined paths. This prevents the plasma from colliding with the reactor walls, which could damage or melt the container.
The tested toroidal magnetic coil measures 21 meters in length, 12 meters in width, 3.3 meters in height, and weighs 582 tons—making it the largest of its kind in the world in terms of performance. The future plan is to combine 16 such coils to form a massive magnetic cage surrounding the entire nuclear fusion reactor.
The central electromagnetic valve, serving as the "ignition device," has also successfully passed testing. During this test, not only were the magnets designed to trap plasma evaluated, but also a critical component—the central solenoid. The central solenoid generates plasma current and regulates the shape and confinement state of the plasma.
If the toroidal magnetic coils function as a "cage" trapping plasma, then the central solenoid acts more like an "ignition device," responsible for generating and stabilizing the plasma. It is reported that when operating successfully, this central solenoid achieved a power output of 60 kiloamperes—six times that of the existing EAST reactor.
Moreover, special steel, insulating materials, superconducting wires, manufacturing equipment, and processing technologies have all been developed and manufactured in China. The cost of superconducting materials is also believed to have dropped significantly, indicating that China’s domestic supply chain now supports nuclear fusion technology. The device symbolizing China’s nuclear fusion research is EAST—a fully superconducting tokamak experimental device. Known as the "Artificial Sun," EAST was completed in 2006 and has achieved notable results in maintaining ultra-high-temperature plasma over long durations.
CRAFT is a research facility aimed at bridging the technological advancements developed through EAST with more practical fusion reactors.
Additionally, China is advancing construction of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR), with a target completion date around late 2027.
A major goal is to achieve the first 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity via nuclear fusion before 2030. Of course, this does not mean commercial power generation will begin immediately. Commercialization still faces numerous challenges, including securing tritium as fuel, durability of reactor materials, long-term stable operation, and power generation costs.
Nevertheless, nearing the stage of actually extracting electricity through nuclear fusion marks a significant milestone in research history. The successful development of these superconducting magnets indicates that China is transitioning from laboratory-based research to engineering technologies focused on power generation.
Nuclear fusion power will become a game-changer in addressing future energy issues.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1870695361239243/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.