# Presentation: 948970

## 	Supported by

**M.G. Bell, PPPL**
***for the NSTX Research Team***

**NSTX 5 Year Plan Review for 2009-13**
**Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory**
**July 28-30, 2008**

***College W&M***
***Colorado Sch Mines***
***Columbia U***
***Comp-X***
***General Atomics***
***INEL***
***Johns Hopkins U***
***LANL***
***LLNL***
***Lodestar***
***MIT***
***Nova Photonics***
***New York U***
***Old Dominion U***
***ORNL***
***PPPL***
***PSI***
***Princeton U***
***SNL***
***Think Tank, Inc.***
***UC Davis***
***UC Irvine***
***UCLA***
***UCSD***
***U Colorado***
***U Maryland***
***U Rochester***
***U Washington***
***U Wisconsin***

***Culham Sci Ctr***
***U St. Andrews***
***York U***
***Chubu U***
***Fukui U***
***Hiroshima U***
***Hyogo U***
***Kyoto U***
***Kyushu U***
***Kyushu Tokai U***
***NIFS***
***Niigata U***
***U Tokyo***
***JAEA***
***Hebrew U***
***Ioffe Inst***
***RRC Kurchatov Inst***
***TRINITI***
***KBSI***
***KAIST***
***POSTECH***
***ASIPP***
***ENEA, Frascati***
***CEA, Cadarache***
***IPP, J******ü******lich***
***IPP, Garching***
***ASCR, Czech Rep***
***U Quebec***

**	****Supported by**

## Topics and Relationship to Review Charge

- NSTX Organization
- Support from PPPL
- Role of collaborators
- Developing the research program
- Research priorities and major directions
- Formulating annual research plan
- Developing and executing experiments
- Milestone performance history
- Scheduling operation, maintenance & upgrades
- Managing environment, safety & health concerns

*Evaluate the competency of the proposed senior research personnel and the adequacy of the proposed research environment and resources.*

*Do the collaborative arrangements achieve the goal of an integrated research team taking advantage of unique facilities?*

*Assess the program's governance practices and performance of the direct program management*

*Assess the current ****performance**** of ****facility**** ****operations at a top level***

## NSTX Organization Within PPPL

## NSTX Draws on and Benefits from the Resources, Infrastructure and Staff at PPPL

_**Research environment and resources**_
- NSTX Test Cell and associated diagnostic laboratories
- Pulse power systems: *flywheel MG sets, rectifiers*
- Auxiliary plasma heating equipment and expertise: *NBI, ICRF*
- Machine shops: *diagnostics, lithium technology*
- Coil winding facilities: *new PF1A coils*
- Computing facilities and networks: *data management and access*
_**Experienced, well-qualified staff**_
- Research staff (including 41 APS Fellows of DPP, 3 PU faculty)
- Graduate students & post-doc (from PU)
- Engineering expertise: *design, electrical, I&C, mechanical, software*
- Procurement and quality assurance organizations
- ES&H organization
*For additional details, see presentation by A. vonHalle at Facility Review*

## Since Its Inception, NSTX has Involved Collaborators Extensively

- Collaborations involve a broad group of domestic and international users
- Collaborators were involved in originally proposing, designing NSTX
- Many diagnostic systems are built and operated by collaborators
- Of 189 researchers (including students & post-docs) associated with NSTX:
- 59 are from PPPL and PU,
- 87 are from 22 US institutions (~60% personnel, ~40% FTE of US effort)
- 18 of these are located at PPPL long-term (≥1 year)
- 43 are from institutions in other countries
- DOE annually solicits proposals for collaboration with NSTX
- Both new proposals and renewal of existing collaborations
- Collaborations are competitively peer-reviewed on a three-year cycle
- Collaborators participate fully in the research program
- Meetings of research team to plan upgrades and research
- Proposing, developing and executing experiments
- Reviewing, analyzing and discussing results
- Publishing and presenting the results of their work

