Real-time mirror steering for improved closed loop neoclassical tearing mode suppression by electron cyclotron current drive in DIII-D

Egemen Kolemen, R. Ellis, R. J. La Haye, D. A. Humphreys, J. Lohr, S. Noraky, B. G. Penaflor, A. S. Welander

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

The development and operation of the neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) avoidance and control system for DIII-D, which uses six sets of real-time steerable mirrors in order to move the electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) deposition location in plasma, is described. The real-time DIII-D NTM control algorithm residing in the Plasma Control System (PCS) automatically detects an NTM by analysis of the Mirnov diagnostics, employs motional Stark effect (MSE) EFIT MHD equilibrium reconstruction to locate the rational q-surface where the NTM island can be found, then calculates the appropriate mirror position for alignment of the ECCD with the island using ray tracing. The control commands from PCS are sent to the electron cyclotron system to switch on and off or modulate the gyrotrons and to the steerable mirror system to move the steerable mirrors to the requested positions. Successful NTM suppression has been achieved in DIII-D using this control system to rapidly align the NTM island and the ECCD deposition location, and to actively maintain the alignment as plasma conditions change.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2757-2760
Number of pages4
JournalFusion Engineering and Design
Volume88
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Nuclear Energy and Engineering
  • General Materials Science
  • Mechanical Engineering

Keywords

  • Control
  • DIII-D
  • ECCD
  • Mirror
  • NTM
  • Steer

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