China reaches key milestone in "artificial sun" fusion energy project

China has announced a major engineering breakthrough in its nuclear fusion program, successfully testing two critical superconducting magnet systems designed for future fusion reactors—a significant step forward in its long-term "artificial sun" project.

Unlike conventional nuclear power plants, which generate energy by splitting heavy atoms, fusion produces power by combining light atomic nuclei, as reported in the prestigious Nature journal.

The process, which powers the Sun and other stars, requires temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius and the use of extremely powerful magnetic fields to confine the superheated plasma, as no known material can withstand direct contact with such temperatures.

Fusion is widely regarded as one of the most promising future energy sources. It relies on abundant hydrogen isotopes as fuel, produces no carbon emissions during operation, and can generate continuous electricity without depending on weather conditions, unlike wind and solar power.

Researchers at the Institute of Plasma Physics in Hefei announced on June 27 that they had successfully tested two essential superconducting magnet systems: a large toroidal-field magnet and a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) central solenoid coil.

The toroidal-field magnet, which plays a crucial role in containing the fusion plasma, weighs 582 metric tons and features a D-shaped design. Sixteen identical magnets will ultimately be assembled to form the complete toroidal magnetic confinement system. The magnet is designed to generate a 6.5-tesla magnetic field and is expected to operate under extreme conditions for up to 60 years.

Researchers also successfully tested the reactor's 60-kiloampere high-temperature superconducting central solenoid coil, often described as the reactor's "igniter." The component is responsible for initiating and stabilizing the plasma current, making it indispensable for sustaining the fusion reaction.

By Nazrin Sadigova