## NSTX Collaborations are Governed by Formal Arrangements

- Record of Discussion
- Results of discussions between prospective collaborators and an NSTX Research Contact in support of proposals submitted to DOE
- Includes goals of research, describes on- and off- site components of work involved and estimates of support required from NSTX
- Record of Agreement
- Describes agreed commitments of resources, equipment and facilities by a collaborating institution and NSTX
- Data Usage Agreement
- Governs access to and publication of data
- Provides for project and peer review of external publications
- Policies for access to, use and publication of NSTX data are the same for PPPL staff and collaborators

##  Leadership of NSTX Topical Science Groups Plays a Major Role in Governing the Research Program

- Determine and address highest priority scientific issues within a topical area through discussion and consensus at open meetings
- Organize the NSTX Research Forum sessions for the TSG
- Draft scientific milestones utilizing expertise of the TSG
- Propose and execute experiments to achieve milestones and address priorities
- Define facility and theory resources to achieve research goals
- Aid dissemination of results with Physics Analysis & Simulation Division
- Journal publications, invited talks, seminars, colloquia, conferences, ITPA, BPO
- Provide summaries of scientific progress at NSTX monthly team meetings and other venues to promote discussion
- Assist and report to the NSTX Program and Project directors

## NSTX Scientific Leadership for 2008 Run

- Forms an integrated research team to take advantage of unique facilities

## Developing the NSTX Research Program

- Guided by NSTX mission
- Provide the physics basis for future ST-based devices
- Broaden the basis for ITER, participating in ITPA and USBPO
- Advance the understanding of toroidal magnetic confinement
- 	 and evolving device and diagnostic capabilities
- Research Milestones and plans for upgrades are
- developed by NSTX leadership in discussion with NSTX Topical Science Group leaders
- reviewed by the NSTX Program Advisory Committee and
- agreed with DOE as part of the FWP process
- complemented by Facility and Diagnostic Milestones

## Annual NSTX Research Forum Provides Team Members the Opportunity to Propose Experiments

- Held at PPPL over 21/2 days ~2 months before start of experiments
- Involves wide participation, both on-site and by teleconference
***Follows an open invitation to submit ideas for experiments***
- Provided guidance from TSG Leaders on 2 highest priority themes for each topical area
- In opening plenary session, NSTX Program Head provides initial guidance on runtime allocation
- Based on Milestones, facility development, and ITPA, BPO interests
- Include presentations from other facilities (e.g. DIII-D, C-Mod, MAST)
- Proposals for experiments discussed and prioritized by TSGs in breakout sessions (3 serial, 2 parallel, accessible by teleconference)
- TSGs asked to identify gaps, overlaps and combine if appropriate
- Final plenary session reviews recommended prioritized experiments from TSGs and plans for developing Experimental Proposals (XPs)

## NSTX Experimental Proposals Guide Operation During Experimental Operation 

- Experimental Proposals (XPs) are documents describing
- justification for the experiment and that it is well suited to NSTX
- the plan for executing the required shots and scans efficiently
- the required machine and diagnostic capabilities
- plans for analysis, reporting and publication of the results
- XPs are discussed in TSG meetings and recommended for review by the research team led by the Run Coordinator
- All meetings are open and accessible by teleconference from off-site
- Review “chits” may be submitted, pointing out deficiencies and/or recommending changes to improve the experiment
- Final version is approved, posted on the Web and a formal “run copy” is prepared when the experiment is scheduled
- NSTX also provides Experimental Machine Proposals (XMPs) which are used to commission new systems or capabilities
- Reviewed and approved by Experimental Research Operations

## In 2008, the NSTX Team Performed43 Experimental Proposals

- 12 Experimental Machine Proposals were also performed
- Run lasted from Feb 18 through July 14 (21 calendar weeks)
- Included 4 scheduled maintenance weeks, 4 days unscheduled maintenance time and 2 holidays
- Scheduled maintenance to avoid running during major meetings
- Achieved 16.6 run weeks, exceeding milestone target of 15
- Schedule for experiments in the next 1 - 2 weeks is developed at a weekly Program/Operations meeting chaired by Run Coordinator
- Adapt schedule to evolving status and availability of facility, heating systems, diagnostics, collaborator travel *etc.*
- Meeting is accessible by teleconference, schedule is posted on Web and updated as conditions change
- Schedule up to 4 experiments (XPs and/or XMPs) on each run day
- Daily plan discussed at “8:30am Meeting” and summarized in an email distributed widely

