Статья

Overview of EXL-50U experiments: addressing key physics issues for future spherical torus reactors

Yuejiang ShiDong GuoY. LiangForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Fusion Energy and Nuclear Waste Management- PlasmaphysikXianming SongXiang GuYong LiuX C JiangShaodong SongYumin WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdHongyue LiGuang YangXianli HuangAdvanced Energy Research Center, Shenzhen UniversityYongqin WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdHan-yue ZhaoJianqing CaiJiaqi DongBaoshan YuanYueng-Kay Martin PengMinsheng LiuAo WangFan GaoYihang ZhaoYupeng ZhangQifeng XieQuan WuYan YuLei LiCollege of Science, Donghua UniversityJianguo ChenZhengyuan ChenENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdLili DongYing YuanYanan XuYuanjing AnJi QiXiaobing XieJianghong CaoDan ZhaoRiccardo LombroniWenjun LiuXuerun WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdHuasheng XieBing LiuHanyue ZhaoTianyuan LiuENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdEnwu YangYuanming YangYu WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdLei HanBo XingHanqing WangYupeng GuanZhenxing WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdPeihai ZhouWenwu LuoChao WuXin ZhaoHongda HeSouthwestern Institute of PhysicsDong LiSouthwestern Institute of PhysicsLinge ZangSouthwestern Institute of PhysicsJinwei YangSchool of Mathematics and Physics, Anqing Normal UniversityHaiqing LiuInstitute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesXiaoming WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdHang SiInstitute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesFudi WangCollege of Science, Donghua UniversityBin WuInstitute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesChengyue LiuSchool of Physics, Hefei University of TechnologyYonghua DingState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Technology, International Joint Research Laboratory of Magnetic Confinement Fusion and Plasma Physics (IFPP), School of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyZhongyong ChenENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdNengchao WangState Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Technology, International Joint Research Laboratory of Magnetic Confinement Fusion and Plasma Physics (IFPP), School of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologySongfen LiuSchool of Physics, Nankai UniversityXian GuoSchool of Physics, Nankai UniversityZhengxiong WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdLai WeiKey Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion, and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Physics, Dalian University of TechnologyFeng WangCollege of Science, Donghua UniversityShuyu DaiKey Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion, and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Physics, Dalian University of TechnologyTong LiuENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdMinyou YeUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaLi LiCollege of Science, Donghua UniversityFuqing WangCollege of Science, Donghua UniversityZhiwei MaZhejiang UniversityMingyuan WangSchool of Mathematics and Physics, Anqing Normal UniversityRuibo ZhangSchool of Mathematics and Physics, Anqing Normal UniversityYahui WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdJixin YangSchool of Mathematics and Physics, Anqing Normal UniversityHaojie MaNorth China Institute of Aerospace EngineeringJingchun LiAdvanced Energy Research Center, Shenzhen UniversityGuanghui ZhuAnhui Megawave Fusion Technology Co., LtdJuanquan LinSchool of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South ChinaDan DuUniversity of South ChinaPingwei ZhengSchool of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South ChinaYanli PengENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdDi HuSchool of Physics, Beihang UniversityZhaokun WangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdXianmei ZhangENN Science and Technology Development Co., LtdZhuo HuangCollege of Computer Science, South-Central Minzu UniversityYanqing HuangCollege of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Hengyang Normal UniversityKai LiCentre for Theoretical and Computational Physics, College of Physics, Qingdao UniversityZhe GaoTsinghua University

Nuclear Fusionjournal2026

ABI

Аннотация

Abstract ENN’s Xuanlong-50U (EXL-50U) is the world’s first fully privately funded and operated MA-level magnetic confinement fusion experimental facility. EXL-50U is also the world’s first spherical torus device (ST) to achieve a magnetic field exceeding 1 Tesla and a pulse width reaching the seconds level in actual operation. The major radius of EXL-50U ranges from 0.6 m to 0.8 m, with an aspect ratio of 1.4–1.8. The key physics issues of EXL-50U’s experiments related to the future ST reactors are: non-inductive current start-up and drive, development of scenarios for stable high density hot ion mode for ST ( T i0 = 3 keV ∼ 10 keV), and investigation of energy confinement scaling through wide range scans of aspect ratio (1.4 ∼ 1.8) and B T (0.5 T ∼ 1.2 T). Another key research focus of EXL-50U is the physical properties of hydrogen–boron (p-B) plasmas and hydrogen–boron fusion, which is closely aligned with ENN’s p-B fusion roadmap. In the 2025 experiment, EXL-50U achieved a p-B plasma discharge at 1 MA (with boron ions exceeding 10% in the ion fraction), marking the world’s first MA-level discharge of high-concentration p-B plasma. A recording 270 kA fully non-inductive current by 380 kW electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) is also achieved. The initial real-time boron-power injection experiments with metal wall in EXL-50U demonstrates the positive effective of boron on plasma performance. Through neutral beam injection (NBI) heating, a stable proton-boron plasma H-mode has also been achieved for the first time on EXL-50U. On the other hand, experimental results also indicate that simultaneous injection of ECRH and NBI is detrimental to ion temperature enhancement. AI technology was also applied in EXL-50U experiments, achieving stable 500 kA plasma current and displacement control for over 500 ms. Supersonic molecular beam injection was applied for density feedback control for the first time in ST device. ENN researchers plan to achieve all of EXL-50U’s milestone objectives within a three-year timeframe, contributing their efforts toward the rapid commercialization of magnetic confinement fusion.

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Темы

Magnetic confinement fusion research Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics Fusion and Plasma Physics Studies

Идентификаторы

DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/ae738d

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