TFTR centralized torus interface valve control system

A system developed especially for the TFTR to monitor and control the interface between the vacuum vessel and associated diagnostics will be described in this paper. Diagnostics which must be connected to the machine vacuum are required to do so through a Torus Interface Valve (TIV). Two types of TIV's are used on TFTR. The first type is a non-latching valve which must be held in the opened position by a sustained OPEN command, returning automatically to the closed position when the OPEN command is removed. This type of TIV is used on all systems which never insert a probe into the vacuum vessel through the TIV. The second type of TIV is a latching valve which requires a momentary OPEN command to open and a momentary CLOSE command to close. Each TIV is linked to its own dedicated logic controller. Each logic controller is hardwired to the appropriate TIV OPEN/CLOSED limit switches, probe IN/OUT limit switches, TFTR vacuum vessel pressure setpoint switches, and diagnostic pressure setpoint switches. The logic controller can be configured for local (push-button) or remote (computer) control. Each controller has a uniquely coded keyswitch to determine the configuration. Whether under local or remote control, all OPEN and CLOSE commands must be approved by the TIV controller (TIVC). In the case of systems with probes, the controller must receive a positive indication that the probe is completely backed out before a CLOSE command will be transmitted from the TIVC to the TIV. Before a valve will be opened by a controller, the differential pressure across the valve must be within certain limits