New applications of Equinox code for real-time plasma equilibrium and profile reconstruction for tokamaks

Recent development of real-time equilibrium code Equinox using a fixed-point algorithm allow major plasma magnetic parameters to be identified in real-time, using rigorous analytical method. The code relies on the boundary flux code providing magnetic flux values on the first wall of vacuum vessel. By means of least-square minimization of differences between magnetic field obtained from previous solution and the next measurements the code identifies the source term of the non-linear Grad-Shafranov equation. The strict use of analytical equations together with a flexible algorithm offers an opportunity to include new measurements into stable magnetic equilibrium code and compare the results directly between several tokamaks while maintaining the same physical model (i.e. no iron model is necessary inside the equilibrium code). The successful implementation of this equilibrium code for JET and Tore Supra has already been published. In this paper, we show the preliminary results of predictive runs of the Equinox code using the ITER geometry. Because the real-time control experiments of plasma profile at JET using the code has been shown unstable when using magnetic and polarimetric measurements (that could be indirectly translated into accuracy vs robustness tradeoff), we plan an outline of the algorithm that will allow us to further constrain the plasma current profile using the central value of pressure of the plasma in real-time in order to better define the poloidal beta (this constraint is not necessary with purely magnetic equilibrium). (authors)