China develops remote-handling test platform for fusion research facility

BEIJING -- A remote-handling test platform of China's Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT) has passed expert evaluation and acceptance on Monday, China Science Daily reported on Tuesday.

The CRAFT is a platform on which engineers develop and test key components of fusion energy reactors.

Field tests confirmed that the cladding-maintenance robot can handle payloads of 60 tonnes with high toroidal positioning accuracy and vertical lifting accuracy, while the heavy-duty manipulator is capable of carrying 2.5 tonnes.

Cladding and divertor components, operating under the synergistic assault of high heat flux, intense magnetic fields and neutron irradiation, are susceptible to damage and can be serviced only through robotic remote-handling systems.

Despite rapid advances in industrial robotics, none of them can yet withstand intense radiation while simultaneously delivering heavy payloads, high accuracy and dexterous manipulation during the maintenance of core components of a fusion reactor.

The newly commissioned platform was built to overcome this bottleneck, serving as a core engineering verification platform to support the stable operation and commercialization of future fusion reactors.

The successful development of the remote-handling test platform also creates a transferable technology stack for nuclear power inspection and repair, the aerospace industry, heavy-equipment operations, and emergency-response missions.