In the advanced tokamak (AT) operating mode of the DIII-D tokamak, an integrated multivariable controller takes into account highly coupled influences of plasma equilibrium shape, profile, and stability control. Time-scale separation in the system allows a multi-loop design: the inner loop closed by the nominal vertical controller designed to control a linear exponentially unstable plant and th...

The COMPASS tokamak is being re-installed at IPP Prague after its transfer from Culham, U.K. Within the innovation, new diagnostics will be constructed, including a High Resolution Thomson Scattering System measuring electron temperature (Te) and electron density (ne) profiles. Scientific programme of the COMPASS tokamak is focused on the pedestal studies, thus the main stress will be laid on t...

Recent interest in the experimental study of tokamak plasma flow for different magnetic field geometries calls for theoretical understanding of the effects of tokamak magnetic topology changes on the flow. The consequences of total magnetic field reversal and/or X-point reversal on divergence-free plasma flow within magnetic flux surfaces is considered and the results are applied to interpret r...

An automated fault detection software system has been developed and was used during 1999 DIII–D plasma operations. The Fault Identification and Communication System (FICS) executes automatically after every plasma discharge to check dozens of subsystems for proper operation and communicates the test results to the tokamak operator. This system is now used routinely during DIII–D operations and ...

Three recent articles in Nature: Physics, on plasma physics issues relevant to the ITER fusion power experiment*[see inset], have Australian connections. Although Australia does not yet have any formal involvement with what is claimed to be the world‟s largest truly international scientific experiment, this connection is not surprising in view of the long and distinguished history of Australian...

Geodesic acoustic mode(GAM) driven by energetic particles are observed in the Large Helical Device by a heavy ion beam probe. The GAM frequency shifts upward in plasmas with monotonic magnetic shear. In plasmas with reversed magnetic shear, on the other hand, the observed GAM and the energetic-particle induced mode, which is probably reversed-shear induced Alfvén Eigenmode(RSAE), appears, and t...

The ARIES-ST (Spherical Tokamak) is to investigate the attractiveness of a low-aspect-device as the confinement concept for a fusion power plant. The key driven force of the ST design is caused by the center column conductor. The design selected is a water-cooled Cu normal conductor. This selection has a major impact on the blanket design and selection, tritium breeding and over-all power balan...

We propose a cognitive vision-based system for the intelligent monitoring of tokamaks during plasma operation, based on multisensor data analysis and symbolic reasoning. The practical purpose is to detect and characterize in real time abnormal events such as hot spots measured through infrared images of the in-vessel components in order to take adequate decisions. Our system is made intelligent...

Good alignment of the magnetic field line pitch angle with the mode structure of an external resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) field is shown to induce modulation of the pedestal electron pressure p(e) in high confinement high rotation plasmas at the DIII-D tokamak with a shape similar to ITER, the next step tokamak experiment. This is caused by an edge safety factor q95 resonant enhancement...

Vertical compact torus injection into the STOR-M tokamak has been conducted with the University of Saskatchewan Compact Torus Injector (USCTI). The injector stayed at the horizontal position and the CT was bent by 90 using a curved conducting drift tube. The curved drift tube did not have significant effects on the CT velocity. Furthermore, the curved drift tube did not change the magnetic fiel...