The super conducting stellarator WENDELSTEIN 7-X will run pulses of up to 30 minutes duration with full heating power. Short pulses with arbitrary intervals, steady state long discharges and arbitrary sequences of short phases with different characteristics in one discharge will be supported by the control system. Each technical component and each diagnostic system including its data acquisition will have its own control system permitting autonomous operation for commissioning and testing. During the experimental sessions the activity of these devices will be coordinated by a Central Control System and the machine runs more or less automatically with predefined programs. A session leader program allows the leader of the experiment to choose and chain predefined segments, to start or stop a segment chain as a discharge. The progress of the discharge is shown by a sequence monitor attached to the central sequence controller and the session leader program. W7-X has to be prepared for the experiment and monitored by means of the PLC based operational management system. A safety system working independently of the operational management consists of local units responsible for the safety of each component and a central unit ensuring the safety of the whole W7-X system. This safety system provides interlocks and controls the human access to the device. A safety analysis is the basis for the development of the safety system.
The new quality of the superconducting fusion device WENDELSTEIN 7-X (W7-X) is its capability for long-pulse operation. Discharge operations can be up to 30 minutes with full heating power. Considering the steady state operation capability the W7-X system control will be important for future long-term fusion experiments. A wide spectrum of requirements has to be considered during its design and realization. The experimental nature of the W7-X project requires high flexibility for machine operation and automatic program controlled operation.Main subject of this article is the description of a local control component as a part of the system control of W7-X. After a short overview about the structure of the system control a generic model of the local control components is described. This model permits a standardized procedure to integrate a component into the control system. The 2 standard interfaces of the local components are described. Currently, some of the technical components of W7-X are already delivered, the others being in the phase of procurement.
Abstract:The concepts for the control of the fusion experiment WENDELSTEIN 7-X (W7-X) consider all requirements regarding safety, steady state operation, flexibility, availability, performance and scalability. The early demonstration of the steady-state control concepts with all interacting parties is necessary to minimize development costs since integrated tests of components are scheduled for a later stage of the W7-X project planning. Therefore the implementation of an integrated test bed for the control concepts of W7-X is very important to minimize project risks. Main objectives of the test bed project are an integrated test of control, data acquisition, diagnostics operation and data processing in a W7-X like environment (steady-state segmented operation, realtime control, interplay of the central slow control system with components control systems, on-line data analysis tools), a demonstration of the W7-X safety concept and the education of engineers and session leaders for a W7-X like machine operation. The contribution describes the use of the small in-house stellarator experiment WEGA as test bed for the W7-X control concepts.
The new quality of the superconducting fusion device Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is its capability of steady state operation. Additionally the fusion device W7-X is a very complex technical system. The modular and strongly hierarchical control system has been designed to cope with these two requirements unique for fusion devices.To minimize the risks before commissioning the control and data acquisition system at W7-X it will be thoroughly tested in a prototype installation at the WEGA stellarator. WEGA is a classical stellarator which allows steady state plasma pulses at a magnetic field of 0.5T. Despite its lesser complexity WEGA has the same main components, e.g. magnetic coil systems, ECRH, and diagnostics as W7-X and is therefore considered to be a suitable test-bed for the control system. The installation of the new W7-X like control and data acquisition system has been finished in March this year. Individual components of the control system have already been commissioned during the installation phase. In April final commissioning and testing of the complete system took place. First discharges fully controlled by the prototype control system have been realized. The contribution will focus on first discharges controlled by the new system. Furthermore it presents first experiences that will incorporate into the further development of the control system and the tools for planning, preparation, and realization of plasma discharges.
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