Developmental prototype for replacement of JT-60 timing system

The present CAMAC based timing system has been used for synchronizing sequential events of the discharge and the data collection of the interesting JT-60U experiment plasma phenomena. However, a more flexible and sophisticated state-of-the-art timing system now is required to realize advanced plasma control with minimal maintenance costs. In this context, the versa module Europe (VME-bus) system with a high-speed data communication network using reflective memory (RM) modules and user-friendly application software based on MATLAB(TM) tools has been selected to develop the new prototype timing system. In the ZENKEI, the supervisory control system of the JT-60, the supervisory timing system provides the 50-mus master clock pulses, the various timing signal preparation logic, which is built into the digital signal processing (DSP) module in conjunction with the discharge sequence event signals, and the 6.2 MB/s high-speed communication data link provided by the RM module. Except the clock pulse generator (CPG) module, no other special timing module is necessary for this new timing system. The timing signal is prepared by software logic in conjunction with sequential events and the preset timer, is transferred to the subsystems through the RM module, where it is synchronized to the 50-mus clock pulses. The timing system of the subsystems also consists of hardware similar in structure to the ZENKEI timing system. The fundamental timing system configuration, the necessary functions, and the preliminary test results of the prototype system are reported in this presentation. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.