Title :
Real time control system for the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)
Author :
Neumeyer, C. ; Gates, D. ; Gibney, T. ; Hatcher, R. ; Kaye, S. ; Marsala, R. ; Mueller, D. ; Oliaro, G. ; Ramakrishnan, S.
Author_Institution :
Plasma Phys. Lab., Princeton Univ., NJ, USA
Abstract :
The NSTX is a new national facility for the study of plasma confinement, heating, and current drive in a low aspect ratio, spherical torus (ST) configuration. The ST configuration is an alternate magnetic confinement concept which is characterized by high β (ratio plasma pressure to magnetic held pressure) and low toroidal field compared to conventional tokamaks, and could provide a pathway to the realization of a practical fusion power source. The NSTX depends on a real time, high speed, synchronous, and deterministic control system acting on a system of thyristor rectifier power supplies to 1) establish the initial magnetic field configuration; 2) initiate plasma within the vacuum vessel; 3) inductively drive plasma current; and 4) control plasma position and shape
Keywords :
fusion reactor design; fusion reactor ignition; nuclear engineering computing; plasma heating; plasma toroidal confinement; position control; power system control; real-time systems; NSTX; National Spherical Torus Experiment; current drive; fusion power source; plasma confinement; plasma heating; plasma position control; real time control system; thyristor rectifier power supplies; Control systems; Heating; Magnetic confinement; Plasma confinement; Plasma sources; Real time systems; Shape control; Thyristors; Tokamaks; Toroidal magnetic fields;
Conference_Titel :
Real Time Conference, 1999. Santa Fe 1999. 11th IEEE NPSS
Conference_Location :
Sante Fe, NM
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5463-X
DOI :
10.1109/RTCON.1999.842601
