[en] The identification of a plasma magnetic contour can be cast as an inverse problem in which a set of equivalent currents, representing (the effect of) the actual plasma current distribution, have to be determined in order to best fit a set of external measurements. The diagnostic systems are typically provided with arrays of magnetic measurements, including both flux and field probes, positioned outside the plasma chamber, and some non magnetic measurements, such as motion Stark effect or multichord FIR polarimetry. In the framework of the method discussed, the basic external (magnetic) measurements have been integrated with internal (polarimetric) measurements to improve the identification process and gain information about the internal plasma current profile. The inverse problem can be formulated as the pseudo-inversion of the transfer matrix linking the unknown equivalent currents to the magnetic and polarimetric measurements. In this paper, the equivalent currents method is improved by means of a procedure that adaptively tries to allocate the EC to obtain the best estimate of the plasma contour. The adaptive strategy is presented in detail and its performance evaluated against two ITER equilibrium plasma configurations

[en] In this paper the authors analyze the time evolution of a tokamak plasma after the failure of the vertical control system. In this case, the plasma eventually touches the conducting wall and gives rise to currents which flow partly in the wall, partly in the plasma. They show how, under simplifying assumptions, the problem can be analyzed by means of pure electromagnetic formulations. After a brief review of the state of the art in the analysis of this phenomenon, they propose and discuss three alternative Eulerian approaches: an evolutionary equilibrium formulation, a convection-diffusion model and a 3D error-based approach

[en] One of the main research issues in the thermonuclear fusion area is the identification of plasma contour starting from external magnetic measurements. Possible approaches to this inverse problem make use of equivalent currents to represent the plasma internal current density, regularizing in this way the magnetic field reconstruction. Of course, the choice of the representation basis for such equivalent currents is critical. The paper aims at analyzing the effect of the number and position of base currents on the performance of the identification algorithm. (orig.)

[en] A computational tool is being developed for the analysis of superconductive magnets, combining detailed descriptions of termination joints and cables to thermo-hydraulic (TH) models. In parallel, an experiment (Stability Experiment Upgrade--SexUp) has been designed with the target to study the current distribution in cable in conduit conductors (CICC). Finally, the establishment of a reliable method for the measurement of the current distribution profile on the cable cross section is being implemented on the ITER toroidal field model coil (TFMC)

[en] A short sample of the NbTi cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) manufactured for the ITER PF insert coil has been tested in the SULTAN facility at CRPP. The short sample consists of two paired conductor sections, identical except for the sub-cable and outer wraps, which have been removed from one of the sections before jacketing. The test program for conductor and joint includes DC performance, cyclic load and AC loss, with a large number of voltage taps and Hall sensors for current distribution. At high operating current, the DC behavior is well below expectations, with temperature margin lower than specified in the ITER design criteria. The conductor without wraps has higher tolerance to current unbalance. The joint resistance is by far higher than targeted. (authors)

[en] The aim of this paper is to present a completely Lagrangian approach to solve a plasma z-pinch problem, described by the MHD model. Some considerations will be done about the general advantages of using a Lagrangian approach in solving mechanically coupled problems. The results obtained will be compared with some experimental data, showing a good agreement

[en] Metal shear panels (MSPs) may be effectively used as a lateral load resisting system for framed structures. In the present paper, such a technique is applied for the seismic protection of existing RC buildings, by setting up a specific design procedure, which has been developed on the basis of preliminary full-scale experimental tests. The obtained results allowed the development of both simplified and advanced numerical models of both the upgraded structure and the applied shear panels. Also, the proposed design methodology, which is framed in the performance base design philosophy, has been implemented for the structural upgrading of a real Greek existing multi-storey RC building. The results of the numerical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed technique, also emphasising the efficiency of the implemented design methodology

[en] In this paper, a short review of the work done in the framework of a nation-wide research programme on 'Models and Methods for Plasma Control in Magnetically Confined Fusion Experiments' is presented. The broad aim of the overall programme is to develop and propose a new effective and reliable approach to the on-line plasma control for future fusion experiments, starting from the today's theoretical background, validated by experimental evidence from a number of tests performed on existing experiments. The proposed formulation to approach the control problem is a linearized model in terms of suitable state variables and input/output relationships. The basic project has been subdivided into four major areas of investigation: the linearized response plasma model, the three-dimensional electromagnetic model, the identification techniques and finally the plasma control requirements. The most remarkable results, achieved so far in each area above, are presented in the paper

[en] Highlights: ► The paper deals with error fields generated in ITER by magnetic masses. ► Magnetization state is computed from simplified FEM models. ► Closed form expressions adopted for the flux density of magnetized parts are given. ► Such expressions allow to simplify the estimation of the effect of iron pieces (or lack of) on error field. -- Abstract: Error fields in tokamaks are small departures from the exact axisymmetry of the ideal magnetic field configuration. Their reduction below a threshold value by the error field correction coils is essential since sufficiently large static error fields lead to discharge disruption. The error fields are originated not only by magnets fabrication and installation tolerances, by the joints and by the busbars, but also by the presence of ferromagnetic elements. It was shown that superconducting joints, feeders and busbars play a secondary effect; however in order to estimate of the importance of each possible error field source, rough evaluations can be very useful because it can provide an order of magnitude of the correspondent effect and, therefore, a ranking in the request for in depth analysis. The paper proposes a two steps procedure. The first step aims to get the approximate magnetization state of ferromagnetic parts; the second aims to estimate the full 3D error field over the whole volume using equivalent sources for magnetic masses and taking advantage from well assessed approximate closed form expressions, well suited for the far distance effects

[en] In ITER two heating (HNBI) and one diagnostic neutral beam injectors (DNBI) are foreseen. Inside these components there are very stringent limits on the magnetic field (the flux density must be below some G along the ion path and below 20 G in the neutralizing regions). To achieve these performances in an environment with high stray field due to the plasma and the poloidal field coils (PFC), both passive and active shielding systems have been foreseen. The present design of the magnetic field reduction systems (MFRS) is made of seven active coils and of a box surrounding the NBI region, consisting of ferromagnetic plates. The electromagnetic analyses of the effectiveness of these shields have been performed by a 3D FEM model using ANSYS code for the HNBI. The ANSYS models of the ferromagnetic box and of the active coils are fully parametric, thus any size change of the ferromagnetic box and coils (linear dimension or thickness) preserving the overall box shape could be easily reproduced by simply changing some parameter in the model