Optimizing the differential connection schemes for detecting 3D magnetic perturbations in DIII-D

Area of Science:

• Plasma physics
• Magnetic diagnostics
• Sensor networks

Background:

• Toroidal arrays of magnetic sensors are crucial for measuring plasma behavior in fusion devices.
• Optimizing sensor connections enhances diagnostic accuracy and system reliability.
• Existing methods for evaluating connection schemes can be computationally intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop efficient methods for optimizing differential pair connection schemes in toroidal magnetic sensor arrays.
• To improve mode number detection capabilities and failure resilience of magnetic diagnostic systems.
• To present practical applications of these optimization methods for the DIII-D tokamak.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the condition number from singular value decomposition of the design matrix as a quality metric.
• Developing alternative methods to reduce the computational cost of evaluating numerous connection schemes.
• Applying the analysis to design and modify toroidal arrays for specific diagnostic upgrades.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that optimized connection schemes significantly enhance mode number detection and failure resilience.
• Presented efficient computational strategies for selecting optimal sensor configurations.
• Successfully applied the analysis to three real-world upgrades on the DIII-D 3D magnetic diagnostic system.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing differential pair connection schemes is essential for advanced magnetic diagnostics.
• The proposed methods offer a computationally efficient approach to diagnostic design and improvement.
• These findings have direct implications for enhancing the capabilities of fusion energy research facilities.