China’s ‘Artificial Sun’ Sets Records: How the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Redefines Fusion Power
29th Jan 2025
The Chinese Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) has set a new record in the artificial fusion power industry. China set this record this year when its Chinese Institute of Plasma Physics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science successfully sustained high-confinement plasma on the EAST reactor for 1066 seconds.
The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Steps Up China’s Control Of Fusion Power
With various countries looking for alternative sources of clean power, regions like China are shifting to fusion power. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) is proof of China’s advancement in this industry.
This is the second fusion reactor from China to break headlines with a remarkable achievement. Before the EAST reactor took the world record for sustaining high-confinement plasma, the previous record was held by the same firm that developed EAST.
Last year, the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science in China set a record in the fusion space after maintaining high-confinement plasma for 408 seconds. Now the same institution has broken the 1000-second mark for maintaining high-confinement plasma.
Passing 1000 seconds is remarkable, as this is a key step in the fusion industry. Song Yuntao, a director at the firm developing the EAST reactor, says that “a fusion device must achieve stable operation at high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable the self-sustaining circulation of plasma.”
He adds that maintaining 1000 seconds in a fusion reactor “is critical for the continuous power generation of future fusion plants.” Ever since the launch of the EAST reactor project in China back in 2006, the region has been able to develop various versions of the reactor, each stepping out in abilities.
Song adds that China “hopes to expand international collaboration via EAST and bring fusion energy into practical use for humanity.” In the coming years, we might get to see EAST as well as other fusion reactors in use powering various societies.
What Is Fusion Power
Fusion power tries to imitate the power of the Sun and its ability to continue generating energy. The devices that generate fusion power are fusion reactors, and they harness power from nuclear fusion reactions, just like the Sun.
To create energy in a fusion reactor, hydrogen atoms are fused under very high temperatures and pressure. By fusing these atoms, a reaction occurs that releases energy which can power electrical appliances.
There are a lot of benefits of this type of energy in comparison with fossil energy. This means that the energy generated by fusion reactors like the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in China is far cleaner than most energy sources currently in use.
Other countries are also pushing hard to develop their fusion reactors for use in energy generation. China is now at the forefront of the fusion energy space with the recent achievement by EAST and other regions need to catch up.
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