A fully superconducting tokamak nuclear fusion experimental device independently designed and built by Continental.
At present, Hefei Science Island is full of spring and vitality. In the middle of the island, stands a building that resembles a spaceship - the Institute of Plasma, Hefei Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Deep in the building, there is a large scientific device - the all-superconducting tokamak nuclear fusion experimental device (Chinese called the Eastern Hyperring, abbreviated as EAST), commonly known as the "artificial sun".
This nuclear fusion experimental device independently designed and built by Continental has repeatedly set a world record for plasma operation, representing the research level of continental magnetic confinement fusion research in the physics and engineering of high-temperature plasma operation, and laying an important technical foundation for the development and utilization of clean energy for nuclear fusion.
What does an "artificial sun" look like? When will it benefit humanity? Not long ago, this reporter made an on-site visit. Once humans master nuclear fusion energy, they will have clean energy that can be used for tens of billions of years
Despite some homework done in advance, when it comes to the "artificial sun", this behemoth is still shocking. The main body of the device is 11 meters high, 8 meters in diameter, weighs 400 tons, and is surrounded by auxiliary equipment such as power supply and cooling. Its core structure is a "tokamak" ring-shaped magnetic container like a bagel.
On the day of the visit, the "artificial sun" did not conduct experiments. About a dozen scientists with inspection tools in hand climbed up and down the main body of the device to maintain and update the equipment. The number of plant parts is huge, and the materials and processes are completely dependent on independent research and development. Since its completion in 2006, the plant has been maintained and replaced every year to ensure the smooth progress of the experiment. As the saying goes, everything grows by the sun. Nuclear fusion takes place all the time inside the sun, providing nature with the most common source of energy. The so-called "artificial sun" refers to making full use of this scientific principle to build a nuclear fusion device on the earth, which undergoes nuclear fusion reactions like the sun, thereby continuously generating energy. Strictly speaking, the title "artificial sun" is not exclusive to the Eastern Super Ring, and any device that applies a similar principle can be called so.
What is the importance of the "artificial sun"?
This starts with the advantages of fusion energy. In contrast to nuclear fission, nuclear fusion is not radioactive. The product of the deuterium- and tritium reaction is helium, which is environmentally friendly and terminates once the plasma causing the reaction is extinguished. Nuclear fusion is also rich in raw material reserves, deuterium can be extracted directly from seawater, and tritium can be produced by neutron and lithium reactions. It is estimated that the energy released by the fusion reaction of deuterium extracted from one liter of seawater is equivalent to the energy released by the complete combustion of 300 liters of gasoline. Nuclear fusion energy, with unlimited resources, clean and environmentally friendly, and no high-level radioactive nuclear waste, is one of the important ways to finally solve the global energy problem. Once humans master nuclear fusion energy, they will have clean energy that can be used for tens of billions of years.
What contribution does the large scientific device of the Eastern Ultraring contribute to the realization of nuclear fusion energy? Song Yuntao, vice president of the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Institute of Plasma, introduced that the scientific goal of this large scientific device is to start from the preliminary basic research and carry out exploratory experimental research on cutting-edge physical problems related to controlled nuclear fusion, focusing on physical theoretical breakthroughs and verifying engineering feasibility, laying the foundation for building real commercial fusion reactors and power stations in the future.
The Sun undergoes nuclear fusion, mainly relying on the gravity of the planet to confine the plasma. But there is not so much gravity on Earth, and if you want energy not to get out of control, you need to use magnetic fields to confine. The realization of controlled thermonuclear fusion is inseparable from the extreme environment of ultra-high temperature, ultra-low temperature, ultra-strong magnetic field, ultra-large current, ultra-high vacuum, scientists use magnetic field to make "tokamak" this "magnetic cage", firmly control the high-temperature substance, the magnetic field outside with vacuum isolation, protective device materials from being burned. Although the mainstream controllable nuclear fusion method is not only magnetic confinement, but also inertial confinement, gravitational confinement, etc., magnetic confinement is close to success under laboratory conditions, and it is also the mainstream research direction in the world. Therefore, the tokamak fusion experimental device is recognized as the most effective way to explore and solve the engineering and physical problems of future steady-state fusion reactors, and is the hope for the earth to find a way out of fusion energy.
Under the traction of the large scientific device of the Eastern Ultraring, a series of innovative achievements have been derived
From 50 million degrees Celsius discharge for 30 seconds to 60 seconds, to 100 seconds, to 100 million degrees Celsius operation for 20 seconds... The Oriental Ultraring continues to set new discharge records. If a high temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius can be maintained for a long time, and a discharge time of close to 1,000 seconds can be achieved, it will prove that mankind is one step closer to solving the commercial application of nuclear fusion.
