‘Artificial Sun’ Gets a Boost: China Builds World’s Largest Magnet

New Delhi: China has achieved a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology. Scientists in the country have constructed the world’s largest superconducting magnet for an ‘artificial sun.’ Successful testing of the magnet has also been completed. Scientists state that this will aid in the future development of fusion energy.

An ‘artificial sun’ is a machine designed to generate energy in a manner similar to the Sun. It creates extremely hot gas—known as plasma—and attempts to control it to produce energy. This process is known as nuclear fusion. Scientists believe that if this technology succeeds, it could generate vast amounts of clean energy in the future.

World’s Largest Superconducting Magnet Ready
China has built the world’s largest superconducting magnet for this machine. It weighs 582 tonnes and measures 21 meters in length, 12 meters in width, and 3.3 meters in height. The magnet’s function is to confine the super-hot plasma within the machine, preventing it from colliding with the machine’s walls; such a collision could halt the energy generation process. This magnet is approximately 1.3 times larger than similar magnets used in the international fusion project, ITER, and is capable of storing three times more energy. Eventually, 16 such magnets will be installed together.

Another Key Component Ready
Scientists have also developed a specialized superconducting coil. Its role is to initiate the fusion process and maintain the plasma in the correct position throughout the operation. During testing, the coil demonstrated the capacity to handle a current of 60 kiloamperes and energy of 6.03 megajoules. Scientists say this will help in operating the reactor for extended periods.

Why is this achievement significant? Scientists state that all the essential components of these two devices were manufactured in China. This has reduced reliance on other countries for this technology. Experts believe that this move will help advance technologies for generating clean and continuous energy in the future.