RWM control studies on RFX-mod with a limited set of active coils

In this paper, the results of resistive wall mode (RWM) control experiments using several sets of active coils are presented. The control effectiveness as a function of coil number and covered torus surface is studied in the RFX-mod device, thanks to the powerful and flexible MHD active control system. Active control is tried using similar coil number and size both in the reversed field pinch (RFP) and in the tokamak configurations, giving a good experimental set to exploit the differences between the two cases. The experimental results are compared with predictions by a new integrated simulator for closed loop RWM growth. The numerical tool couples, in a self-consistent way, a full 3D finite element description of the machine boundaries, a 2D toroidal model of RFP plasma stability and a model of the RFX-mod control system, producing an overall dynamic model cast in the state variable space. In this way a full dynamic flight simulator of RWM control experiments is implemented, where coil coverage and experimental proportional-integral-derivative gains are explored in simulations. Both in the performed experiments and in simulations wall mode active control is proven to be possible in both the configurations with a very reduced set of active control coils.