Relay "Chasing the Sun" Bravely Climbing - Get to Know the Chinese "Artificial Sun" Research Team

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that strengthening basic research is an urgent requirement for achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and is the only way to build a world science and technology power.

Four generations of scientific researchers, more than 120,000 experiments, and more than 10 world records... China's experimental superconducting tokamak (EAST), known as the "artificial sun", has made many major breakthroughs. In April this year, it successfully achieved a new world record of 403 seconds of steady-state high-confinement mode plasma operation. This is of great significance for exploring the basic physical problems of future fusion reactors and accelerating the realization of fusion power generation.

This is the control hall of the Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) after the successful experiment (photo taken on April 12, 2023). Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Bohan

The "artificial sun" is a great cause related to human beings' realization of "energy freedom" and exploration of the mysteries of the universe. The hot cause started from a quiet place - the EAST large scientific facility is located on the Science Island in the western suburbs of Hefei, far away from the hustle and bustle. Over the past 50 years, batches of scientific researchers have been persistent in tackling key problems with the "great cause of the country" in mind, willing to sit on the "cold bench". This quiet place has now become a hotbed for international scientific research cooperation and exchanges, and many overseas researchers regard it as their "home".

The so-called great feats are all due to struggle; the so-called struggle is about inheritance. Four generations of scientific researchers have passed on the torch, continued innovation, and bravely climbed to the top, with the "fusion energy dream" in mind, and moved forward courageously towards a better future for mankind.

Several generations have continued to struggle and strive for their dreams again and again

All things grow with the help of the sun. The reason why the sun shines and emits heat is because of the nuclear fusion reaction inside it. The raw materials for nuclear fusion are extremely abundant on the earth, and the emissions are pollution-free. If we can build a "sun" to generate electricity, humans will hopefully achieve energy freedom.

"Why didn't we make such a good thing earlier?" Li Jiangang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that humans have been studying nuclear fusion energy (hereinafter referred to as "fusion energy") for more than 70 years. "It's not that we are too stupid, it's just too difficult!"

The temperature must reach hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius and remain stable. "What on Earth can contain a 'fireball' of hundreds of millions of degrees for a long time?" He said this is a challenge for all mankind.

"This is not something that can be accomplished by one or two generations. It requires several generations to persevere and work without caring about fame or fortune," said Wan Yuanxi, an 84-year-old academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

In 1973, the Chinese Academy of Sciences started the construction of the "Hefei Controlled Thermonuclear Reaction Research Experimental Station", and subsequently established the Institute of Plasma Physics (hereinafter referred to as "Plasma Institute").

Wan Wanxi has been on Science Island for 50 years. When he first arrived, the conditions here were difficult. The grass was more than a person tall. When it rained, crabs and frogs crawled everywhere. There were only a few buildings. There was a lack of technology, funds, and security. It took Wan Wanxi more than an hour to ride a bicycle from the dormitory to the laboratory. He ran for three years.

In 1981, Mr. Hua Luogeng rushed from Beijing to Hefei to lay the foundation for the "Project No. 8" for fusion energy research, planting the seeds of the "sun" in the "Spring of Science".

“We will spare no expense in pursuing our ideals and we will not be afraid of any hardship.” With a patriotic heart, Wan Yuanxi, Li Jiangang, Wan Baonian and other first- and second-generation researchers of the “artificial sun” “went abroad to study with steamed bread on their backs” and sat in the corner when attending international academic conferences, but they were eager to learn and never tired of asking for advice.

While developing the "sun", they also experimented with lighting the "sun". There were camp beds in their laboratory all year round, and it was common for them to experiment, analyze, debug, disassemble, assemble, and experiment again until the early morning or even all night.

The Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) nuclear fusion device was being assembled in March 2005. Xinhua News Agency

"I can fall asleep as soon as I cover myself with a military coat, and wake up immediately when the experimental horn sounds." Li Jiangang said that he and his team have experienced at least 50,000 experimental failures in 20 years.

From several million to tens of millions degrees Celsius, from 30 million to 50 million to hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius, a series of breakthroughs have been achieved in the "day by day" research and development.

Since last year, Song Yuntao, Gong Xianzu and other third-generation researchers of the "artificial sun" have led a young team to work hard for 15 months and finally reached a new height of 403 seconds of steady-state high confinement mode plasma operation at 21:00 on April 12.

From "following and running side by side" to "partially leading", striving to reach new heights

It is 11 meters high and 8 meters in diameter, with the five-star red flag flying on the top... The EAST device is shaped like a giant jar, with a huge world inside.

This is the EAST (Electronic Superconducting Tokamak) nuclear fusion experiment device photographed on April 13, 2021. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhou Mu

"EAST integrates ultra-high temperature, ultra-low temperature, ultra-high vacuum, ultra-strong magnetic field, and ultra-large current." Song Yuntao, deputy director of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, said that cutting-edge technologies are "melted into one furnace", reflecting the country's comprehensive scientific and technological strength.

"To achieve ultra-high temperatures, EAST uses four high-power heating systems, which is equivalent to heating by tens of thousands of microwave ovens together." Wang Teng, an associate researcher at the Institute of Plasma Physics, said that the most heat-resistant materials on Earth can only withstand a few thousand degrees Celsius. In order to carry high-temperature plasma of hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius, scientists use magnetic fields as a "cage", reaching about 70,000 times the strength of the Earth's magnetic field.

