Innovative Design for Control Rooms

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Hessler ◽  
Tobias Scharf
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Control Room ◽  
Process Industries ◽  
Monitoring And Control System ◽  
Human Machine Interfaces ◽  
Room Design ◽  
Operator Interface

Screen-based human-machine interfaces, having been standard for many years in most process industries, are now also well acknowledged in the main control room of nuclear power plants. Being a standard feature of digital I&C systems, they offer significant benefits and interesting options for control room design, but also constitute challenges for the designer. Attractive opportunities for the designer and operator are for example the minimization of equipment, compared to design of hardwired panels, the reduction of cabling and cable separation issues, the flexibility and increased possibility for customization to specific utilities and operator needs. However, this flexibility brings also new challenges to the design, for new builds as well as for plant modernization projects, such as ensuring overall situation awareness of the operator, in spite the intrinsically serial character of information presentation, and the need to integrate different, even diverse digital human-machine interfaces of the safety and non-safety I&C systems. The reference concept of AREVA NP for all projects involving control room design relies on an overall I&C architecture, based on the TELEPERM XS for safety I&C systems, and Siemens SPPA T2000. SPPA T2000’s OM690 screen-based monitoring and control system is used as the integrated main operator interface, supporting plant operation in all plant states. Additionally control boards are used to implement a separate safety panel satisfying nuclear safety qualification requirements. These components are used to tailor the design of main control room, remote shut-down stations and local control stations, in accordance with licensing requirements, utility expectations and operating staff needs.

scholarly journals Small Modular Reactor Human-System Interface and Control Room Layout Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 516-520
Author(s):  
Kevin LaFerriere ◽  
Jessica Stevens ◽  
Ryan Flamand NuScale
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Control Room ◽  
Operating Characteristics ◽  
Human System ◽  
Small Modular Reactor ◽  
Room Design ◽  
Safety Features ◽  
And Control

The NuScale Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is premised on well-established nuclear technology principles with a focus on integration of components, simplification or elimination of systems, automation, and use of passive safety features. Traditional nuclear power plants have in some cases operated up to four modules from a single control room. Due to the unique nontraditional operating characteristics of this technology a state-of-the art control room design was needed to ensure proper staffing totals for monitoring and control of multiple modules (twelve) from a single control room. To accomplish this, the human system interface and control room layout must translate the functional and task requirements needed for safe operation of the plant into the detailed design of workstations, alarms, controls, navigation, and other needs of the control room operations staff.

Advanced Control Room Design Review Guidelines: Merging Old and New

1992 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-427
Author(s):  
Richard J. Carter ◽  
Jerry A. Wachtel
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Control Room ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Design Review ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Room Design ◽  
Advanced Control ◽  
Operator Interface

The nuclear power industry is currently developing operator interface systems based on innovative applications of digital computers. To assure that this advanced technology is incorporated in a way that maximizes the potential safety benefits of the technology and minimizes the potential negative effects on human performance, human factors principles must be considered. NUREG-0700 contains guidelines for the review of operator interfaces. However, in light of the rapid technological advances in digital technology which have taken place in the eleven years since its publication, it is no longer adequate to assess the rapidly changing human-system interfaces. A research program, the purpose of which is to upgrade NUREG-0700, has been initiated. Thus far a set of draft advanced control room design review (ACRDR) guidelines has been complied. Three tasks, which were oriented towards integrating the applicable guidelines in NUREG-0700 into the ACRDR document, are described in the paper.

scholarly journals Measuring Situation Awareness of Operating Team in Different Main Control Room Environments of Nuclear Power Plants

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Woo Lee ◽  
Ar Ryum Kim ◽  
Jinkyun Park ◽  
Hyun Gook Kang ◽  
Poong Hyun Seong
Keyword(s):  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Control Room ◽  
Operating Team

A Nuclear Safety Basis for Assigning Priorities to Human Engineering Concerns at Nuclear Power Plants

1983 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-183
Author(s):  
Edward J. Sheehy
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Safety ◽  
Human Engineering ◽  
Control Room ◽  
Current State ◽  
Operator Interface ◽  
Safety Features ◽  
Actual Control

At this point in the integration of human factors into the nuclear power industry an important issue is how are the various discrepancies between the post Three Mile Island operator interface guidelines and the actual control room configuration to be assigned priorities for resolution? While it is generally agreed that safety-related discrepancies should receive first priority, it is not at all clear just what “safety-related” means when considered in an operational sense. This paper describes the current state of evolving standard definitions for hardware oriented safety features. It discusses how these definitions could be expanded to include operationally related considerations and explores some benefits which would ensue. These include (1) establishing a nuclear safety basis which can be used in establishing priorities for resolution of human engineering concerns, and (2) obtaining legal recognition of operational concerns in general in the design and licensing arenas.

scholarly journals Computerized Operator Support System for Nuclear Power Plant Hybrid Main Control Room

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 1814-1818
Author(s):  
Roger Lew ◽  
Ronald L. Boring ◽  
Thomas A. Ulrich
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Support System ◽  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Control Room ◽  
Machine Interface ◽  
Plant Hybrid

A Computerized Operator Support System (COSS) is an operator assistive technology that aids operators in monitoring processes to detect off-normal conditions, diagnose plant faults, predict future plant states, recommend mitigation alternatives, and select appropriate mitigation actions. The COSS works in collaboration with an advanced prognostics system called PROAID. The COSS provides a human-machine interface to help operators maintain situation awareness and detect faults earlier than would be possible using conventional control room technologies at nuclear power plants. Here we describe a third-iteration of efforts to develop and validate the COSS. The COSS has now been implemented as a prototype system for a full-scope nuclear power plant simulator. To date, two studies involving three licensed reactor crews were conducted to evaluate the COSS. Here we capture insights into the development of COSS as well as operator feedback and future development guidance derived from the operator-in-the-loop simulator studies.

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