'Artificial Sun' Assembly Begins... Ushering in the Era of Nuclear Fusion Energy

Start of Assembly for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Device
Fusion Era to Begin by End of 2025 Upon Assembly Completion
Utilizing Artificial Nuclear Fusion as Next-Generation Energy Source

ITER vacuum vessel including sectors developed with Korean technology

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] The work of assembling the sun by human power has begun. This is the process of artificially generating nuclear fusion of the sun, which provides light and warmth to our lives, to be used as the next-generation energy source for humanity. With the arrival of the vacuum vessel and assembly equipment, key components manufactured in Korea, in France, the first step in constructing the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) to produce carbon-free, low-waste energy has been launched.

On the 28th at 5 p.m., the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that a commemorative ceremony for the assembly of the ITER device was held at the ITER construction site located in Cadarache, France. ITER refers to the international thermonuclear experimental reactor jointly developed, constructed, and operated by seven countries to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale nuclear fusion energy production.

Utilizing Nuclear Fusion as Humanity's Energy Source

ITER is assembled with parts produced in various countries.

Leaders of the 35 member countries congratulated the first step humanity has taken to utilize nuclear fusion as an energy source. Following welcoming speeches by French President Macron, the host country of ITER, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission holding 45.46% of the ITER project shares, leaders from the seven countries participating in ITER construction, including Korea, the United States, and China, conveyed their congratulations via video or written messages.

They celebrated the dawn of a new energy era. ITER injects deuterium and tritium (lithium) gases into a large donut-shaped space called a tokamak, heating the ionized plasma cloud to 150 million degrees Celsius to induce nuclear fusion. The resulting thermal energy drives steam turbines to generate electricity. Using raw material roughly the size of a pineapple, it produces energy equivalent to 10,000 tons of coal. Although the cost is similar to nuclear power generation, it does not produce high-level radioactive waste, carries no risk of explosion, and emits no carbon dioxide.

To realize the practical value of ITER, assembly work must be carried out over the next four years and six months. The assembly involves constructing TF magnets and thermal shields that control plasma for each vacuum vessel sector that confines the plasma, and connecting these nine sectors together. Additionally, auxiliary systems such as heating devices, cryogenic refrigeration facilities, and fuel cycles must be installed. The goal is to produce the 'first plasma' by December 2025.

For this purpose, Korea is supplying a total of nine major devices, including four vacuum vessel sectors, superconducting conductors, and thermal shields. Notably, Korea recently manufactured and shipped the first vacuum vessel sector, a pinnacle of extreme technology and the first step in assembly, to France. Bego Secretary-General of the ITER International Organization, which oversees the ITER project, stated, "The assembly work is like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle according to a complex schedule," adding, "All tasks must be performed with the precision of a Swiss watch."

Completion of Assembly by End of 2025 to Confirm 500MW Thermal Output

ITER construction site located in France

Once ITER is constructed, efforts will be made to verify whether it produces 500MW of thermal output. If it operates continuously and connects to the existing power grid, it is expected to generate about 200MW of electricity, enough to supply approximately 200,000 households. If commercial power plants are built based on ITER, fusion power plants with outputs 10 to 15 times larger than ITER are expected to be developed in earnest.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated, "The government plans to continue policy efforts in long-term research and development and human resource training to achieve the goal of realizing fusion energy in the 2050s and to ensure that Korea maintains global competitiveness and leads technology and markets in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.