| | Before we discuss the artificial sun, first lets clarify some of the basics. Put simply, fission reactions are based on splitting atoms releasing huge quantities of energy as during the first nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fusion reactions, on the other hand, are based on forcing the nuclei of atoms together releasing even greater amounts of energy, as in the Hydrogen Bomb but also, more commonly, as in the sun and the stars. In nuclear power plants as against nuclear bombs, the problem lies in controlling the enormous amounts of energies released and harnessing it for generating electricity rather than for unleashing a gigantic explosion. In conventional fission-based plants, energy is generated by triggering a chain reaction of splitting uranium atoms if left to itself, this chain reaction will build up to an explosive release of energy as in a bomb but, in a power plant, the reaction is moderated and controlled so that the heat generated can be used to produce steam which drives turbines to generate electricity. Scientists and engineers have achieved this over the previous six decades and more, and have also tried, with mixed success, to tackle the accompanying environmental problems and the even more serious problem of handling the hazardous wastes. Since this is tantamount to replicating the energy-generating mechanism in the sun and the stars, fusion-based nuclear power generation has been likened to having an artificial sun on Earth. February 6, 2006 Beijing: China has completed the maiden trial run of the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) which aims to explore infinite and clean energy resources of nuclear fusion 2006, the state media reported on Friday. The trial run was held by the Hefei Institute of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui province on Thursday. The focal parts low temperature and magnet electricity conducting, have passed the test, which makes a strong basis for the use of nuclear fusion within this year. By then, the institute will be the first in the world to have built an all-superconducting non-circular section nuclear fusion experiment facility, generally known as an artificial sun. With energy resource crisis threatening the world, scientists recommend the extraction of deuterium from sea water and the ignition of nuclear fusion of this element in temperatures as high as 100 million degrees Celsius.The (EAST) is in a test phase of vacuumizing and lowering temperatures.When complete, Hefei will be home to the first all-superconducting, non-circular section nuclear fusion experimental facility in the world, generally known as an artificial sun. | |