Design and test of feedback control loops with a generic multipurpose tokamak plasma discharges flight simulator

The feedback control of fusion experiments in tokamak devices is entering a new area driven by the increase of control requirements for obtaining burning plasmas under safe operation conditions. A project aiming at setting up a flight simulator for the development of advanced controllers has recently started at CEA. This simulator reuses most of the components of the European integrated tokamak modelling (ITM) simulation platform. Thus, it benefits from the development made by the task force and it will be able to offer a development platform for the new controllers of present day European tokamaks and future machines. The paper will report on the different software developments performed in order to set up a flexible and user friendly design and test of feedback control loops. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.