Real-time determination of confinement parameters in JET

The main confinement parameters, like the internal inductance li and the diamagnetic poloidal beta βDIA, are of particular relevance for a reliable real-time control system of next step tokamaks. These quantities have been obtained at Joint European Torus (JET), with a precision more than satisfactory for real-time applications, through a method, known as BETALI, that uses the Shafranov integrals S1, S2 and S3. Since S1, S2 and S3 are defined on the plasma boundary, a technique, that exploits the real-time boundary code XLOC, has been expressively developed to determine the last closed flux surface (LCFS). BETALI has been verified on several experimental plasma configurations, giving very encouraging results both in the limiter and x-point phase of the discharges. The compatibility with the time restrictions has also been tested successfully. This application has, therefore, been implemented and it has already been used during last JET campaigns.