AI breakthroughs from Chinese scientists make fusion reactors safer and more efficient

Chinese researchers use AI to enhance fusion reactor safety and efficiency

Fusion energy promises clean, virtually limitless power by replicating the Sun’s process of fusing atomic nuclei at extremely high temperatures. Unlike fossil fuels, fusion avoids greenhouse gas emissions, and unlike nuclear fission, it doesn’t produce long-lived radioactive waste. The primary challenge lies in managing plasma — the ultra-hot, charged gas where fusion occurs — which must be kept stable and contained for sustained energy production.

A team at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and led by Professor SUN Youwen, has developed AI tools to improve fusion reactor performance and safety by addressing plasma control challenges.

Tackling plasma instabilities with AI prediction

The researchers created an AI system that predicts plasma disruptions caused by instabilities known as ‘locked modes.’ These disruptions can damage reactor components and interrupt fusion processes. The AI uses decision tree models, which provide transparency by explaining why it predicts a disruption, rather than functioning as a black box.

Tests demonstrated a 94% accuracy rate, with warnings delivered approximately 137 milliseconds before a disruption occurs. This lead time is critical for operators to take preventative action and protect the reactor.

Real-time plasma state recognition

The second AI system monitors plasma operational states live, distinguishing between different confinement modes such as low-confinement (L-mode), high-confinement (H-mode), and detecting edge-localised modes (ELMs) that can destabilize plasma.

Instead of separate models for each task, the team developed a multi-task learning AI that simultaneously classifies plasma states. This approach improved identification accuracy to 96.7%, ensuring more reliable plasma monitoring.

Advancing fusion reactor control

These AI innovations contribute to the development of intelligent control systems for fusion reactors. Early disruption detection alongside accurate plasma state recognition enhances both safety and operational efficiency, reducing the risk of damage and downtime.

As global research continues to push fusion energy toward practical use, integrating AI tools like these will be vital to making fusion reactors dependable and scalable clean energy sources.

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