Distributed microprocessor based sensor signal processing system for a complex process
First Claim
1. Apparatus for processing a plurality of signals produced by sensors monitoring selected parameters in a complex process for use by a process protection system, said apparatus comprising a plurality of independent, digital signal processors smaller in number than said plurality of sensor signals for generating digital protection system actuation signals for said protection system in response to predetermined combinations of values of said sensor signals indicative of predetermined conditions within said complex process, with at least some of said signal processors generating at least two such actuation signals and wherein for at least a given one of said predetermined conditions, a first of said independent signal processors generates a primary actuation signal for said given condition from a first combination of values of a first set of sensor signals and a second of said independent signal processors generates a secondary actuation signal for the given condition from a second combination of values of a second set of sensor signals, whereby although at least two protection system actuation signals are generated by at least some of said independent signal processors, the primary and secondary actuation signals indicative of a given predetermined process condition are generated in separate independent signal processors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Signals from redundant sensors located throughout a pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant are processed in four independent channel sets each of which includes a plurality of independent microcomputers which calibrate, convert to engineering units and calculate partial trip signals and engineered safeguard actuation signals from the sensor signals for use in the conventional voting logic of a plant protection system. The primary and secondary partial trip and engineered safeguard actuation functions associated with various postulated abnormal events are allocated to different independent microcomputers in the channel set for reliability. A test unit common to the channel set automatically, rapidly bypasses and tests each protection function independently while the other protection functions in the channel set remain on-line and also continually tests each microcomputer through a dummy test function performed along with the assigned protection functions. Signals representative of the analog value of the sensor signals are stored by the microcomputers and are transmitted by a serial data link through a common electrical isolation unit to a common analog output device for use by the plant control and monitoring systems under the control of a communication processor common to a group of microcomputers in the channel set.
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Citations
18 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for processing a plurality of signals produced by sensors monitoring selected parameters in a complex process for use by a process protection system, said apparatus comprising a plurality of independent, digital signal processors smaller in number than said plurality of sensor signals for generating digital protection system actuation signals for said protection system in response to predetermined combinations of values of said sensor signals indicative of predetermined conditions within said complex process, with at least some of said signal processors generating at least two such actuation signals and wherein for at least a given one of said predetermined conditions, a first of said independent signal processors generates a primary actuation signal for said given condition from a first combination of values of a first set of sensor signals and a second of said independent signal processors generates a secondary actuation signal for the given condition from a second combination of values of a second set of sensor signals, whereby although at least two protection system actuation signals are generated by at least some of said independent signal processors, the primary and secondary actuation signals indicative of a given predetermined process condition are generated in separate independent signal processors.
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8. Apparatus for processing for use in a process protection system and a process control or monitoring system signals generated by a plurality of redundant sets of sensors monitoring selected parameters in a complex process comprising:
- multiple channel sets for separately processing each set of redundant sensor signals and each including;
a plurality of independent, digital, signal processors for generating from selected sensor signals of the channel set protection system actuation signals indicative of predetermined conditions within said complex process with at least some of said signal processors generating more than one actuation signal but with related actuation signals indicative of the same condition generated in different signal processors, and for generating from said sensor signals processed parameter signals representative of the analog value of selected parameters within the complex process;
input/output means for said digital signal processors including means for receiving the sensor signals required by the signal processor to generate the assigned actuation signals and processed parameter signals and means for connecting each of the actuation signals to a separate electrically isolated output line;
common tester/bypass means for sequentially one at a time as to each actuation signal, replacing the required sensor signals with test signals which generate an actuation signal and for disconnecting the actuation signal from the output line and applying it to the tester/bypass means instead for sensing and recording of the actuation signal/common parameter signal output means;
a common electrical isolation means;
common data link means connecting each of said independent digital, signal processors with said common parameter signal output means through said common electrical isolation means and a common communications processor for sequentially controlling the transmission of said parameter signals by said data link means from said independent, digital signal processors to said common parameter signal output means through said common electrical isolation means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
- multiple channel sets for separately processing each set of redundant sensor signals and each including;
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11. A method of processing signals generated by sensor monitoring selected parameters of a complex process using a plurality of independent, digital, signal procesors, said method comprising the steps of:
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applying to each independent, digital signal processor, the sensor signals required for the generation of selected protection system actuation signals, some of which are a primary indication of the occurrence of a given event in the process requiring emergency action and others of which are a secondary indication of the occurrence of the given events, with sensor signals required for the generation of more than one of said selected actuation signals applied to at least some of said independent, digital, signal processors, but with the sensor signals required for the generation of the primary actuation signal and the secondary actuation signal for a given event applied to different independent, digital, signal processors; operating the independent, digital signal processors to generate the selected actuation signals in response to the predetermined values of the applied sensor signals; and applying each of said actuation signals to a separate output line separately electrically isolated from the signal processor in which it is generated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of processing signals generated by redundant sets of sensors monitoring selected parameters in a nuclear fueled electric power generating plant using a plurality of independent, digital, signal processors, said method including the steps of:
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applying the sensor signals in each redundant set of sensor signals to a separate group of said independent, digital, signal processors to form redundant channel sets, and within each channel set applying to individual independent, digital, signal processors the sensor signals required to generate within said signal processors selected partial protection system actuation signals, some of which are a primary indication of a given event in the plant requiring emergency action and others of which are a secondary indication of the given event, with sensor signals required to generate the primary actuation signal and the secondary actuation signal for a given event applied to separate independent, digital, signal processors within the channel set; operating the independent, digital, signal processors in each channel set to cyclically generate the selected partial actuation signals in response to predetermined values of the applied sensor signals; and applying each of said partial actuation signals to a separate output line separately electrically isolated from the signal processor in which it is generated. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification