Research On Several Key Technologies For Tokamak Integrated Control System

A Tokamak is a complex and large-scale facility, which consists of numerous different functional subsystems. These subsystems are designed and built by many institutes, universities and vendors, and their architecture, software and hardware are also different. Every subsystem needs to collaborate with others and integrated as a whole system, namely the integrated control system, in order to fulfill the experiment of the tokamak and guarantee the safety of equipment and personnel. An advanced integrated control system has important significance to improve the efficiency of the subsystem integration, maintenance and upgrading.In this thesis we have made an overall upgrading to the original J-TEXT (formerly the TEXT-U Tokamak in the University of Texas Austin, United States) integrated control system, reference to the design of International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Meanwhile, we have researched the human machine interface (HMI), plant system host (PSH) and slow controller in depth.Firstly, the structure, function and limitation of the original integrated control system was analysed and the new integrated control system, namely the J-TEXT CODAC (Control, Data Access and Communication) system was designed. J-TEXT CODAC system adopted J-TEXT EPICS which was developed based on the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) as the communication layer. And according to the decentration and self-organization design idea, it abolished the traditional central control system. Each subsystem collaborated with others using the observer pattern, and fulfilled the experiment under self-organization. Moreover, a subsystem design model and corresponding design standards were made, key subsystems were designed and original subsystems were reformed.Secondly, the Model-View-Controller (MVC) based J-TEXT HMI framework was designed. An integrated control system needs to provide various HMI to monitor subsystems remotely. The J-TEXT HMI framework decoupled the the form of data within the application and presented to the users. The Model, View and Controller took charge of data source operation, human interaction and transaction logic respectively. The framework also provided several industrial visual component libraries, the J-TEXT CODAC color standard and state standard translator and frequently-used subsystem Model and database Model.Thirdly, various kinds of controller technology were analysed, and Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) was chosen to apply to Tokamak. An EPICS compatible PAC was designed as the slow controller and plant system host. The hardware of the PAC consisted of two parts:a host module and external Input/Output modules, which were Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products. The software adopted scanning architecture, similar to Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and the EPICS communication function, Input/Output function and non-standard controller communication function were encapsulated as modules. The PAC also provided controller status plug-in, auto-save plug-in, state-machine plug-in and other plug-ins, and user scripts and plug-ins could be used to extend functions.Fourthly, a self-description data (SDD) framework for different Tokamaks were designed based on the ITER SDD. SDD which was proposed by ITER was designed to describe the static information of every subsystem in a standard way in order to improve the efficiency of static information creation, management and sharing. However, the ITER SDD software package is specific for ITER and hard to apply to other Tokamaks. ECCO-SDD expanded SDD from subsystems to components of the subsystems, and the relationship between the components were also stored as SDD. Different Tokamaks could use SDD models to compose various subsystems and extend new SDD models from existing models. MongoDB, a dynamic schema, NoSQL (Not Only SQL) database is adopted to store evolving SDD models. And the service layer responsible for SDD Models data persistence and management and the application layer responsible for SDD creation, maintenance, sharing and aiding subsystem design.The J-TEXT CODAC was deployed in J-TEXT and has been operating properly for multiple experiments. It verified the feasibility and reliability of the design of ITER in a real Tokamak and explored new computer technology such as the MVC pattern, PAC, NoSQL database application in Tokamak.