China has launched CHIEF1300, the worlds largest and most capable centrifuge, able to generate up to 300 times Earth gravity on a 20 tonne payload. The facility is a core element of the Centrifugal Hypergravity and Interdisciplinary Experiment Facility (CHIEF), now under development in Hangzhou.
Designed and built by Zhejiang University, CHIEF includes three centrifuges and 18 in-flight devices distributed across six experimental cabins. Two larger centrifuges are still under construction. The system is engineered to sustain accelerations up to 1,500G, far exceeding the 2G felt on a roller coaster or the 5G experienced by astronauts at launch.
"In a hypergravity field, researchers can simulate real-world hydrogeological catastrophes, geological evolution and extreme environments in bench-top scale models within reasonable timeframe," said Chen Yunmin, chief scientist of the project. At 100G, a 1-meter model can stand in for a 100-meter structure, compressing a century-long contamination process into less than four days.
The CHIEF1300 centrifuge is housed in a 230-square-meter underground chamber. Its 6.4-meter-radius arm spins at high speed, with vacuum and wall-cooling systems reducing drag and heat. "CHIEF1300 was placed below ground level, and was equipped with vacuum and wall-cooling setups to mitigate the adverse influences of air resistance and machine heating," noted Ling Daosheng, chief engineer of the facility.
Early experiments have reproduced strong earthquakes to validate the seismic resilience of hydropower dam foundations, modeled tsunami effects on seabeds to guide offshore wind farm site selection, and simulated deep-sea pressures relevant to methane hydrate extraction. The centrifuge has also enabled synthesis of advanced metal alloys with high strength and ductility.
Chen emphasized that CHIEF will operate as an international research platform. "He looks forward to teaming up with the world's top research groups to accelerate discovery and spark innovation."