Every second of growth is extremely difficult in science, behind the research and painstaking efforts of researchers day and night. Achieving controlled thermonuclear fusion and steady-state confinement of plasma is a common scientific problem in the world. According to the physics theory "Lawson's criterion", the ignition conditions of nuclear fusion include three elements: temperature, density and confinement time of nuclear fusion fuel. According to Dr. Yan Rong of the Institute of Plasma, Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, if you want to achieve a fusion reaction, you must first reach more than 100 million degrees Celsius, make the fusion fuel completely ionize, and under the premise of ensuring plasma density, maintain the high-temperature plasma for a relatively long enough time, without leakage or escape, it is possible to release enough energy. The hot substance of the tokamak, like a group of naughty children frolicking, is difficult to control. The three elements of temperature, density, and time are indispensable and coordinated to the best state to achieve steady-state constraints. In addition to the difficulty of scientific experiments, as an integrated system, this device also has extremely high engineering cooperation requirements. It is understood that the entire large scientific device has a total of 48 windows, and the number of parts is equivalent to the total parts of 5 Boeing 777 aircraft. In just tens of seconds of operation, any part failure, any drop of water that should not appear, any stagnant link, will lead to experimental risks. Researchers are reluctant to experiment and debug day and night, hoping to grasp the basic characteristics of plasma more accurately, study and improve the shape and properties of the "magnetic cage", explore scientific laws in seemingly chaotic phenomena, and propose the best operation scheme for long-term plasma stability constraints.
The big scientific device combines high-precision technology, and its significance is not only the pursuit of scientific goals themselves. Under the traction of the large scientific device of the Oriental Super Ring, a series of important innovative achievements have been derived, forming a number of industrial technology sectors such as superconducting technology, low temperature technology, plasma technology, biotechnology, material technology, and robot technology, promoting the transfer and transformation of a large number of high-tech achievements, and realizing "picking melons all the way" and "laying eggs along the way". For example, proton and heavy ion radiotherapy is currently internationally recognized as the most cutting-edge radiotherapy technology, which has been monopolized by developed countries. The Institute of Plasma of the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences uses the superconductivity technology of large scientific devices to actively develop the first medical superconducting proton cancer treatment system with independent intellectual property rights in China, which will greatly reduce the cost of patient treatment.
In addition, plasma can also treat skin diseases, with the advantages of broad-spectrum antibacterial, accelerated coagulation, cell proliferation, no drug resistance and side effects; The Institute of Plasma of the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced the ion beam technology of large scientific devices into the Department of Biology, and is committed to the creation, fermentation regulation, product separation and analysis of new microbial strains, and the research and industrial transformation of terminal products.
According to reports, the mainland's nuclear fusion research is basically synchronized with the international community, and even established a leading position in some technical fields of fusion, consolidating Chinese characteristics in superconductivity, steady-state control, heating and other aspects. Some foreign journals praised "China has created fusion history" and "scientific value is greatly reflected here". Relying on the Oriental Ultraring Project, researchers have participated in the world's largest international scientific research cooperation project
In terms of international scientific and technological cooperation, as one of the most cutting-edge international open platforms for international magnetic confinement fusion devices, the Oriental Ultraring actively carries out international joint experiments and promotes comprehensive openness and sharing.
More importantly, relying on this project, mainland researchers have participated in ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Program), the world's largest and most far-reaching international scientific research cooperation project. The goal of the program is to explore the scientific and engineering feasibility of fusion based on the peaceful uses of fusion energy. Many countries, including China, have participated in this national big science project, and many countries have joined forces to move towards controlled fusion experimental reactors. The Eastern Hyperring is very similar to a scaled-down version of ITER, and the operating mode also adopts long pulse high constraint. Mainland researchers have been working on this device for so many years, every material has been touched, every link has been practiced, and they have truly accumulated practical experience in plasma operation, which can provide valuable reference experience for ITER in scientific principles and engineering construction. Song Yuntao said.
At present, Mainland China undertakes about 10% of ITER's procurement package, of which 70% is borne by the plasma of the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Researchers have the courage to take on the task of directly winning the construction of ITER's most important core equipment "superconducting magnet". The task was risky, but the scientists braved the challenge and delivered 18 procurement kits with high quality, covering almost all the key components of the ITER plant. High-current high-temperature superconducting DC cable, the first main transformer of pulse high-voltage substation... The self-developed equipment was shipped to Europe and was highly recognized by partners. It is precisely because of their outstanding performance that Continental directly won the final assembly task of the entire device. In October 2020, ITER plans to start the main installation work, and mainland researchers abide by their commitments to ensure that the installation progress is normal.
Participating in the ITER project for more than ten years, the mainland scientific research team has obtained the opportunity to deeply participate in international scientific research cooperation projects, accumulated experience in building "artificial sun", and made progress in research and development capabilities in the fields of material science and superconducting technology, laying the foundation for China's construction of fusion engineering experimental reactor (CFETR).
"Many young people who study physics have broadened their horizons and honed their skills through their experience at ITER, and have become the backbone of 'picking big beams' after returning to China." Song Yuntao said that many domestic enterprises that cooperate with the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have reached the first-class level in the production of superconducting materials and the creation of parts, and have accumulated international engineering management and international cooperation experience; Some companies even went abroad and got international orders. As a scientific research team of Oriental Chaohuan, we feel a great responsibility and a glorious mission. In the near future, we hope to work hard to discharge ultra-high temperatures for a longer period of time and produce a number of original, strategic and integrated innovation results; In the long run, we hope to realize that the energy output of large scientific devices is greater than the input, and strive to build fusion power stations around 2040, so that millions of households can use nuclear fusion energy as soon as possible and realize the dream of clean energy.