Simulation of KSTAR ITER scenarios with the RAPTOR code

The RApid Plasma Transport SimulatOR (RAPTOR) code has been applied to KSTAR ITER Baseline (IBS), hybrid scenario, and KSTAR-DIII-D joint hybrid experiments. RAPTOR evolves magnetic flux and kinetic profiles relevant for scenario access optimization, which is typically performed through heating and current drive actuator scans in experiment. Validation work presented here compares RAPTOR predictions with experimental plasma parameter evolution through hybrid and IBS access phases. We compare safe and unsafe plasma current rampdown trajectories with KSTAR experiments. RAPTOR’s capabilities offer fast nonlinear optimization of scenario actuator trajectories, informing intuition of the effects of actuator location and timing in scenario experiments. RAPTOR can provide initial scenario setup conditions for efficient translation of DIII-D ITER scenario plasmas to superconducting devices like KSTAR, whose shaping coil and plasma current ramp rates differ from those available to copper devices. Imminent work attempting ITER scenario access in KSTAR experiments guided by RAPTOR will quantify the effectiveness of this workflow.