China: One step closer to nuclear fusion

Source: CCTV.com | 01-29-2007 09:24

Chinese scientists have moved a step closer towards nuclear fusion. They've achieved a temperature of 55 million degrees Celsius, doubling the country's record of twenty million.

The experiment is nicknamed the Artificial Sun. It's an attempt to replicate the energy generated from the sun.

Nuclear fusion requires a temperature of over 100 million degrees Celsius. At this point, the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium are forced together to form a super heated plasma which should begin to give off its own energy.

Pan Chuanhong, director southwestern physics laboratory, said, "With the new high of 55 million degrees, we can start our research that used to be impossible at lower temperatures. This allows us to have closer dialogue with the world's leading nuclear fusion scientists."

The scientists have also scored another breakthrough. They've retrieved a filtering plasma from a superconductive fusion reactor, which will help plasma nuclear separation technology.

So far, only Europe and the US have raised the temperatures in a nuclear fusion reactor above one hundred million degrees.

Experts predict it will be another fifty years before nuclear fusion goes commercial.

Editor:Du Xiaodan