A breakthrough in the field of nuclear fusion! China’s new generation of “artificial sun” discharges for the first time-Scientific Exploration-cnBeta.COM



[ad_1]

“Motor No. 1 and motor No. 2 rotate at 1480 rpm, the system is ready; motor No. 4 rotates at 400 rpm and the system is ready … The first experiment of plasma discharge of the device begins! China Circulator No. 2 M! ” December 4 At 2:02 p.m., at the Southwest Institute of Nuclear Industry Physics of the China National Nuclear Corporation in Chengdu, Sichuan, blue electric lights flashed on the large screen of the Circulator Command and Control Center. China.

access:

Taobao Double 12 Super Red Envelope Receiving Entry: up to 3 times a day, up to 1212 yuan

Alibaba Cloud double 11 global carnival season returns to continuous dual-core 8G cloud server with 286.44 yuan in the first year

The new generation of “artificial sun” device, China’s No. 2M Circulator Device (HL-2M) was officially completed and made the first discharge. This indicates that China has independently mastered the design, construction and operation technology of advanced large-scale tokamak devices, and will lay a solid foundation for China’s independent design and construction of nuclear fusion reactors.

China Circulator Device No.  2 M. Photo by Sheng Li

China Circulator Device No. 2 M. Photo by Sheng Li

The discharge temperature can reach almost 10 times the temperature of the solar core.

Nuclear fusion is not a mystery, as long as the deuterium and tritium nuclei of the hydrogen isotope are infinitely close to trigger a fusion reaction, a large amount of energy can be released. The principle seems simple, but it can be said that it is difficult to keep the fusion reaction under control.

Project leader Liu Yong said that to achieve a controllable nuclear fusion reaction, three harsh conditions must be met:

One is that the temperature must be high enough for the fuel to turn into a plasma of more than 100 million degrees Celsius;

Second, the density must be high enough so that the probability of collision between two nuclei is high;

The third is that the plasma is confined in a limited space for long enough.

The newly built China Circulator No. 2 M device was approved by the National Atomic Energy Agency in 2009 and independently designed and built by the Southwest Institute of Physics of China Nuclear Corporation. It is currently the largest advanced tokamak with the highest parameters in China. The device is a new generation of advanced magnetic confinement nuclear fusion experimental research devices in China.

The volume of plasma is more than double that of existing household devices, the plasma current capacity increases to more than 2.5 megaamps, and the temperature of the plasma ion can reach 150 million degrees, which can reach high density, high specific pressure and high starting current operation.

China Circulator No. 2 M device successfully downloaded the moment.Photo by Li Di

China Circulator No. 2 M device successfully downloaded the moment.Photo by Li Di

“The discharge is to convert the gas in the HL-2M vacuum chamber into a plasma state. Our researchers will perform different types of discharges on this device. The ultimate goal is to heat enough plasma to more than 100 million degrees. Our Sun La The core temperature is 15 to 20 million degrees, which is almost 10 times the temperature of the solar core. Only when the plasma is heated to more than 100 million degrees can controllable nuclear fusion be possible. “

Achieve a series of breakthroughs and wisdom contributions of “China’s nuclear fusion”

During the construction of the HL-2M device, the Southwestern Institute for Nuclear Industry Physics, a series of research units within the United Nations, continued to advance “no man’s land” scientific research. Several advancements have been made in the physics and structural design of the device, the development of special materials, the connection of materials and the research and development of key components, and the integration of the final assembly. The detachable coil structure has been realized, the control operation level has been improved, and the physical experiment research capabilities of the device have been enhanced.

The China Circulator No. 2 M device is being commissioned and installed in the early stage of development Photo courtesy of interviewee

The China Circulator No. 2 M device is being commissioned and installed in the early stage of development Photo courtesy of interviewee

The R&D team has successively conquered key technologies such as compression molding of large, thin-walled hyperboloid high-nickel vacuum vessels and control of weld deformation; Mastered the international advanced level of special-shaped copper alloy thick plate molding and manufacturing technology and realized the production of high-strength expansion bolt components. Independent location; successfully developed the first large-scale vertical axis pulse generator set with advanced international level

Taking as an example the first large-scale domestic vertical axis pulse generator successfully developed in this project, its R&D team pioneered a number of unique technologies to overcome technical problems such as six-phase high-current generators, rotors high speed high inertia and wide frequency shift control and protection systems. In the development process, a batch of innovative achievements with independent intellectual property rights has been formed.

In China’s nuclear power development and implementation of the three-step strategy “thermal reactor-fast reactor-fusion reactor”, fusion energy as the final step to solve the energy problem. The development of nuclear fusion power is not only a way to solve China’s strategic energy needs, but also has great strategic importance for the sustainable development of future energy and China’s national economy.

Baking and water cooling piping installation was carried out in the initial stage of China Circulator No. 2 M device. Photo courtesy of interviewee

Baking and water cooling piping installation was carried out in the initial stage of China Circulator No. 2 M device. Photo courtesy of interviewee

“Aiming to achieve the application of fusion energy by the middle of this century, the HL-2M device is an important support to achieve the high-quality development of nuclear fusion technology in China. It will enable the research of the China’s central-level plasma physics and related key technologies reach the international advanced level and become China Join the world’s international cooperation platform for the development of nuclear fusion power. ”The person in charge of the project said that in the future, the HL-2M device will attract and bring together top-level international nuclear fusion talents around the world, and cultivate a group of leaders in global nuclear fusion technology and a high-level innovation team has formed a series of historical scientific and technological achievements with international influence and has contributed Chinese wisdom and power to the cause of human nuclear fusion.

[ad_2]