## Final Allocation of Run Time Matched Target Reasonably Well in 2008

- At outset of run, ~20% of runtime was held in reserve and ~15% allocated to “cross-cutting and enabling” activities
- Most of the XMPs were counted as “cross-cutting and enabling”
- For the 2008 run, 3 days were initially provided for specific ITER support

## Results and Analysis of Experiments Presented to and Discussed by the Whole Team

- 5:00pm “end of runday” meeting
- Progress on performing the plan and highlights of data
- Weekly Physics Meeting
- Preliminary analysis
- Mid-run Assessment
- Progress towards meeting milestones
- Needs for additional runtime to complete experiments
- Need for experiments not foreseen at Research Forum
- Annual Results Review
- Progress towards comprehensive analysis and conclusions
- Plan for publication
- Annual Run Assessment
- Discussion of successes and difficulties encountered
- Improving planning and execution of experiments and communication
*All meetings are accessible by teleconference*

## NSTX Facility Operation Efficiency has Steadily Improved Over Last 5 Years

- Facility operations have exceeded all the facility operations milestones for the last Five Year Plan period.
- Plasma shots per week increased by 33% over the period
- Benefits of improvements learned through Run Assessments
- Upgrades to real-time plasma control system
- Lithium evaporator obviates need for between-shots HeGDC

## In Last 5 Years, NSTX Consistently Achieved Its Research, Facility and Diagnostic Milestones

- In 2005 – 2007, all 19 Research Milestones were met on time
- Included 1 Joule milestone for NSTX research in 2007
- Research Milestones for 2008 are on track for completion by September
- Includes 1 Joule milestone for research on NSTX, DIII-D, C-Mod
- 7 Facility Milestones in 2005 – 2008 (separate from operation targets) were met or are on track for completion on time
- All FEA Diagnostic Milestones in 2005 – 2008 were completed on or before schedule

## Maintenance, Repair and Upgrade Activities are Carefully Planned and Managed

- PPPL Work Planning system used to approve and track progress on major activities and upgrades
- Work Permits used to maintain configuration control and proper work practices in NSTX Test Cell
- Requirements for procedures and permits (*e.g.* RWP)
- Provides record for checks of area before resuming operation
- Specific training required for both PPPL and collaborator staff to work in the NSTX Test Cell
- General Employee Training
- Radiation Safety Training
- Lockout/Tagout (Control of Energy Sources)
- Basic Electric Safety
- Knowledge of applicable Administrative Procedures
- Periodic Preventive Maintenance is performed on critical systems
- On-Line Management System is being implemented

## Attention to Environment, Safety and Health Central to NSTX Planning, Maintenance and Operation

- DOE Integrated Safety Management is used throughout PPPL to integrate safety into all work planning and execution
- ES&H is a line management responsibility
- e.g. performing regular safety walkthroughs & work observations
- A Safety Assessment Document is maintained for NSTX
- Identifies hazards of systems and components
- Addresses design features & administrative controls to mitigate hazards
- Provides detailed FMEA of NSTX systems
- Work on NSTX performed using Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs).
- Targeted safety inspections conducted by NSTX Activity Certification Committee for new/modified installations with safety implications
- Safety issues are presented and discussed all Team Meetings
- NSTX received a special NJ State award in March 2008 for working 7 consecutive years (1/1/01-12/31/07) without an away-from-work case

## NSTX Provides an Open, Productive and Safe Research Environment for All Team Members

- Drawing on highly qualified staff from PPPL and a broad group of domestic and international collaborators, NSTX has created a well integrated research team to exploit its unique facilities
- Governance practices are designed to promote collaborative research
- Open access to meetings, data, presentations and documents
- Allocation of experimental runtime is through an open process
- Topical Science Groups provide scientific leadership for NSTX research
- About half of the TSG leaders are collaborators
- About half of invited talks and publications are led by collaborators
- PPPL provides resources and support to promote NSTX research
- Detailed planning and control are applied to ensure that operation is efficient and that commitments are met
- NSTX has consistently achieved its operational goals and its milestones for science, facility upgrades & diagnostic development
- Processes have been established to promote continuous improvement
- There is a strong focus on safety, well supported by PPPL management