A test-bench for the real-time project phase 2 of JET

A test-bench which generates the stimulus signals for testing a real-time control system and simultaneously recording its output variables is being developed for the Joint European Torus (JET) real-time measurement and control tools. The system allows testing the operation of a real-time control system by using as inputs the plasma variables previously stored on the JET pulse database or user defined waveforms. This non-intrusive test method allows testing the control system for all possible operation scenarios in a faster duty-cycle without harming the machine to be controlled. The test-bench includes a 32 channels analogue stimulus generator and a 32 channels transient recorder device. The stimulus and recorded data are input to an MDSplus server and managed through a user interface elsewhere on a remote terminal over an Ethernet link. A HTTP server included on both signal generator and recorder devices allows to retrieve the signal names from previous JET pulses through the CODAS Level 1 interface, as well as the operation parameters (e.g. test pulse number, predefined waves selection, addition of noise, etc.). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.