Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 16 (Xinhua) -- China National Nuclear Corporation: More possibilities for creating "hard-core" technology
Xinhua News Agency reporter Gao Jing
The mass construction of the independent third-generation nuclear power "Hualong No. 1" has been accelerated, the construction of the modular multi-purpose small reactor "Linglong No. 1" demonstration project is progressing smoothly, and the breakthrough of medical isotope, radiopharmaceuticals and other drug autonomy technologies has been accelerated...... As the main force in the development of nuclear energy and nuclear power construction in the mainland, CNNC has accelerated the development of new quality productivity, created more possibilities for "hard-core" technology, and helped the high-quality development of the nuclear industry.
Seek green and new, and promote nuclear energy science and technology innovation
On February 22, in Zhangzhou, Fujian, the first tank of concrete was poured on the nuclear island for Unit 3 of the second phase of the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Project of China National Nuclear Corporation, and the construction of 7 "Hualong No. 1" units of China National Nuclear Corporation was steadily advancing.
As a third-generation pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology with completely independent intellectual property rights in mainland China, each nuclear power unit of "Hualong No. 1" generates more than 10 billion kWh of electricity per year, which is equivalent to reducing standard coal consumption by 3.12 million tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tons per year, which is equivalent to planting more than 70 million trees.
On April 10, in Changjiang, Hainan, the world's first onshore modular small nuclear reactor "Linglong No. 1", known as the "nuclear power bank", the first digital control system cabinet was put in place and the installation and commissioning work was started.
"Linglong No. 1" is another major achievement of the independent innovation of nuclear power in mainland China, with the technical characteristics of integrated design and modular construction, suitable for energy supply in various scenarios such as islands, mining areas, and high-energy-consuming enterprises, and can realize various uses such as urban heating and cooling, seawater desalination, and heavy oil exploitation.
The take-off of one large and one small "Double Dragon" is a vivid epitome of CNNC's insistence on scientific and technological innovation.
Yu Jianfeng, chairman of CNNC, said that the green and low-carbon transformation of energy is an important part of building new quality productivity, and it is also the engine that drives the upgrading of traditional industries. Nuclear energy is a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy source. Promoting innovation in nuclear energy science and technology and actively developing nuclear energy in a safe and orderly manner is an important way to promote the energy revolution, ensure energy security, and accelerate the construction of a new energy system.
At present, CNNC holds 26 nuclear power units in operation and 18 nuclear power units are approved or under construction. China has become the world's most active nuclear power market, with the world's largest nuclear power under construction, and is also a major country promoting the innovation and development of third- and fourth-generation nuclear power in the world.
Facing the future, let the development of nuclear technology serve the national economy and people's livelihood
"Carbon-14 irradiated production targets are starting to come out of the pile!" At 13:48 on April 20, with an order, the carbon-14 target was successfully extracted from the Qinshan nuclear power heavy water reactor unit controlled by China Nuclear Power Investment Corporation, a subsidiary of CNNC.
Carbon-14 is widely used in agriculture, chemistry, medicine, biology and other fields, and has high medical value and scientific research value. This is the first time that the mainland has used a commercial nuclear power reactor to mass-produce carbon-14 isotopes, which solves the problem of long-term dependence on imports of carbon-14 isotopes in China.
Recently, the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant for the production of medical isotopes by online irradiation has been fully completed as planned, and the mainland has mastered the key technology for the production of isotopes by mass online irradiation. A variety of short-half-life medical isotopes, such as lutetium-177, strontium-89 and yttrium-90, which are in short supply in China, will enter the stage of large-scale production in the second half of this year.
Shen Yanfeng, general manager of China National Nuclear Corporation, said that the development of new quality productivity requires the cultivation of nuclear technology application industry, which has become a strategic choice to grasp the new opportunities of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. Nuclear technology application industries such as "radiopharmaceuticals" and "nuclear medicine" are playing an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable economic development and protecting people's lives and health.
The future industry represents the direction and trend of scientific and technological development, and can form disruptive technologies and major original achievements.
Controlled nuclear fusion is an important direction for future energy and is considered to be the "ultimate answer" to solve human energy problems. After years of development, the continental nuclear fusion technology has gone from following to running in parallel, and some technologies have reached the international leading level.
China National Nuclear Corporation's nuclear fusion device, the new generation of artificial sun "China Gyre-3", achieved high-confinement mode operation at 1 million amperes of plasma current last year, once again setting a new record for the operation of the continental magnetic confinement fusion device.
At the end of last year, the controllable nuclear fusion innovation consortium led by CNNC was officially announced, and the first batch of key future energy technology research tasks were officially released, which is of great significance for promoting the fusion energy industry to take substantial steps.
Seek innovation through openness and common development through exchanges and cooperation
Looking back, every step of the development of the nuclear industry is the crystallization of great cooperation.
The construction of the "Hualong No. 1" project involves more than 60,000 sets of equipment, and the production, equipment and assembly work involves more than 5,300 enterprises in 28 provinces and cities, and nearly 200,000 people participate in the development and construction.
In the process of mass construction of "Hualong No. 1", CNNC, together with a number of scientific research institutes and equipment manufacturers, has continuously overcome a number of technical and equipment problems, realized the innovative application of a series of domestic new technologies and equipment, and further improved the level of autonomy and localization of the unit. At present, the localization rate of "Hualong No. 1" related equipment has exceeded 90%, driving the development of more than 5,300 enterprises in the upstream and downstream industrial chain.
Based on the characteristic advantages of the nuclear industry, CNNC actively builds a source of original technology, industrial chain and innovation consortium in the nuclear field, jointly builds a collaborative industrial chain, realizes the deep integration and integrated development of the innovation chain of the nuclear industry chain, and promotes the development of strategic emerging industries in the nuclear industry to achieve new progress and new results.
The "circle of friends" for win-win cooperation continues to expand——
On February 29, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world's largest "artificial sun", and the Sino-French consortium led by CNNC Nuclear Engineering officially signed a contract for the assembly of vacuum chamber modules. This is the second time that the team led by CNNC has undertaken the installation of its core equipment after successfully installing ITER's "heart" equipment.
At the 2024 China International Nuclear Industry Exhibition in March, CNNC opened 10 large-scale nuclear research facilities to the international community, including the world's most energetic compact proton cyclotron and miniature neutron source reactor.
"The development of global nuclear energy is a community with a shared future, and win-win cooperation is the right way. Yu Jianfeng said that CNNC will actively deepen international nuclear energy cooperation, deeply participate in the reform of the international energy governance system, and contribute to the development of global nuclear energy. (ENDS)