In a groundbreaking stride for fusion energy, China has completed shipping the final set of Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder components for the world’s largest "artificial sun" project, ITER, in southern France. This milestone marks the completion of all super-large components needed for ITER's magnet feeder system – the critical lifeline that powers, cools, and controls the fusion reactor magnets.
Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP), the magnet feeder system not only supplies energy and cooling media but also reliably sends back control signals and safely discharges stored magnet energy. Among its components, the Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder stands out with 9 half-ring sets, each measuring 16 meters in diameter and 3 meters in height, contributing to a total system weight of about 1,600 tonnes.
ITER, often dubbed the "artificial sun," aims to produce clean, carbon-free energy through fusion reactions that mimic the sun's power. The project is a multinational collaboration, with contributions from the European Union, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Russia, and China.
Lu Kun, deputy director of ASIPP, highlighted the feeder system's vital role in ITER’s operation, while Song Yuntao from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science emphasized that over the past 20 years, ASIPP has built strong partnerships with more than 140 research institutions across 50+ nations, boosting fusion research worldwide.
This achievement underscores China's pivotal role in advancing fusion energy technology and exemplifies a global commitment to forging a sustainable energy future. ⚡🌞
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China delivers key components for world's largest 'artificial sun'
cgtn.com