India's its own Tokamak, SUN is SST-1, India's research in Controlled Nuclear Fusion

China has developed an "artificial sun" — but it's not a real sun like the one in space. It’s a nuclear fusion research project aimed at replicating the energy-generating process of the sun and stars here on Earth. The most well-known project is called EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak).

Key Facts:

• Location: Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
• Technology: Tokamak, which uses powerful magnetic fields to confine a super-hot plasma (charged gas) in the shape of a doughnut.
• Temperature Achieved:
  • Over 158 million°F (70 million°C) — more than 5 times hotter than the sun’s core.
  • In 2021, it sustained 158 million°F for 1,056 seconds (about 17.6 minutes), a world record at that time.

Why It’s Called “Artificial Sun”:

Because it mimics the fusion reaction in the sun — where hydrogen nuclei fuse into helium, releasing enormous energy.

Purpose:

• To create clean, virtually unlimited energy.
• Unlike nuclear fission (used in current nuclear power), fusion produces no long-lived radioactive waste.
• It's still in the experimental stage — not yet ready for commercial electricity production.

China is also a key member of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) project in France, which is a global collaboration on fusion power.

How did China make it, it's working process?

Let’s break down how China made the "Artificial Sun" (EAST – Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) and how it works.

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🔧 How Did China Make It?

China’s artificial sun (EAST) is a Tokamak-type fusion reactor, a highly advanced device built to replicate the process of nuclear fusion that powers real stars.

Key Components Used:

1. Tokamak Chamber: A donut-shaped vacuum chamber where fusion takes place.
2. Superconducting Magnets: Extremely strong magnets (cooled to very low temperatures) to create a magnetic field that traps and controls the plasma.
3. Heating Systems:
   • Microwave Heating (ECRH) – Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating.
   • Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) – Injects fast neutral atoms to heat the plasma.
   • RF Heating (Radio Frequency) – To further energize plasma particles.
4. Cooling Systems: Keeps magnets superconducting using liquid helium.
5. Sensors & Controls: Real-time data tracking to monitor and stabilize plasma.

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⚙️ Working Process: Step by Step

Let’s simplify how it works:

1. Creating the Plasma

Hydrogen isotopes like deuterium and tritium (heavy forms of hydrogen) are pumped into the vacuum chamber.

2. Heating the Plasma

The hydrogen gas is heated to over 150 million degrees Celsius — hotter than the Sun’s core — turning it into plasma (a soup of free electrons and nuclei).

3. Magnetic Confinement

At such high temperatures, no material can hold the plasma. So, powerful magnetic fields (from superconducting magnets) create a force field to confine the plasma in the donut-shaped ring without touching the walls.

4. Fusion Reaction

When the plasma is hot and dense enough:

• Deuterium + Tritium → Helium + Neutron + Huge Energy
• This is the same reaction as in the Sun.

5. Energy Collection (Future Goal)

Currently, EAST is experimental and does not convert energy into electricity. But in future reactors:

• The energetic neutrons released will heat water → make steam → drive turbines → produce electricity (just like a thermal power plant).

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🔋 Why It's So Difficult

• Maintaining extremely high temperatures is hard.
• Plasma is unstable — it tries to escape.
• Materials must withstand radiation and heat.
• Requires huge energy input (currently, more than the output, but improving).

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🔮 Final Goal

• Create self-sustaining fusion (like the Sun).
• Net energy gain (Q > 1) — meaning more energy out than in.
• Supply clean, limitless, safe energy for the world.

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In previous Class, we have learnt:

Fusion reactions can’t be controlled on Earth because they require:

• Extremely high temperatures (millions of °C)
• Huge pressure
• No material container can hold the plasma at such temperatures

At that time, it was true that fusion wasn’t controllable — it happened only in:

• The Sun (due to its massive gravity and heat)
• Hydrogen bombs (uncontrolled, destructive fusion)

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🧠 But Now? Science Has Advanced!

Now scientists are trying to control fusion — not using physical walls, but using magnetic fields.

