From the beginning, even though China's nuclear fusion research was small, its main goal was to realize controllable thermonuclear fusion energy in China. Since 1970s, the Tokamak has been selected as the main research approach, including small CT-6 (Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences), KT-5 (China University of Science and Technology), HT-6B(ASIPP), HL-/KOOC-0/(SWIP), HT-6M(ASIPP) and medium HL-/KOOC-0/. After further upgrading, the HL-2A device built by SWIP may be one of the few medium-sized tokamak devices in operation in the world. During the successful development of these devices, many fusion engineering teams were formed and trained. Scientists in China have done a series of important research work on these conventional tokamaks.
Starting from 199 1, China started the superconducting tokamak development plan (ASIPP) to explore and solve the steady-state operation problem of the tokamak. HT-7 device is the second largest device of its kind in the world, which was built and put into operation in 1994. Recently, the first fully superconducting tokamak EAST with similar structure to ITER was initially built. Undoubtedly, the Superconducting tokmak Project has made further technical and talent preparations for China to participate in ITER.
Fusion-fission hybrid reactor project was formally included in China 863 plan in 1987, aiming at exploring another effective utilization mode of nuclear fusion reaction, in which some technologies related to future nuclear fusion reactors were mainly arranged for research and development. In 2000, due to many reasons, the project of fusion-fission hybrid reactor was suspended, but the conceptual design of nuclear fusion reactor and the research on reactor materials and some special reactor technologies are still under way in two professional research institutes.
Although China's nuclear fusion energy research is still far behind the developed countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan in scale and level, we have our own characteristics and have made considerable preparations for participating in the ITER program in terms of technology and talents. This enables us to complete the agreed ITER assembly manufacturing task, make corresponding contributions to ITER plan, and possibly master the technology of fusion experimental reactor in the process of cooperation, so as to realize the overall goal of China's participation in ITER plan.
China is a big energy country, and the annual energy consumption in this century will be several billion tons of standard coal. Due to the limitation of conditions, coal will be the main energy production in China for a long time, accounting for 70%. Considering the long-term sustainable development of China's social economy, it is necessary to replace most of coal or oil consumption with reliable non-fossil energy (such as nuclear fission or fusion energy, solar energy, hydropower, etc.). ) as soon as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to actively carry out research on nuclear fusion energy within the scope of capacity, and participate in large-scale international cooperative research and development plans for nuclear fusion energy as much as possible (such as ITER plan). China's participation in ITER is based on its long-term basic demand for energy.
The research and development of nuclear fusion energy is necessary for every big country, but it is a long-term, large-scale, high-investment and high-risk process. At present, China's nuclear fusion research is far from the developed countries, and it will take several years to approach the stage of experimental reactor construction and research. If the experimental reactor is built independently, it will cost tens of billions of dollars. In more than ten years, the gap between China and the world will further widen. Therefore, we should participate in ITER's ITER planning, construction and experiment, fully master ITER's knowledge and technology, and train a group of fusion engineering and scientific research talents, so that they can become a part of China's fusion research. With the necessary basic research, research on fusion reactor materials, research on some necessary technologies of fusion reactor, etc. It is possible to make China's nuclear fusion energy research into the forefront of the world in a short period of time with less investment, laying a foundation for China to independently develop nuclear fusion demonstration power stations.
The world's first fully superconducting tokamak EAST (formerly known as HT-7U) nuclear fusion experimental device (also known as "artificial sun") designed and developed by China successfully completed its first engineering debugging in 2006 and passed the national acceptance in March 2007. Major breakthroughs have been made in some strategic high-tech and key industry core technologies, and a number of major original achievements have been made, and some disciplines have reached the forefront of the world. The ability of scientific and technological innovation has been greatly improved, which has strongly supported China's economic and social development.
We must also see that ITER itself is a synthesis of various modern high technologies. China's scientific and technological personnel will participate in the construction and research of ITER for a long time, and get in touch with and understand all kinds of technologies directly, which will certainly be beneficial to the development of high-tech and corresponding industries in China. In fact, participation in ITER program has begun to promote the development of superconducting technology and related industries in China. Because of the importance of ITER itself, China's full participation in ITER as a full partner has become a clear sign of China's participation in international scientific and technological cooperation to a higher level. This also shows China's determination to persist in opening up in the field of international science and technology. The central goal of China's fusion research is to make nuclear fusion possible in China as soon as possible. Therefore, participation in ITER should and can only be an important part of China's overall fusion energy research and development plan. While participating in ITER, the state will support a series of important research work, such as the basic research of plasma physics in Tokamak, the development of materials needed for key components such as the first wall of fusion reactor, the design of demonstration fusion reactor and the development of necessary technologies or key components. Participating in ITER will be a great opportunity for China's fusion energy research. On June 5438+02, it was learned from Hefei Institute of Material Science, China Academy of Sciences that the second phase PF5 conductor of the polar field conductor procurement package of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Program (ITER) developed by the Institute of Plasma, China Academy of Sciences has recently arrived in the French port of Foss and delivered to the ITER site.
The international thermonuclear experimental reactor program, referred to as ITER program, is one of the largest and most influential international scientific research cooperation projects in the world. It is jointly implemented by China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States. It is reported that the first product delivered by the Chinese side to the ITER site in China is also the first large-scale product delivered to the ITER site by the seven parties of ITER.
PF conductor procurement package was developed by Institute of Plasma, China Academy of Sciences. ITERPF conductor is a special-shaped conductor with an outer circle and an inner circle, and its manufacturing process is complex, including welding technology, nondestructive testing technology, conductor forming and winding technology. The Institute of Plasma Research has successively completed the research and development of armor and weld nondestructive testing, conductor forming and winding technology, and completed various receiving tests. On April 25, 20 13, the conductor first traveled from Hefei to Shanghai port by 500 kilometers, and then from Shanghai port to Foss port by 10000 nautical miles, and arrived at ITER headquarters, which is 0/00 kilometers away from Foss port. The whole journey took 38 days.
In the mid-1980s, the United States, France and other countries launched the ITER program, aiming at establishing the world's first controlled thermonuclear fusion experimental reactor and delivering huge clean energy for mankind. China is one of the seven parties involved in this project, and has undertaken nearly 65,438+00% of ITER equipment procurement package.