Real time measurement of plasma macroscopic parameters on RFX-mod using a limited set of sensors

A method to estimate the plasma boundary and global parameters such as ?p+li/2 and the edge safety factor q95 is described. The method is based on poloidal flux extrapolation in the vacuum region between the plasma and the magnetic measurements, and it is efficient and accurate even if a limited set of sensors is used. The discrepancy between the plasma boundary provided by this method and the boundary computed by the Grad-Shafranov solver MAXFEA is lower than 8 mm in all the considered cases. Moreover, the method is robust against the noise level present in the RFX-mod measurements. The difference between the estimated global parameters and the MAXFEA simulation results is lower than 4%. The method was finally implemented in the RFX-mod shape control system, working at 5 kHz cycle frequency, to provide a reliable set of plasma-wall distances (gaps) used as feedback signals. Experimental results obtained in one year of RFX-mod operation are shown.