A Chinese fusion reactor has broken records after it produced far more heat for a longer time than ever before. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) fusion reactor was reported by Chinese scientists to have produced a plasma temperature of 120 million degrees Celsius for 1,056 seconds. The previous length of time that such a heat had been generated was only 100 seconds.
The fusion reactor, sometimes referred to as an 'artificial sun', is known as such because many of the reactions that take place in the reactor also take place within stars such as our sun.
In a press release, the Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences said:
"1,056 seconds, a new pulse length world record for high temperature tokamak plasma has been achieved on the 'artificial sun' in Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP). On December 30, the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) set this milestone of tokamak operation for longer than 1,000 seconds by the end of 2021. Over the past 15 years of operation, EAST has achieved plasma operation with 1 megampere, 160 million degrees and 1,056 seconds separately. These milestones laying a solid scientific and experimental foundation toward the pursuing of the fusion energy."
Prof. Yuntao Song, Director-General of ASIPP added:
"ASIPP has a perfect team. We will face up to difficulties no matter how hard it is!"
The long-term goal of fusion reactors is to make them self-sustaining so that they can produce electricity. It is hoped that as the technology develops that fusion, as opposed to the fission reactions seen in conventional nuclear power plants, can help solve the world's energy problems by producing cheap, clean energy. Fusion reactors also have the advantage of not producing vast amounts of radioactivity or radioactive waste, making them potentially safer alternatives.
Many countries are now in a race to produce new energy sources that, like fusion reactors, do not produce greenhouse gases that affect the environment.
[Based on reporting by: Futurism]
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