A portable control and data acquisition solution

Quasi continuous fusion experiments introduced a new paradigm in data acquisition systems, moving from strictly pulse-oriented data acquisition towards a configuration in which a continuous stream of data is managed by the system, able to provide data access during the discharge itself. Moreover, a modern Control and Data Acquisition System (CODAS) must provide an integrated vision of supervision, data acquisition and real-time control and a data centric view to the system combining raw, elaborated and configuration data. The above requirements have been addresses by the CODAS system of the SPIDER experiment in the ITER Neutral Beam Test facility. The solution adopted in SPIDER CODAS integrates, by means of few interface components, three frameworks used in nuclear fusion and accelerator communities. The experience gained in the development of SPIDER CODAS highlighted the validity of the chosen approach, proving that the integration of existing and widely used frameworks represents a better choice in respect of the development from scratch of major system components. A further refinement has recently started, aiming at providing a solution that is complete and generic, and, as such, easily portable to new applications, ranging from small systems to future fusion experiments. This has been achieved by providing further configurability not only to the used framework (fully configurable per se), but also to the connecting components, originally targeted at SPIDER CODAC. The refined system described in the paper will be deployed in the ECT-FALCON Test Facility, used to test the ITER EC launcher components and the European Gyrotron prototype. Its implementation in other test facilities is foreseen, in order to provide a fast track to the development of complete and integrated control and data acquisition.