China made headlines on Friday by completing the shipment of the final set of Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder components to the ITER site in southern France. This milestone marks a key step in the development of ITER’s magnet feeder system, a critical lifeline that supports the project’s entire fusion process.
Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP), the Correction Coil In-Cryostat Feeder is designed as nine half-ring structures measuring 16 meters in diameter and 3 meters in height. Together with 30 other sets, this complex system, weighing approximately 1,600 tonnes, provides essential energy, cooling media, and control signals to ITER’s fusion reactor magnets while safely discharging stored magnetic energy.
ITER, often referred to as the "artificial sun," is an ambitious international endeavor aimed at generating clean, carbon-free energy through nuclear fusion. Jointly funded by the European Union, China, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, and Russia, the project represents a powerful blend of global scientific collaboration and innovation.
Lu Kun, deputy director at ASIPP, emphasized the vital role of the magnet feeder system, while Song Yuntao, vice president of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and director of ASIPP, highlighted over 20 years of successful collaborations with more than 140 research institutions across over 50 countries. These partnerships have enabled many emerging nations to advance their own fusion research programs.
This achievement not only reinforces the promise of fusion energy as a sustainable power source but also underscores the spirit of international cooperation in driving scientific breakthroughs for a cleaner, more energy-efficient future.
Reference(s):
China delivers key components for world's largest 'artificial sun'
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