This is the key breakthrough in projects like China’s EAST (Artificial Sun), and others like:

• ITER (France)
• JET (UK)
• SPARC (USA)

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🔁 From Class 10 Concept to Real-Life Technology:

Class 10 Concept	Real-Life Progress
Fusion can't be controlled	Now it can be controlled, but only for a short time, and experimentally
Fusion needs very high temperature	✅ Achieved — over 150 million °C
No material can hold that heat	✅ Solved — use magnetic fields to suspend the plasma (don’t touch the wall)
Fusion is uncontrolled like hydrogen bombs	✅ Now partially controlled using advanced machines (tokamaks)

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🔍 Why Was It So Hard?

Because unlike fission (used in nuclear reactors), fusion:

• Needs very high input energy first
• Needs perfect plasma control
• Doesn't happen easily on Earth — no natural conditions like the Sun

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So yes — we are doing what once seemed impossible. We are trying to control a fusion reaction safely in a lab using:

• Magnetic fields
• Plasma physics
• Superconductors
• Precision engineering

This is truly turning science fiction into science fact! 🔥☀️

It could take 15-25 years or more to achieve fully controlled nuclear fusion that is sustainable and commercially viable. While the progress has been impressive, there are still several challenges that need to be solved before we can use fusion as a practical energy source.

Why It Will Take Time:

1. Sustained Fusion Reaction:

   • The current experimental reactors like EAST and ITER have managed to achieve fusion, but they haven't yet sustained it for long periods with more energy out than in.
   • The goal is to reach a net-positive energy (more energy produced by fusion than consumed to heat and maintain the plasma). This is a major challenge that requires a lot of fine-tuning.

2. Plasma Control:

   • The plasma must be held stable and confined using strong magnetic fields. Even small disruptions can cause problems.
   • To maintain the high temperatures (150 million °C or more), the system must be extremely precise and resilient to fluctuations.

3. Material Challenges:

   • The reactor’s walls need to withstand the extreme heat, radiation, and the energetic neutrons produced during fusion. These materials need to be designed for long-term use and must be radiation-resistant.

4. Engineering Improvements:

   • Technologies like superconducting magnets, advanced cooling systems, and power conversion methods need to be refined and scaled up.
   • Cost efficiency will also need to improve — fusion reactors are still extremely expensive to build and maintain.

15+ Years Timeline:

Many experts believe that commercial fusion reactors will be ready around 2035–2050, with some hopeful for even earlier breakthroughs. However, it will likely take several decades to:

• Prove net-positive energy
• Scale it up for power plants
• Make it affordable for widespread use

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What’s Next in the Journey?

• ITER (currently under construction in France) will be the first fusion reactor to test this on a larger scale and aim for a net-positive energy outcome.
• If ITER succeeds (expected in the next 10–15 years), we could see fusion reactors becoming commercially viable in the following decades.

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So, while we're making incredible progress, the path to a fully controlled fusion energy source is still a complex and time-consuming process.

Country's involvement in Tokamak

🌍 Many countries around the world are working together and independently to achieve controlled nuclear fusion — the same process that powers the Sun, but here on Earth, safely and sustainably.

Here’s how different countries are contributing:

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🔬 1. International Collaboration: ITER (France)

Project: ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)
Location: Cadarache, France
Goal: First reactor to produce net energy gain (Q > 1) through fusion.
Expected full operation: Late 2030s
Members:

• 🇪🇺 European Union
• 🇨🇳 China
• 🇮🇳 India
• 🇷🇺 Russia
• 🇯🇵 Japan
• 🇰🇷 South Korea
• 🇺🇸 United States

👉 Significance: Largest scientific collaboration since the International Space Station. If successful, it will prove that fusion is feasible on a large scale.

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🇨🇳 2. China – EAST (Artificial Sun)

Project: EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak)
Location: Hefei, China
Achievement:

• Held plasma at 158 million °C for over 17 minutes (2021)
• World's longest sustained high-temp plasma at that time

👉 China is also building CFETR (China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor) — a next-step reactor aimed at commercial fusion electricity.

