A plasma shape identification with magnetic analysis for the real-time control on QUEST

Abstract

In order to identify plasma shape, there is a way to represent the plasma current profile with several parameters, and adjust these parameters with least-square technique in order for calculated magnetic values to accord with measured ones. Here, the plasma shape parameters such as minor radius, elongation, and triangularity are chosen as the fitting parameters to represent plasma shape more directly, and the applicability to the control of the plasma shape are described by evaluating its calculation time. In order to find minimum of an objective function with least-square technique, two methods are compared, namely a linear approximation method and a downhill simplex method. While high accuracies of the measured magnetic signals are required, the good reproducibility is obtained, and the plasma shape identification can be done within several milliseconds in both methods. © 2012 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.