bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Kristin Huang

China has reached another milestone in its quest for a fusion reactor, with one of its “artificial suns” sustaining extreme temperatures for several times longer that its previous benchmark, according to state media.
State news agency Xinhua reported that the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in a facility in the eastern city of Hefei registered a plasma temperature of 120 million degrees Celsius for 101 seconds on Friday.
It also maintained a temperature of 160 million degrees Celsius for 20 seconds, the report said.
Last year, EAST achieved a plasma temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius for 20 seconds.
Friday’s experiment means Chinese scientists have sustained the extreme high temperature for five times longer.
China’s another “artificial sun” project in Chengdu, the HL-2M Tokamak apparatus, operated at 150 million degrees Celsius for up to 10 seconds in an experiment late last year.
The facilities are part of China’s quest for fusion reactors, which hold out hope of unlimited clean energy. But there are many challenges to overcome in what has already been a decades-long quest for the world’s scientists.
Similar endeavours are under way in the United States, Europe, Russia, South Korea. China is also among 35 countries involved in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) megaproject in France.
Direct comparison of the experiments in different countries is difficult as the devices are designed differently.


The facilities are called “artificial suns” because they aim to replicate the nuclear fusion reactions that power the sun, which has a temperature of 15 million degrees Celsius.
When two atoms fuse, they release an enormous amount of energy.
To do so on Earth, scientists will need to achieve both extreme high temperatures for long periods.
Despite the progress made, fusion reactors are still a long way from reality.
Song Yuntao, director of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the latest results were a major achievement for physics and engineering in China.
“The experiment’s success lays the foundation for China to build its own nuclear fusion energy station,” Song was quoted as saying.
China turns on its ‘artificial sun’ in quest for nuclear fusion energy
China joined the ITER project in 2003 and it was reported at the time as an opportunity for the country’s scientists to expand their expertise and give China a voice in the international science community.
The project in southern France has been delayed many times and the latest goal is to generate plasma in 2025.
The European Union pledged US$6.8 billion in new funding in February. China National Nuclear Corporation will install ITER’s core equipment.
Chinese scientists have previously been quoted as saying that they hoped China’s own experiments, though smaller, could help provide more information to ITER.


The race for AI centres in space: why the US goes all in after China makes first move

‘Win without fight’: how China fast-tracked the J-36, left US years behind in sixth-gen jet race

Flood expert Xu Chongyu leaves Europe for China as climate change speeds up

Soft brain chip could help solve Neuralink’s big implant challenge

Science

Chinese ‘artificial sun’ hits new mark in fusion energy mission

The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak in Hefei has set a new benchmark. Photo: Xinhua

China’s ‘artificial sun’: misleadingly named but key to fusion energy hopes

The HL-2M Tokamak went into operation in Chengdu last Friday, with the ultimate goal of providing clean energy through controlled nuclear fusion. Photo: Xinhua

(201204) -- CHENGDU, Dec. 4, 2020 (Xinhua) -- File photo taken on May 27, 2019 shows staff members of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Southwestern Institute of Physics working in the vacuum chamber of the HL-2M Tokamak, China's new-generation "artificial sun," in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. The HL-2M Tokamak went into operation on Friday and achieved its first plasma discharge, according to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).    Designed to replicate the natural reactions that occur in the sun using hydrogen and deuterium gases as fuels, the apparatus in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, will provide clean energy through controlled nuclear fusion, said CNNC. (CNNC Southwestern Institute of Physics/Handout via Xinhua)

Chinese President Xi Jinping praises ITER nuclear fusion experiment

Thirty-five nations are collaborating on the ITER energy project. Photo AFP

A picture shows a pre-assembly gantry constructed by South Korea which will be used to assemble vacuum chamber sectors with vertical coils to be inserted into the Takomak during the launch of the assembly stage of nuclear fusion machine "Tokamak" of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Saint-Paul-les-Durance, southeastern France, on July 28, 2020. - A picture shows a pre-assembly gantry constructed by South Korea which will be used to assemble vacuum chamber sectors with vertical coils to be inserted into the Takomak USED TO ASSEMBLE VACUUM CHAMBER SECTORS WITH VERTICAL COILS TO BE INSERTED IN THE TOKAMAK. (Photo by CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP)

A technician walks in front of a pre-assembly gantry constructed by South Korea which will be used to assemble vacuum chamber sectors with vertical coils to be inserted into the Takomak during the launch of the assembly stage of nuclear fusion machine "Tokamak" of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Saint-Paul-les-Durance, southeastern France, on July 28, 2020. - Thirty-five nations are collaborating in the ITER energy project aimed at mastering energy production from hydrogen fusion, as in the heart of the sun, a potential new source of carbon-free and non-polluting energy. (Photo by CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP)

China must curb energy demand, create clean supply to hit its Paris climate goal: researchers

Researchers published in Science journal found carbon capture and storage technology played an important role in cutting carbon emissions in China but   would not be the main tool in emissions reduction. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Facility in country’s east maintains extreme temperatures for five times longer than its previous benchmark
Similar endeavours are under way in the United States, Europe, Russia, South Korea


Facility in country’s east maintains extreme temperatures for five times longer than its previous benchmark.


Energy

China National Nuclear Corporation

Chinese ‘artificial sun’ hits new mark in fusion energy mission

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Facility in country’s east maintains extreme temperatures for five times longer than its previous benchmark Similar endeavours are under way in the United States, Europe, Russia, South Korea

Facility in country’s east maintains extreme temperatures for five times longer than its previous benchmark

Similar endeavours are under way in the United States, Europe, Russia, South Korea