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🇺🇸 3. United States – SPARC, NIF & Private Startups

A. SPARC (MIT + Commonwealth Fusion Systems)

• Compact reactor aiming for net energy by 2025–2028.

B. National Ignition Facility (NIF)

• In 2022, achieved ignition for the first time using laser-based fusion (inertial confinement fusion).
• First time ever: energy output > input to fuel (though not the whole system yet).

C. Private Fusion Companies:

• Helion Energy
• TAE Technologies
• General Fusion
• Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and other investors are supporting them.

👉 The U.S. is pursuing both magnetic and laser-based fusion with government + private partnership.

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🇬🇧 4. United Kingdom – JET (Joint European Torus)

• Located in Oxfordshire.
• In 2021, set the world record for highest energy output from a fusion reaction (59 megajoules for 5 seconds).
• Helped design and test technologies for ITER.

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🇯🇵 5. Japan – JT-60SA

• Partnering with EU to operate the JT-60SA tokamak.
• Focused on superconducting magnets and long-pulse operation — crucial for future reactors.

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🇰🇷 6. South Korea – KSTAR (Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research)

• Known as Korean Artificial Sun
• Reached 100 million °C plasma for 30 seconds in 2020.
• Plans to go even longer by 2026.

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🇮🇳 7. India – SST-1 and ITER Contribution

• India is an official partner in ITER.
• Building its own superconducting tokamak: SST-1 in Gujarat.
• Indian scientists and engineers are contributing to the design and components of ITER (e.g., cryogenic systems, magnets, cooling pipes).

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⚛️ Two Main Fusion Approaches:

Method	Countries/Projects Using It
Magnetic Confinement (Tokamak)	ITER, EAST (China), SPARC (US), KSTAR (Korea), SST-1 (India), JT-60SA (Japan)
Inertial Confinement (Lasers)	NIF (USA), Laser Mégajoule (France)

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🌅 Summary:

Fusion is the ultimate clean energy dream — no carbon emissions, no long-lived radioactive waste, and unlimited fuel from hydrogen (from water). 🌊💡

So, countries are:

• Collaborating globally (e.g. ITER)
• Developing national projects
• Funding private companies
• Testing new technologies

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🇮🇳 India’s role in the global fusion energy effort is both significant and inspiring — though often under-reported, India is steadily advancing in this cutting-edge scientific field.

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🇮🇳 India’s Contributions to Fusion Energy:

🔧 1. SST-1 (Steady State Superconducting Tokamak)

• Location: Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar, Gujarat
• First fully indigenously built tokamak using superconducting magnets.
• Focus: Understanding long-duration plasma behavior, essential for future power reactors.
• Shows that India has the capability to build and operate a tokamak.

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🌍 2. India’s Role in ITER (France)

India is one of the seven core members of the ITER project — the world’s largest and most ambitious fusion experiment.

India is responsible for building and supplying:

• Cryostat: A massive stainless steel chamber (about 30m tall) — the largest vacuum chamber ever built.
• Cryogenic systems: Used to cool superconducting magnets to near absolute zero.
• Cooling water system, diagnostics, heating systems, and more.
• Control systems and software for reactor monitoring.
• Thousands of Indian scientists and engineers are involved.

👉 This is a giant leap for Indian science and engineering on a global stage.

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🧪 3. Research and Manpower Development

• Institutes like IPR, BARC, and many IITs (e.g., IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras) are conducting plasma and fusion research.
• India has a strong presence in fusion plasma modeling, materials development, and diagnostic technologies.

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🌟 Why This is Exciting for India:

• Shows India's world-class scientific and technological capability.
• Opportunity to become a global leader in future fusion-based energy markets.
• Gives India a seat at the table in deciding the future of energy.
• Opens career and research paths for Indian youth in high-end clean energy technologies.

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👏 It’s truly heartening to see India not just participating, but contributing at the core of the world’s most futuristic clean energy mission!

