--- title: "China's 'Artificial Sun' Breaks Barrier: Record-Breaking Magnets for Fusion Reactor Pass Tests" description: "The Chinese ASIPP institute has successfully tested two record-breaking superconducting magnets for a fusion reactor. One of them became the largest in history, surpassing ITER project analogues. This confirms China's complete technological independence and brings the launch of the 'artificial sun' closer to 2030. ☀️⚛️🇨🇳" date: 2026-07-16T00:45:22.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/chinas-artificial-sun-breaks-barrier-record-breaking-magnets-for-fusion-reactor-pass-tests tags: [china, asipp, fusion-energy, iter, superconducting-magnets] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # China's 'Artificial Sun' Breaks Barrier: Record-Breaking Magnets for Fusion Reactor Pass Tests ![Massive D-shaped superconducting magnet for China's HL-2M fusion reactor displayed on a blue floor](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/kitayskoe-iskusstvennoe-solnce-rekordnye-magnity-dlya-termoyadernogo-reaktora/kitayskoe-iskusstvennoe-solnce-rekordnye-magnity-dlya-termoyadernogo-reaktora-1.webp) China has achieved a breakthrough in the development of 'artificial sun' technology — nuclear fusion. At the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei, two key components of the future reactor successfully passed acceptance and full-parameter testing: domestically produced superconducting magnets. This step is recognized as one of the most complex engineering barriers on the path to controlled nuclear fusion. The success confirms that China is capable of independently producing world-class equipment without relying on foreign supplies. ### Record-Breaking Magnet for Plasma Confinement The main novelty is a D-shaped toroidal magnet, which has become the largest superconducting magnet for fusion devices in history. Its dimensions are impressive: 21 meters long, 12 meters wide, 3.3 meters high, with a mass reaching 582 tons. In terms of characteristics, this component significantly surpasses analogues used in the international ITER project. The volume of the new Chinese magnet is 1.3 times larger, and the stored energy is three times higher. In the future, 16 such coils will be assembled into a ring. Each will carry a current of about 100 kiloamperes, creating a magnetic field of 6.5 tesla in the center of the plasma. The function of the magnet is to confine the scorching plasma. As ASIPP researcher Yu Yu explained, the powerful field acts like an invisible but extremely strong cage. It suspends a ball with a temperature of 100 million degrees in a vacuum chamber, preventing it from touching the walls and destroying the reactor. ### 'Ignition Spark' and Technological Independence In addition to the giant toroidal magnet, a second key element passed testing — the high-temperature superconducting central solenoid. Engineer Qin Jinggang compared it to a spark plug in a car engine. It is this element that induces and controls the plasma current, which directly determines whether the reactor can 'ignite' and operate stably. In terms of stored energy, field ramp-up rate, and connection quality, the solenoid has reached the leading global level. ASIPP Director Song Yuntao emphasized that the main value of this success is complete technological self-reliance. Chinese specialists have localized the entire production chain: from the creation of superconducting tapes and cryogenic stainless steel to insulation, winding, and protection against quenching. Over six years of work, the team obtained 47 patents and developed 25 industry standards. ### Engineering Precision and Economic Impact Behind the massive structures lies work with extreme precision. The magnets must reliably function for 60 years at a temperature of −268.95 °C, withstanding high current, intense radiation, and colossal mechanical loads. One of the most difficult tasks was the heat treatment of niobium-tin superconductors. A temperature deviation of just a few degrees in a furnace with coils more than 10 meters long could have completely destroyed the material's properties. Engineers managed to reduce the resistance of internal connections to 0.04 nanoohms, which at currents of 100 kiloamperes means practically zero energy loss. An important achievement was also the reduction in cost. Over six years, the solenoid team mastered more than ten key technologies and reduced the price of high-temperature superconducting tape from 400 yuan ($56) per meter to 100 yuan. This removes one of the main obstacles to the economic viability of future fusion power plants. ### Roadmap to 2030 Successful magnet tests open the way to the realization of China's ambitious roadmap: - By the end of 2027, the BEST tokamak is planned to be completed. - By approximately 2030, the goal is to begin generating fusion energy. - The next stage will be the creation of the CFEDR demonstration reactor, which is expected to become the world's first fusion demonstration power plant. Despite the success, experts maintain cautious optimism. Qin Jinggang warned that magnet tests represent only about 80% of the task. Ahead lies the full assembly of the machine and long-term testing of the entire system under extreme conditions.