Design and simulation of the snowflake divertor control for NSTX-U

Vail, P J; Boyer, M D; Welander, A S; Kolemen, E; DE-AC02-09CH11466, U S Department of Energy contract number

doi:10.11578/1562057

Title: Design and simulation of the snowflake divertor control for NSTX-U

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Abstract

This paper presents the development of a physics-based multiple-input-multiple-output algorithm for real-time feedback control of snowflake divertor (SFD) configurations on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U). A model of the SFD configuration response to applied voltages on the divertor control coils is first derived and then used, in conjunction with multivariable control synthesis techniques, to design an optimal state feedback controller for the configuration. To demonstrate the capabilities of the controller, a nonlinear simulator for axisymmetric shape control was developed for NSTX-U which simultaneously evolves the currents in poloidal field coils based upon a set of feedback-computed voltage commands, calculates the induced currents in passive conducting structures, and updates the plasma equilibrium by solving the free-boundary Grad-Shafranov problem. Closed-loop simulations demonstrate that the algorithm enables controlled operations in a variety of SFD configurations and provides capabilities for accurate tracking of time-dependent target trajectories for the divertor geometry. In particular, simulation results suggest that a time-varying controller which can properly account for the evolving SFD dynamical response is not only desirable but necessary for achieving acceptable control performance. The algorithm presented in this paper has been implemented in the NSTX-U Plasma Control System in preparation for future control and divertormore » physics experiments.« less

Authors:: Vail, P J; Boyer, M D; Welander, A S; Kolemen, E; DE-AC02-09CH11466, U S Department of Energy contract number

Publication Date:: Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019

Research Org.:: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: U. S. Department of Energy

Keywords:: snowflake divertor, MIMO feedback control, nonlinear simulation, NSTX-U

OSTI Identifier:: 1562057

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.11578/1562057

Citation Formats


                    Vail, P J, Boyer, M D, Welander, A S, Kolemen, E, and DE-AC02-09CH11466, U S Department of Energy contract number. Design and simulation of the snowflake divertor control for NSTX-U.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
        Web.  doi:10.11578/1562057.

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                    Vail, P J, Boyer, M D, Welander, A S, Kolemen, E, & DE-AC02-09CH11466, U S Department of Energy contract number. Design and simulation of the snowflake divertor control for NSTX-U.  United States.  doi:https://doi.org/10.11578/1562057

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                    Vail, P J, Boyer, M D, Welander, A S, Kolemen, E, and DE-AC02-09CH11466, U S Department of Energy contract number. 2019.  
"Design and simulation of the snowflake divertor control for NSTX-U".  United States.  doi:https://doi.org/10.11578/1562057.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1562057. Pub date:Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019

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@article{osti_1562057,

  title        = {Design and simulation of the snowflake divertor control for NSTX-U},

  author       = {Vail, P J and Boyer, M D and Welander, A S and Kolemen, E and DE-AC02-09CH11466, U S Department of Energy contract number},

  abstractNote = {This paper presents the development of a physics-based multiple-input-multiple-output algorithm for real-time feedback control of snowflake divertor (SFD) configurations on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U). A model of the SFD configuration response to applied voltages on the divertor control coils is first derived and then used, in conjunction with multivariable control synthesis techniques, to design an optimal state feedback controller for the configuration. To demonstrate the capabilities of the controller, a nonlinear simulator for axisymmetric shape control was developed for NSTX-U which simultaneously evolves the currents in poloidal field coils based upon a set of feedback-computed voltage commands, calculates the induced currents in passive conducting structures, and updates the plasma equilibrium by solving the free-boundary Grad-Shafranov problem. Closed-loop simulations demonstrate that the algorithm enables controlled operations in a variety of SFD configurations and provides capabilities for accurate tracking of time-dependent target trajectories for the divertor geometry. In particular, simulation results suggest that a time-varying controller which can properly account for the evolving SFD dynamical response is not only desirable but necessary for achieving acceptable control performance. The algorithm presented in this paper has been implemented in the NSTX-U Plasma Control System in preparation for future control and divertor physics experiments.},

  doi          = {10.11578/1562057},

  journal      = {},

  number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019},

  month        = {Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019}

}

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.11578/1562057

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