On January 14, China's nuclear fusion research team announced a significant milestone.
Source: Jiemian
On January 14, China's nuclear fusion research team announced a significant milestone. The Institute of Plasma Physics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (referred to as the Plasma Institute) revealed the completion and commissioning of its Strong Flow Linear Plasma Device, named "Chixiao." This positions China as the second country, after the Netherlands, to possess such advanced technology, marking a leap forward in the field of nuclear fusion.
Measuring 15.5 meters in length and weighing approximately 22.5 tons, "Chixiao" is structurally reminiscent of a finely crafted sword. It is capable of generating a maximum particle flow rate exceeding 10^24 particles per square meter per second, sustaining a single discharge for over 1,000 seconds, and achieving a central magnetic field strength of over 3 teslas. As the linear plasma device with the highest overall performance globally, "Chixiao" will significantly enhance research into the next-generation "artificial sun," the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR).
The CFETR is a fully superconducting tokamak experimental device, with a goal of completing the fusion engineering test reactor by 2035. This national major scientific and technological infrastructure project, known as the "Key Systems of the Fusion Reactor Host" (CRAFT), is tasked with researching key technologies for the CFETR and establishing a comprehensive research platform. "Chixiao" serves as a crucial element of CRAFT's key subsystem, the "Divertor Plasma and Material Interaction Research Platform."
According to the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, developing wall materials that can withstand the demanding conditions of the future "artificial sun" for continuous electricity generation over extended periods poses a formidable challenge. Therefore, state-of-the-art experimental simulation environments are essential for testing the durability of these materials. Mastering the manufacturing technology for these wall materials is a critical step toward achieving controlled nuclear fusion.