China’s artificial sun, known as Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), has achieved a world record that puts the clock at 1066 seconds for high-confinement plasma operation. This important achievement puts fusion energy one step closer to its pursuit of sustainable clean energy obtained from nuclear fusion.
1066 Seconds of Stable Plasma by Artificial Sun
The EAST reactor exceeded its very own record previously achieved at 403 seconds. The reactor held a steady high-confinement plasma operation beyond 17 minutes. The temperature in the reactor was as incredible as 100 million degrees Celsius, greater than the hottest part of the Sun. This achievement, as made by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), gives new heights for benchmarking fusion research, further demonstrating advancements in clean energy sources.
Improving Fusion Technology
The operation of EAST reveals China as one of the global leaders in terms of advancing and researching more in the world of fusion energy; it even explains how well this reactor produces plasma at a higher temperature. Fusion reactions, which power stars such as the Sun, take light nuclei and merge them to form a heavier nucleus and release huge amounts of energy. To attempt to perform this on Earth, scientists make use of deuterium, a hydrogen isotope, to create plasma. The idea is to achieve a self-sustaining reaction to provide a constant clean source of energy.
They would mimic the process by which the sun works, utilizing the hydrogen isotopes it possesses in seawater to create a fusion reaction. Song Yuntao, director of ASIPP, pointed out that the longevity of plasma circulation depends on maintaining stable operation at high efficiency, which will be necessary for continuous energy production in future fusion plants.
Global Fusion Race
EAST is part of a global rush to develop fusion as an important clean energy source. While it remains at the forefront, competition for EAST now comes from several other fusion projects being established worldwide. Among these projects is South Korea’s Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (STAR) apparatus, which, in 2020, managed to create plasma 100 million degrees Celsius for 20 seconds.
As EAST has continued to hit new records while achieving new high marks, new steps are ushered in leading to further leaps in fusion technology. This leaves China in an advantageous position in the years to come while shaping the future landscape of sustainable power generation.