The new resistive magnet generates a magnetic field of 42.02 teslas.
It surpasses the record set by American scientists in 2017.
The milestone recently achieved by a team of Chinese researchers at the High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science isn’t something you see every day.
The scientific community has been exploring the creation of ultra-strong magnetic fields for years. In some instances, they’ve gone too far, such as when they blew up a laboratory in 2018. Meanwhile, there have also been moments of success that paved the way for advancements like nuclear fusion. However, all previous achievements in this field pale in comparison to what has been accomplished in China.
Specifically, in September, Chinese researchers set a record for a resistive magnet by achieving a stable magnetic field of 42.02 teslas, which is crucial for scientific progress and the development of the large Chinese collider.
The tesla unit. To provide some context, it’s important to understand that the tesla unit is used to measure the strength of magnetic fields. A tesla represents the magnitude of a magnetic field that produces a force of one newton on a charge of one coulomb moving perpendicularly through a magnetic field at a speed of one m/s. The coulomb is a unit of measurement that represents the amount of electric charge carried by a current of one ampere over one second.
In simpler terms, a tesla is a unit of intensity. For reference, the magnetic field of Earth ranges from 25 to 65 microteslas, equating to 0.000025 to 0.000065 teslas. This intensity varies, being stronger at the poles and weaker at the equator. Surprisingly, Chinese researchers have developed a magnet with a magnetic field of 42.02 teslas.
42.02 teslas. This remarkable achievement is equivalent to 800,000 times the Earth’s magnetic field, and it represents a breakthrough in the generation of controlled extreme magnetic fields.
Resistive magnet. Resistive magnets refer to electromagnets made from metals like copper and aluminum. These metals generate a significant amount of heat when electric currents pass through them. As such, superconducting materials are often used to transport this current without producing heat. However, resistive magnets can only operate at temperatures close to absolute zero, specifically -460 degrees Fahrenheit.
Breaking records. As of 2017, the record for the stable magnetic field produced by a resistive magnet was 41.4 teslas. This record was set by a team from Florida State University, which surpassed China’s previous record of 38.5 teslas using a resistive magnet that consumed 32 MW of direct current power.
While more powerful magnets are available, they can’t generate similarly high magnetic fields in a stable manner. With its record-setting 42.02 teslas, the Chinese magnet has outperformed its U.S. counterpart with a comparable power consumption of 32.3 MW. This is equivalent to 43,000 horsepower, or the combined power of 43 Formula 1 cars, the engine of a cargo ship, and nearly the power of some commercial aircraft jet engines.
What’s the purpose? The competition to create the strongest stable magnetic field serves an important purpose. Like the supercomputer rivalry, resistive magnets are essential in various scientific applications. For instance, these magnets are utilized in particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland. With China developing its own version of the LHC, advancements in this area are increasingly important.
Resistive magnets are also vital for improving nuclear magnetic resonance systems used in both chemistry and medicine. They can help create magnetic fields to confine the plasma, study materials and superconductivity, and operate positron emission tomography systems, which are crucial for detecting diseases such as cancer. Additionally, they play a role in research related to quantum computing.
Overall, resistive magnets are critical across a wide range of fields. The ongoing competition between the U.S. and China in this domain suggests that advancements in artificial magnetic field technology will benefit all of us in many ways. However, achieving a new record may take time. The Chinese team spent four years researching how to generate this amount of power due to the high energy and dissipation requirements necessary for its operation.
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