After 7 years of research and development and 17 years of transformation and upgrading, EAST now has more than 200 core technologies, more than 2,000 patents, and millions of parts working together.

Looking back more than 40 years ago, the first-generation device HT-6B could only achieve plasma operation and was "lagging behind" internationally.

The road ahead is long but the ambition remains. Huo Yuping, then director of the institute, and others analyzed the development trend and determined that superconductivity would be a key technology in the future. Due to tight funding, they used two trainloads of down jackets and other supplies to bring back superconducting experimental equipment from abroad, and redesigned and transformed it into a new device, HT-7.

HT-7 has made many breakthroughs in its 18 years of operation. In 2003, it achieved plasma discharge of more than 1 minute, marking a leap for my country's fusion energy research from following to keeping pace.

After developing HT-7, the Institute of Plasma Physics dared to be the first in the world to propose the idea of ​​building the world's first fully superconducting tokamak device, which had no precedent in the world. At that time, Song Yuntao was in his 20s. When he mentioned this when he was studying abroad, his foreign mentor shook his head and said, "It is impossible for China to build it. You don't have the technology."

"Chinese satellites had already been launched into space before I was born. Several generations of us have been pursuing this dream, and it will definitely come true," said Song Yuntao.

The success of EAST is amazing: in 2012, it achieved 411 seconds of 20 million degrees Celsius plasma operation; in 2016, it achieved 102 seconds of 50 million degrees Celsius plasma operation; in 2017, it achieved 101 seconds of high confinement mode plasma operation; in 2021, it achieved 120 million degrees Celsius plasma operation for 101 seconds...

After EAST set a new record in April this year, Ian Chapman, Chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Commission, Wayne Solomon, Vice President of General Atomics of the United States, and others sent congratulatory letters saying that this major achievement brought great confidence to international fusion research and proved "the team's dedication and innovative work."

It is understood that the localization rate of EAST exceeds 90%, 80% of the key equipment and materials are independently developed, and the control, heating, diagnosis and other technologies are world-leading.

Self-reliance, self-strengthening and striving to reach greater heights are the spiritual cores of generations of scientific researchers, supporting the powerful core of China's "artificial sun".

On April 12, 2023, in the control hall of the Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), Gong Xianzu (right), the chief director of the EAST physics experiment, and Song Yuntao (left), deputy director of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and director of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, celebrated after the success of the experiment. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Bohan

Working together to light up the "sun", scientific and technological cooperation spans continents and oceans

In July 2020, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the launch ceremony of the major project installation of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, pointing out that science has no borders and innovation is endless. International scientific and technological cooperation is of great significance in addressing the global challenges facing mankind.

my country signed an agreement to join the ITER project in 2006. As an important unit of the ITER Chinese Working Group, the Institute of Plasma Physics has dispatched more than 100 people to the French project site to undertake procurement tasks such as conductors, power supplies, and final assembly. It has passed the international evaluation with excellent performance and ranks among the top seven international parties participating in the ITER project.

In April 2021, the PF6 superconducting magnet coil developed by China was hoisted at the ITER project site in France. Xinhua News Agency

Peng Xuebing, a researcher at the Institute of Plasma Physics, said that they spent seven years on a coil component for ITER from the time they received the task to the time it was delivered. "Some people say this is a cold bench, but we have a fire in our hearts and keep 'colliding' with the plasma 'fireball'."

"No country can monopolize the research on 'artificial sun'. We open our doors to the whole world." Song Yuntao said that they have cooperated with more than 120 units in 45 countries, and about 500 foreign scholars come to exchange ideas every year.

"I have been to China more than 30 times, doing experiments on EAST and giving lectures to students on the island," said Shigeru Morita, a professor at the National Institute of Fusion Science in Japan.

"It is hard to imagine that China's fusion energy research has made such rapid progress in the past 20 years." Alain Becquerel, deputy director-general of the ITER Organization, visited Science Island when he was a doctoral student more than 20 years ago. He highly appreciates China's unwavering support for fusion energy research.

"The 'artificial sun' requires the hard work of scientists from all over the world for multiple generations, and only through collaborative research can it succeed." Li Jiangang hopes that more young people will join in. "We are extremely lucky to be able to perfectly combine human dreams, national needs and scientists' interests!"

Panoramic view of the comprehensive research facility park for key systems of fusion reactor hosts (photo taken on September 12, 2021). Xinhua News Agency

Not far from EAST, a new large scientific facility, the Comprehensive Research Facility for Key Systems of Fusion Reactor Host, is under construction. The engineering design of the next generation "artificial sun" China Fusion Engineering Experimental Reactor has been completed, and the goal is to build the world's first fusion demonstration reactor in the future.

"Nuclear fusion research is getting better and better, and the baton has been passed to our generation." Li Kedong, a postdoctoral fellow born in the 1990s, said that as the fourth generation of the "artificial sun" team, he feels lucky, responsible and has an opportunity. "We hope to make fusion power generation the first in China, and light up the first fusion energy lamp in China!"