Robust Burn Control of Fusion Reactors with Modulation of Refueling Rate
Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 26 / Number 3P2 / November 1994 / Pages 1151-1157
Fusion Power Reactor, Economic, and Alternate Concept / Proceedings of the Eleventh Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy New Orleans, Louisiana June 19-23, 1994 / dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST94-A40309
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An integrated 0-dimensional plasma-control code, ASH, has been developed and employed to study the possibility of controlling the burn condition of an ITER-type fusion reactor by modulating the refueling rate. A key feature of this study is the incorporation of robust control theory to allow for modeling uncertainties. A constant gain proportional feedback controller is synthesized; the values of feedback gains are obtained by the 
algorithm. With this control method, modulation of the refueling rate alone can potentially stabilize fusion burn with the alpha confinement time 
, or controller delay τdelay = 1.5τE, or D-T recycling ratio 98%. These limitations are fairly restrictive, indicating that added control, e.g., via input power modulation, may be necessary.
