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Chinese scientists from the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have achieved another significant breakthrough as part of the “Artificial Sun” project.
Experts have successfully completed acceptance testing and full-parameter testing of two critically important superconducting magnets for the fusion reactor: a toroidal superconducting magnet and a central solenoid coil based on high-temperature superconductivity. All key technologies for these components were developed entirely within the country, and their overall performance ranks among the best in the world.
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In particular, the toroidal field superconducting magnet for the thermonuclear reactor has passed all necessary technological stages and received a positive assessment from the expert commission. The device has impressive dimensions: 21 m long, 12 m wide, and 3.3 m high, with a total mass of 582 metric tons. In terms of volume, it is 1.3 times larger than the TF magnets of the international ITER fusion reactor, and in terms of energy storage capacity, it is three times greater. As of today, it is the largest superconducting magnet for fusion systems on the planet.
Toroidal field magnets are among the most critical components of a fusion reactor. During operation, these superconducting systems generate a powerful magnetic field that confines plasma heated to over 100 million degrees. A toroidal magnet creates a ring-shaped magnetic field that, thanks to the Lorentz force, reliably confines the plasma and minimizes the destructive impact of high-energy particles on the walls of the vacuum chamber. The implementation of this project took six years, covering the entire cycle from design to manufacturing and testing. The entire production and technological chain is a wholly domestic development. As a result of this work, 47 patent applications were filed and 14 new standards were approved, and in terms of operating parameters, the product outperforms its global counterparts.
At the same time, researchers successfully tested a central solenoid coil made of a high-temperature superconductor under maximum load conditions. According to the data obtained, the coil demonstrated a stable current of 60 kiloamperes, energy storage of 6.03 megajoules, a maximum magnetic field rate of change of 5.1 tesla per second, and a junction resistance of only 0.87 nanoohms. These indicators meet the highest global standards. The creation of this component – from the initial superconducting materials and design concept to the final assembly – is based entirely on domestic technologies.
The main task of the central solenoid coil is to induce and sustain a current in the plasma, as well as to dynamically control its shape during confinement. Given the extreme complexity of the task and the extreme operating conditions, the engineering team implemented an innovative solution featuring a reinforced frame structure to distribute mechanical stresses and a combined configuration of high- and low-temperature magnets. The researchers overcame more than a dozen complex technological barriers, including the design of highly stable magnetic systems and the fabrication of high-current, high-temperature superconductors, which enabled the successful fabrication and testing of the first magnet of its kind for future fusion facilities.
The head of the research team emphasized that the successful testing of two key superconducting magnetic systems lays a solid engineering foundation for the construction of a full-scale fusion reactor in China and significantly enhances domestic capabilities in the field of independent development and construction of suchprojects.
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