China’s EAST sustained 100-million°C plasma for 1,056 seconds, advancing fusion energy. Fusion mimics the Sun, using deuterium-tritium for clean power. Challenges: scaling stability to hours. EAST aids ITER, a global project including India. Success could revolutionize energy with zero emissions, but commercialization remains decades away.
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Picture Courtesy: Physicsworld.com
An experimental nuclear fusion reactor in China maintained its operational state for over 1,000 seconds, a new record.
The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in China maintained plasma in a steady state for over 1,000 seconds, breaking its previous record of 400 seconds. This is a major step toward achieving practical nuclear fusion energy.
About Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)It is a research facility in China that operates a superconducting tokamak, essentially a device used to study nuclear fusion by creating and containing high-temperature plasma. It is often referred to as an "artificial sun" due to the extreme heat it generates. |
Fusion reactions require extremely high temperatures (millions of degrees Celsius) to create plasma, a state where atoms split into charged particles. Keeping this plasma stable and confined using magnetic fields is crucial for fusion. The longer the plasma stays stable, the closer we get to viable fusion energy.
Fusion combines lighter atoms (like hydrogen isotopes) to release energy, mimicking the Sun’s process. It produces no long-term radioactive waste, unlike fission, which splits heavy atoms and generates hazardous waste.
Fusion also uses abundant fuels like deuterium and tritium, making it a cleaner and more sustainable energy source.
Fusion produces massive amounts of energy. One gram of fusion fuel can generate energy equivalent to burning eight tonnes of coal. It has zero carbon emissions, uses widely available materials, and can operate almost anywhere. If achieved, fusion could make other clean energy sources like solar and wind less critical.
Fusion requires extreme conditions that are hard to maintain. Current reactors need to sustain plasma for hours or days, not just minutes, to produce continuous electricity. The technology is still in the experimental stage, with no commercial reactors yet operational.
EAST is a testbed for technologies needed for larger projects like ITER, an international fusion reactor under construction in France.
EAST’s achievements, such as its record-breaking plasma confinement, provide valuable data to advance global fusion research.
What is ITER, and how does it fit into fusion research?ITER is a massive international fusion project in France, involving over 30 countries, including India. It aims to begin deuterium-tritium fusion reactions by 2039, producing 500 MW of fusion power. While ITER won’t generate electricity, its success will pave the way for future commercial fusion reactors. |
Fusion could solve the world’s energy and climate crises. It offers a nearly limitless, clean energy source with minimal environmental impact. If breakthroughs like China’s EAST reactor continue, fusion could become a reality sooner than expected, transforming global energy systems.
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