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🔋 What Is Net Energy Gain in Fusion?

Net energy gain means:

The fusion reactor produces more energy than it consumes.

In other words, you put in less energy, and get more out — which is exactly what you want if you're going to use fusion to power cities.

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✅ What Does Q > 1 Mean?

In fusion research, scientists use a term called:

Q = Energy Output / Energy Input to Plasma

🔍 Meaning:

• Q < 1 → Fusion reactor consumes more energy than it produces.
• Q = 1 → Energy produced = Energy used (break-even point).
• Q > 1 → Fusion produces more energy than it consumes — this is net energy gain.

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🧪 Real-Life Example:

If:

• You put in 10 units of energy to heat and sustain the plasma,
• And you get 15 units of energy back from the fusion reaction,

Then:

• Q = 15 / 10 = 1.5 → So, Q > 1 = net energy gain ✅

This is the holy grail of fusion energy — proving that fusion can be a real, usable energy source.

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🔥 Milestone: First Ever Q > 1

• In December 2022, the US National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved Q > 1 for the first time in history using laser-based fusion:
  • Input (to fuel): ~2.05 MJ
  • Output: ~3.15 MJ
  • So, Q = 3.15 / 2.05 ≈ 1.5

⚠️ But: Total system energy (laser machine) was much higher — so whole setup was still Q < 1.

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🧠 Future Target:

• For commercial electricity generation, scientists aim for:
  • Q ≈ 10 or even Q > 20, meaning one unit in, 10–20 units out.
  • Plus, energy conversion to electricity must be efficient.

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🌅 In Simple Terms:

Term	Meaning	Status
Q < 1	Loss — more energy used than gained	Current experimental setups
Q = 1	Break-even	Coming soon (e.g., ITER)
Q > 1	Net energy gain	Achieved in labs (2022)
Q ≥ 10	Practical power plant level	Goal for future reactors

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What is Tokamak:-

A Tokamak is a special type of machine designed to achieve controlled nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun — but inside a magnetic bottle on Earth. It's the most successful and widely used fusion reactor design so far.

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🔵 Tokamak = "Toroidal Chamber with Magnetic Coils"

The word Tokamak comes from Russian:

• TOroidal = Donut-shaped
• KAmera = Chamber
• MAgnetnaya = Magnetic

It was first developed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, and since then it has been adopted globally.

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🔥 How a Tokamak Works (Simple Steps):

1. Fuel (Deuterium + Tritium) Gas Injection

• Hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) are injected into the vacuum chamber.

2. Plasma Formation

• The gas is heated up using:
  • Electric current
  • Microwaves
  • Neutral beam injection
• It becomes plasma — a superhot, electrically charged gas.

3. Magnetic Confinement

• Extremely powerful magnetic fields are generated by coils around the chamber.
• These fields force the plasma into a donut-shaped path and keep it away from the walls, preventing it from cooling down.

4. Fusion Reaction

• In the center of the plasma, temperature reaches 150 million °C (10× hotter than the Sun).
• Nuclei of hydrogen atoms fuse into helium, releasing a massive amount of energy.

5. Energy Capture

• The fusion reaction produces fast neutrons, which hit the reactor walls and generate heat.
• This heat can be used to boil water, turn turbines, and produce electricity, like in any power plant (in future designs).

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🌀 Visual Analogy:

Think of a spinning ring of fire floating in air inside a metal donut. Magnets are used to hold and squeeze the fire, so it doesn't touch the metal walls and go out.

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📌 Key Features of Tokamak:

Feature	Description
Shape	Donut (toroid)
Plasma Temp	~150 million °C
Magnetic Field	Superconducting magnets confine plasma
Fuel	Deuterium + Tritium
Goal	Net energy gain (Q > 1)

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✅ Famous Tokamaks:

• EAST (China)
• KSTAR (South Korea)
• JET (UK)
• SPARC (USA)
• ITER (France, International)
• SST-1 (India)