Key Component Passes Rigorous Evaluation
China has announced a significant breakthrough in its ambitious next-generation 'artificial sun' project, as the prototype divertor component of its Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT) successfully passed expert evaluation and acceptance procedures on Monday, October 13, 2025. This development marks a crucial step forward in the nation's quest for clean and limitless fusion energy.
The divertor is an essential subsystem within a fusion reactor, tasked with the critical functions of removing fusion products and heat, as well as controlling impurities within the reactor core. The successful development of this prototype represents a major achievement in China's fully self-sufficient research and development of divertor technology, laying a solid technical foundation for its future engineering application in Chinese fusion reactors.
Advanced Design and Capabilities
The prototype divertor system is one of the 19 key subsystems of CRAFT. It features an innovative, integrated hybrid divertor-blanket design. This advanced design is projected to increase the tritium breeding ratio by more than 3 percent, offering a viable auxiliary pathway toward tritium self-sufficiency. The component's flat-plate structure is engineered to maintain the tungsten surface below its recrystallization temperature while effectively withstanding a steady-state heat load of 20 megawatts per square meter. Test results confirm this capacity, alongside an impressive alignment error of less than 1 millimeter on the plasma-facing surface of the target plate. This makes it the largest independently designed divertor prototype globally, capable of enduring the highest thermal load, effectively forming a 'shield' for the fusion reactor.
CRAFT and China's Fusion Ambitions
The Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), located in Hefei, Anhui Province, is a sprawling 40-hectare platform dedicated to developing and testing key components for fusion energy reactors. CRAFT is designed to support the larger China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) project, which aims to achieve a net power output of 100 to 200 megawatts by the 2040s. Construction of CRAFT began on September 20, 2019, and it is scheduled for completion by 2026, involving over 300 scientists and engineers across its 20 different facilities.
China views fusion energy as a national priority, pouring substantial government support and private investments into its development. The goal is to revolutionize the global energy landscape by providing an abundant source of clean energy, free from carbon emissions and long-lived radioactive waste. This strategic focus aims to enhance energy self-sufficiency and position China at the forefront of next-generation physics and clean energy technologies.
Broader 'Artificial Sun' Progress
This latest achievement at CRAFT builds upon China's broader progress in fusion research, often referred to as its 'artificial sun' projects. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), another prominent 'artificial sun' device, has already set world records. On January 20, 2025, EAST successfully sustained plasma for an unprecedented 1,066 seconds (over 17 minutes) at temperatures exceeding 180 million degrees Fahrenheit (over 100 million degrees Celsius). Another device, the HL-2M Tokamak in Sichuan province, is capable of reaching temperatures over 150 million degrees Celsius. These milestones underscore China's leading role in the global race to harness nuclear fusion, bringing humanity closer to a sustainable energy future.
5 Comments
Bermudez
While this divertor breakthrough is technically impressive, the sheer scale and cost of fusion projects mean practical energy is still far off. We need to temper expectations with reality.
Coccinella
Incredible engineering! This is a game-changer for clean energy.
ZmeeLove
The progress in fusion is exciting for future clean energy, but questions remain about the long-term feasibility and economic viability of such complex reactors. It's a huge step, but not the finish line.
Habibi
Achieving self-sufficiency in fusion technology is a significant national goal for China, yet international collaboration remains critical for accelerating global fusion development. Scientific progress benefits from shared knowledge.
Mariposa
This specific component achievement is a testament to China's engineering prowess, though the challenges of scaling this to a full, continuously operating commercial reactor are immense. There's a long road ahead.