Machine learning in fusion reactors
AssigneeTokamak Energy Ltd
InventorsSteven Antony Milton McNamara, Peter Buxton, David Kingham
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Abstract
A method of controlling a plasma in a nuclear fusion reactor. The nuclear fusion reactor comprises sensors and plasma control inputs. An initial control model is provided, relating readings of at least a subset of the sensors to control of the plasma control inputs. A control loop is performed, comprising: operating the plasma control inputs in dependence upon the sensors according to the control model; determining correlations between readings of each of the sensors, and/or between readings of the sensors and states of the plasma control inputs; and adjusting the control model based on the determined correlations.
Claims20
A method of controlling a plasma within a plasma vessel of a nuclear fusion reactor, the nuclear fusion reactor including one or more plasma control inputs, one or more primary sensors and one or more secondary sensors, and wherein the plasma control inputs are configured to adjust the properties of the plasma, the method comprising:
- providing an initial control model relating readings of only the one or more primary sensors to control of the plasma control inputs;
- performing a control loop including:
- controlling the plasma using the one or more plasma control inputs in dependence upon the one or more primary sensors and/or one or more secondary sensors according to the control model;
- determining, using a machine learning algorithm, correlations between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and readings of the one or more primary sensors, and/or between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and states of the one or more plasma control inputs;
- and
- adjusting the control model based on the correlations determined by the machine learning algorithm, wherein adjusting the control model includes adding a secondary sensor to the control model when a correlation has been found between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and readings of one or more primary sensors, and/or between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and states of the one or more plasma control inputs, and
- controlling the plasma according to the adjusted control model;
- wherein the one or more plasma control inputs control external heating and current drive, position control coils, fueling systems, and/or disruption control systems, the one or more primary sensors monitor the plasma and the one or more secondary sensors monitor aspects of the reactor other than the plasma.
A method of controlling a plasma within a plasma vessel of a nuclear fusion reactor, the nuclear fusion reactor including one or more plasma control inputs, one or more primary sensors and one or more secondary sensors, and wherein the plasma control inputs are configured to adjust the properties of the plasma, the method comprising:
- providing an initial control model relating readings of only the one or more primary sensors to control of the plasma control inputs;
- performing a control loop including:
- controlling the plasma using the one or more plasma control inputs in dependence upon the one or more primary sensors and/or one or more secondary sensors according to the control model;
- determining, using a machine learning algorithm, correlations between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and readings of the one or more primary sensors, and/or between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and states of the one or more plasma control inputs;
- and
- adjusting the control model based on the correlations determined by the machine learning algorithm, wherein adjusting the control model includes adding a secondary sensor to the control model when a correlation has been found between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and readings of one or more primary sensors, and/or between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and states of the one or more plasma control inputs, and
- controlling the plasma according to the adjusted control model;
- wherein the one or more plasma control inputs comprise any one or more of:
- magnetic field coils;
- poloidal field coils;
- toroidal field coils;
- a heating system;
- a current drive system;
- and a fuel input, and wherein the one or more primary sensors monitor the plasma and the one or more secondary sensors monitor aspects of the reactor other than the plasma.
A method of controlling a position, temperature and/or current of a plasma within a plasma vessel of a nuclear fusion reactor, the nuclear fusion reactor including sensors and plasma control inputs, wherein the sensors include one or more primary sensors and one or more secondary sensors, and wherein the plasma control inputs are configured to adjust the properties of the plasma, the method comprising:
- providing an initial control model relating readings of only the one or more primary sensors to control of the plasma control inputs;
- and
- performing a control loop including:
- controlling the position, temperature, current, density and/or shape of the plasma using the plasma control inputs in dependence upon the one or more primary and/or one or more secondary sensors according to the control model,
- determining, using a machine learning algorithm, correlations between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and readings of the one or more primary sensors, and/or between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and states of the plasma control inputs,
- adjusting the control model based on the correlations determined by the machine learning algorithm, wherein adjusting the control model includes adding a secondary sensor to the control model when a correlation has been found between readings of the one or more secondary sensor and readings of the one or more primary sensors and/or between readings of the one or more secondary sensors and states of the plasma control inputs, and
- controlling the position, temperature and/or current of the plasma based on the adjusted control model;
- wherein the one or more plasma control inputs comprise any one or more of:
- magnetic field coils;
- poloidal field coils;
- toroidal field coils;
- a heating system;
- a current drive system;
- and a fuel input, and wherein the one or more primary sensors monitor the plasma and the one or more secondary sensors monitor aspects of the reactor other than the plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.