We know that humanity's curiosity to control everything has led to great technological advances. One of the major problems facing humanity in this century is the energy crisis. This necessitates the development of all the necessary aspects to achieve nuclear fusion. China's artificial sun is close to achieving nuclear fusion and ending the problems of the energy crisis.
In this article we are going to tell you what the artificial sun in China is, what its characteristics are and how important it is for the global energy paradigm.
What is China's artificial sun
They call it an artificial sun because it uses the same energy source as our nearest star. It's one of science's most promising advances, with a technical name called fusion: a nearly clean energy source that major powers have been pursuing for decades . So much so that fifty years ago it was said that there were only fifty…
However, it seems we are getting closer. Among other things, because China has just broken the record for the longest nuclear fusion reaction: 120 million degrees Celsius for 101 seconds.
First, we'll go ahead and explain what nuclear fusion really is. Conventional nuclear power plants work by releasing energy from fission. That is, "break" the atom. Thus, enriched uranium bombarded with neutrons is used to start a nuclear chain reaction.
These plants have been in operation for over half a century. Specifically, the first grid-connected nuclear power plant was completed in the Soviet Union in 1954. However, as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster demonstrates, they are not without risks. If you want to learn more about how these plants work, you can consult our article on what the sun is and how it relates to energy development.
On the one hand, we have uncontrolled chain reactions. Although the consequences were catastrophic, such events are extremely abnormal. The real problem with nuclear fission is the waste it produces, which can remain dangerously radioactive for hundreds of years.
Conversely, nuclear fusion or an artificial sun offer the possibility of generating energy safely with little to no waste . Thanks to their low carbon footprint, they could be powerful tools in the fight against climate change. This is crucial, considering the urgent need for sustainable solutions like those being explored in research on the sun's characteristics.
How nuclear fusion is achieved
How is it achieved? Essentially, it combines two light nuclei into one heavy nucleus, subjecting them to enormous pressure and extremely high temperatures. The reaction also releases energy because the resulting nuclei are less massive than the first two nuclei alone.
Typically, the fuel used to create an artificial sun is based on isotopes of deuterium and tritium. Deuterium can be extracted from seawater, while tritium can be extracted from lithium . Both elements are incredibly abundant, almost infinitely so compared to uranium. For example, the deuterium in one liter of seawater can produce the energy equivalent of three hundred liters of oil.
To understand the energy released during fusion, consider that just a few grams of fuel can generate terajoules: enough to meet the energy needs of one person in a developed country for six years. This potential is the subject of study in various research projects on renewable energy and the creation of artificial clouds and their impact on climate.
Fusion reactions also produce waste. Most of it is helium, an inert gas. However, small amounts of radioactive waste derived from tritium are also produced. Fortunately, these decay much faster than their fission counterparts. Specifically, they can be reused or recycled in less than 100 years. On the other hand, the neutron flux produced during fusion affects surrounding materials, which gradually become radioactive without protection. Therefore, shielding the reactor structure will be another crucial aspect.
How China's artificial sun works
Ok, now we have our tritium and deuterium fuels, and the basic principles of operation. But how exactly does this process work? Here, then, begin the pitfalls when moving from theory to practice.
As expected, it was necessary to apply very high pressures and temperatures—enough to turn the fuel into an extremely hot plasma. The atoms must collide with each other at temperatures of at least 100 million degrees Celsius, with enough pressure to bring them so close that the nuclear attraction overcomes the electrical repulsion.
Establishing a rough parallelism is like overcoming the repulsion of two magnets of the same polarity until you can glue them together. To achieve these extreme conditions, magnetic fields and powerful laser beams are used to focus the fuel. Once the hyperhot plasma state is reached, fuel must continue to be added while trying to control the high heat emissions without destroying the reactor.
Of course, there is no material in the world that can withstand 100 million degrees Celsius without melting instantly. This is where plasma confinement comes in, and this is achieved through different types of reactors, such as the one being studied in the context of solar energy.
The latest advances in nuclear fusion
As we originally expected, one of the latest developments in nuclear fusion features China. In May 2021, researchers at the Southwest Institute of Physics (SWIP) in Chengdu, China announced that their HL-2M reactor had broken all records for nuclear fusion experiments.
Although it's a complex process, the biggest challenge isn't fusion itself, as has been achieved in many reactors in recent years. The real challenge is sustaining it over time: few people are capable of making it last for more than a few seconds.
That's where the SWIP scientists got their medal: they reached a temperature of 150 million degrees Celsius for 101 seconds. The previous record was held by South Korea with 20 seconds.
This tokamak-type reactor is touted as an "artificial sun," but in reality, it's ten times hotter than the sun's core. All eyes are now on the biggest international project to date: ITER. This massive undertaking, involving 35 countries, has just completed its first phase of construction. If all goes well, the final reactor will be able to generate 500 megawatts of electricity around 2035.
I hope this information helps you learn more about China's artificial sun and its features.