EFDA-JET-CP(12)04/07
Validation of the New Real-time Equilibrium Code EQUINOX on JET and Tore Supra
The shape of the plasma current density profile, direct output of an equilibrium reconstruction, is known to play a leading role in triggering and sustaining high performance regimes. In the perspective of improving the control of these regimes, the objective is thus to develop real-time methods and algorithms that reconstruct the magnetic equilibrium in the perspective to use their outputs for feedback purposes. The real time equilibrium reconstruction code EQUINOX, which solves the Grad Shafranov equation, has been recently rewritten and installed in both JET and Tore Supra (TS) real time control systems. This new version provides much more flexibility in terms of parameters tuning and constraints. Indeed in addition to the magnetic measurements it may consider as internal constraints MSE, polarimetry, and potentially others such as Soft X-rays measurements and/or plasma pressure profiles. The calculation time, when all the constraints are included, is about 50ms, which is short enough to allow feed back control on the plasma current on medium and large devices.