Towards First-principles Control-oriented Modeling of the Magnetic and Kinetic Plasma Profile Evolutions in ITER
J. Barton, E. Schuster, K. Besseghir and J. Lister
Division of Plasma Physics (DPP) Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS)
Providence, Rhode Island, USA, October 29 - November 2, 2012
Abstract
|
|
The “hybrid” and “steady-state” advanced scenarios are characterized
by q profiles higher or equal to one to mitigate plasma instabilities
and improve confinement, which are key for ITER to achieve its
operational objectives. To achieve these scenarios, active model-based
control of the current profile and thermal state of the plasma is
required. Towards this goal, two control-oriented, plasma-response
models are proposed. First, the poloidal flux diffusion equation is
combined with empirical models of the electron density and temperature
profiles, plasma resistivity, and non-inductive current drives to
obtain a physics-based model of the poloidal flux and stored energy
evolutions. Second, the empirical electron temperature model is replaced
by the electron heat transport equation, which is combined with
empirical models of the electron heat conductivity and heat sources to
obtain a physics-based model of the poloidal flux and electron
temperature evolutions. Simulation results comparing the evolution of
the plasma parameters predicted by the control-oriented, physic-based
models and the DINA-CH+CRONOS simulation code are presented for ITER,
and the control objectives and challenges are discussed.