Towards a high fidelity tokamak pulse simulator

A range of efficient and robust IPS-FASTRAN integrated modeling workflows has been developed to predict time evolution of tokamak plasma discharges from plasma current ramp-up to termination. The TGLF quasi-linear transport model is employed in the core region with the new 3-D saturation model SAT2 for the Ohmic L-mode current ramp-up, where the boundary conditions are given at the separatrix. The coupled EPED/SOLPS-ITER modeling predicts self-consistent profiles in the pedestal and SOL/divertor regions during the H-mode phase of discharge flattop. Testing with TGLF-SAT2 against the ITER demonstration discharges on DIII-D reproduces the magnetic flux consumption and time evolution of the internal inductance during the plasma current ramp-up reasonably well, which strongly depends on accurate estimation of the electron temperature profile and electrical conductivity in the outer radius region. Recent progress on the Predict-First approach will be discussed to design an optimum access to high β_N Advanced Tokamak scenarios on DIII-D.