A new approach to the solution of the vacuum magnetic problem in fusion machines

The magnetic vacuum topology reconstruction using magnetic measurements is essential in controlling and understanding plasmas produced in magnetic confinement fusion devices. In a wide range of cases, the instruments used to approach the problem have been designed for a specific machine and to solve a specific plasma model. Recently, a new approach has been used for developing new magnetic software called FELIX. The adopted solution in the design allows the use of the software not only at JET but also at other machines. In order to reduce the analysis and debugging time the software has been designed with modularity and platform independence in mind. This results in a large portability and in particular it allows using the same code both offline and in real-time. One of the main aspects of the tool is its capability to solve different plasma models of current distribution. Thanks to this feature, in order to improve the plasma magnetic reconstruction in real-time, a set of different models has been run using FELIX. FELIX is presently running at JET in different real-time analysis and control systems that need vacuum magnetic topology.