Implementation and Testing of Model-based Optimal Control Strategies for q-profile Feedback Regulation in EAST

H. Wang, W. Wehner, E. Schuster, Y. Huang, H. Liu, S. Wang, Q. Yuan, B. Xiao, W. Ding, D. Humphreys

Division of Plasma Physics (DPP) Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS)

Portland, OR, USA, November 5-9, 2018

Regulation of the q-profile via feedback control has been demonstrated experimentally in EAST for the first time ever. Extensive studies have shown that the q-profile, which is closely related to poloidal magnetic flux profile, is a key factor to achieving advanced tokamak operating scenarios that are characterized by improved confinement and possible steady-state operation. A general framework for real-time feedforward + feedback control of magnetic and kinetic plasma profiles has been implemented in the EAST Plasma Control System (PCS). Moreover, a first-principles-driven, control-oriented model of the poloidal magnetic flux profile evolution has been used to design a linear quadratic integral (LQI) controller for q-profile regulation in EAST. The proposed controller has been tested successfully in reference tracking and disturbance rejection experiments. These experiments constitute the first time ever a model-based, closed-loop, q-profile controller has been successfully implemented and tested in EAST.