Designing a prototype of the ITER pulse scheduling system

A prototype of the ITER pulse scheduling system that prepares and manages parameters for ITER plasma operations has been designed. Based on the analyzed requirements on the system, structure of the parameters and necessary functions were determined. Segment and module structures were tuned to the ITER requirements. Three types of validations assure sanity of the parameters. The design limits check and the operation window check verify whether the values of the parameters do not exceed the limits. The consistency check calculates dependency among parameters in accordance with logics described in a scripting language. The ITER pulse scheduling system provides interface with a physics model and simulator. Some abstract physics parameters are converted to engineering parameters with the physics simulation. The results of simulation such as plasma characteristics of specified parameters are also shown to the researchers. The tool to specify the parameters is data-driven. Therefore, it is flexible for changes of number of the parameters. A prototype is being implemented in 2011. Using the prototype, this design will be verified and refined. The evaluation of the prototype will be a basis of the final production of the ITER pulse scheduling system. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.