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China delivers core components for world's first compact fusion energy experimental device
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China National Erzhong Heavy Industry Group (Guoji Zhongzhuang) announced on September 28 that it has completed and shipped all eight TF coil boxes for the world's first compact fusion energy experimental device, BEST (Burning plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak). The components were manufactured at the company's Deyang base in Sichuan over 14 months. The TF coil box is the core component of the superconducting magnet system, designed to operate under extreme conditions of ultra-low temperature, ultra-strong magnetic fields, and high stress. The BEST device, designed by the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and built by Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd., is located in Hefei's Future Science City. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences' research plan, the device is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, followed by deuterium-tritium burning plasma experiments targeting a fusion power of 20 to 200 megawatts, with the goal of achieving net energy gain and demonstrating fusion power generation by around 2030. The company has also signed a contract for mass production of shielding blocks for the BEST project, expanding cooperation beyond single components to broader system parts.
Source report
Date: September 28
The delivery ceremony for the first batch of TF coil boxes for the world’s first compact fusion energy experimental device, BEST, was held recently at the Deyang base of China National Erzhong Group (国机重装). All eight TF coil box units, manufactured and assembled by the company, have been completed and successfully shipped.
About the BEST Device
BEST stands for Burning plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak. The TF coil boxes delivered are designed under the leadership of the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) and constructed by Fusion New Energy (Anhui) Co., Ltd.
- BEST is the world’s first compact fusion energy experimental device.
- It is a key Chinese facility designed to bridge the engineering gap between experimental reactors and demonstration reactors.
What is Controlled Nuclear Fusion?
Controlled nuclear fusion, often referred to as an "artificial sun," mimics the nuclear fusion reactions occurring inside the Sun. The process involves:
- Heating deuterium (extracted from seawater) and tritium (produced from lithium) to over 100 million degrees Celsius.
- Causing atomic nuclei to fuse into helium, releasing enormous amounts of energy.
Role and Manufacturing of TF Coil Boxes
The TF coil box is a core component of the superconducting magnet system. It must operate under extreme conditions, including:
- Ultra-low temperatures
- Ultra-strong magnetic fields
- Extremely high stress
TF coils (toroidal field coils) are the core magnets in a tokamak device, used to generate a toroidal magnetic field and confine the plasma. The TF coil box is the metal load-bearing shell that houses and supports the superconducting coils.
Manufacturing Details
- Manufactured by Erzhong Equipment (a subsidiary of China National Erzhong Group) in Deyang, Sichuan.
- Completed in 14 months for all eight units.
- The company has mastered the full-process core manufacturing technology, from raw material development to test assembly, establishing an engineering production chain for key fusion reactor components.
Expanding Collaboration
In addition to the TF coil box delivery, China National Erzhong Group has signed a contract with ASIPP for the batch manufacturing of shielding blocks for the BEST project. The collaboration is expanding from individual components to broader system parts.
BEST Project Timeline and Goals
According to the research plan released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences:
- Location: Hefei Future Science City, Anhui Province
- Target completion: End of 2027
- Post-completion: Deuterium-tritium burning plasma experiments
- Target fusion power: 20 MW to 200 MW
- Goal: Achieve net energy output (output energy exceeding input energy)
- Long-term target: Demonstrate fusion power generation by around 2030
Key Milestones
- May 2025: Start of engineering assembly
- October 2024: Installation of the cryostat base (a key component of the main machine)
- March 2025: The BEST poloidal field coil PF7, undertaken by ASIPP, successfully passed maximum operating current tests with all parameters meeting standards.
Significance
Officials stated that the delivered TF coil boxes will support the construction of the BEST device, contribute to the national strategy for controlled nuclear fusion, and promote the improvement and upgrading of related industrial chains.
Source
快科技Eastern
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Sinomach delivers all eight TF coil boxes for world’s first compact fusion device BEST