An advanced plasma control system for the DIII-D tokamak

An advanced plasma control system is being implemented for the DIII-D tokamak utilizing digital technology. This system will regulate the position and shape of tokamak discharges that range from elongated limiter to single-null divertor and double-null divertor with elongation as high as 2.6. Development of this system is expected to lead to control system technology appropriate for use on future tokamaks such as ITER and BPX. The digital system will allow for increased precision in shape control through real time adjustment of the control algorithm to changes in the shape and discharge parameters such as βp, ell i and scrape-off layer current. The system will be used for research on real time optimization of discharge performance for disruption avoidance, current and pressure profile control, optimization of rf antenna loading, or feedback on heat deposition patterns through divertor strike point position control, for example. Shape control with this system is based on linearization near a target shape of the controlled parameters as a function of the magnetic diagnostic signals. This digital system is unique in that it is designed to have the speed necessary to control the unstable vertical motion of highly elongated tokamak discharges such as those produced in DIII-D and planned for BPX and ITER. a 40 MHz Intel i860 processor is interfaced to up to 112 channels of analog input signals. The commands to the poloidal field coils can be updated at 80 μs intervals for the control of vertical position with a delay between sampling of the analog signal and update of the command of less than 80 μs