SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Modern particle accelerator facilities generate large amounts of data and face increasing demands on their operational performance. These datasets can be difficult to visualize and may contain complex relationships that are challenging to understand. Additionally, as the demand on accelerator operations increases so does the need for automated tuning algorithms and control to maximize uptime with reduced operator intervention. Existing tools are insufficient to meet the broad demands on controls, visualization, and analysis. The approach is to develop a web-based toolkit with access to advanced control and data analytics libraries in addition to particle accelerator simulations. This toolbox will be able to connect to the control system for data collection and deployment of control algorithms. The toolkit will be equipped with community supported tracking codes, thereby enabling users to simulate machine dynamics and develop reduced models for low level control systems and machine drift. During Phase I, a prototype graphical web interface was developed for data analysis, using open source software libraries. Connections between this web interface and a widely used open source control system software have been developed. The use of our web interface was successfully demonstrated on simple tuning tasks. Improved modeling capabilities were developed and demonstrated for the transfer line from an alternating gradient synchrotron to a relativistic heavy ion collider at a prominent national laboratory. Using an open source software middle layer, advanced control algorithms were tested and verified for the reconfiguration of this beam line. During Phase II, the capabilities prototyped in Phase I will be expanded by creating a toolbox that can be easily customized and deployed at many facilities. Users will be able to rapidly build web-based control interfaces for data analysis, automated tuning, and advanced fault detection. Our software will be tested at the two national laboratories, which are involved in design of the proposed electron ion collider. The proposed web-based toolkit will directly benefit domestic research laboratories, and will be relevant to many commercial applications, such as medical accelerators, waste treatment, small university-based accelerators, and virtually any large-scale industrial control system.
