Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Fusion alpha power control optimisation using RAPTOR
 
research article

Fusion alpha power control optimisation using RAPTOR

Mitchell, J.
•
Mitra, A.
•
Van Mulders, S.
Show more
October 1, 2025
Fusion Engineering and Design

The Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) is a prototype fusion power plant planned to be operational in the 2040s. STEP's interaction with the national grid and its responsiveness to demand hinges largely on the effective control of the energy released during the fusion burn phase, i.e., the alpha power, which acts as the dominant form of heating in STEP. This research explores novel trajectory optimisation and control methods to regulate the alpha power, while maintaining other global and local plasma parameters such as internal inductance and safety factor. The RApid Plasma Transport simulatOR (RAPTOR) code is used to self-consistently solve four coupled, 1D PDE equations for poloidal flux diffusion, electron thermal transport, ion thermal transport and electron particle transport. Since STEP has limited space for a central solenoid, the flattop stationary state must be sustained with 100% non-inductive sources (predominately bootstrap current and electron cyclotron heating and current drive). To this end we also introduce a new Dirichlet boundary condition (BC) for the flux diffusion equation which allows the plasma boundary flux to be used as an actuator rather than plasma current (Neumann BC). The RAPTOR code open loop optimisation framework is used to solve this multi-objective, constrained, non-linear, finite-time optimal control problem.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115202
Author(s)
Mitchell, J.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Mitra, A.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Van Mulders, S.

ITER

Casson, F. J.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Tholerus, E.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Kirov, K.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Freethy, S.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Eriksson, F. E.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Contré, C. E.  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Sauter, O.  orcid-logo

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Show more
Corporate authors
STEP Plasma Control Team
Date Issued

2025-10-01

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Published in
Fusion Engineering and Design
Volume

219

Article Number

115202

Start page

115202

Subjects

Alpha power

•

Burning plasma

•

Multi-objective

•

Plasma control

•

RAPTOR

•

Trajectory optimisation

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
SPC-TH  
FunderFunding(s)Grant NumberGrant URL

STEP

UKAEA

prototype fusion energy plant

Show more
Available on Infoscience
June 26, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/251608
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés