Neutron flux mapping system for nuclear reactors
First Claim
1. A computer system for controlling a physical process performed by devices, comprising:
- host control means, including a host processor, for inputting and outputting signals, including outputting automated control signals to the devices performing the physical process and inputting process data signals representing conditions related to the physical process;
local operator interface means, disposed in physical proximity to said host control means, for inputting local operator instructions from a local operator and shared data signals included in the signals output by said host control means and for outputting the operator instructions to said host control means and display data, included int he shared data, to the local operator;
remote operator interface means, separate from said host control means and said local operator interface means, for inputting remote operator instructions from a remote operator and the shared data signals and for outputting the remote operator instructions to said host control means and the display data to the remote operator; and
diagnostic processor means, operating independently from said host processor, for detecting unacceptable temperature and power levels and logic failures in said host control means and for sending safety shutdown control signals to the devices via said system control means when any of the unacceptable temperature and power levels and the logic failures are detected.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of flux map sequences are stored in nonvolatile memory to control a flux mapping operation in a nuclear reactor. The flux map sequences are accessed by a host controller which receives instructions from either a local man machine interface or a remote man machine interface. A system control unit determines which of the man machine interfaces is active and also provides the ability to select manual control of detector drivers. A selected flux map sequence is displayed and can be modified and then restored or executed. The modifications to the flux map sequence may include deleting a detector driver from the flux mapping operation and then automatically redistributing the thimbles originally used by the deleted detector driver to be used by the remaining detector drivers. The man machine interfaces are preferably independent computer systems each connected to receive shared data transmitted from the host controller and capable of performing analysis on the flux map data including generating calibration data for a plant protection system. The flux mapping system also includes a diagnostic processor for monitoring the operation of the host controller and ensuring that the detector drivers receive instructions to return to a safe condition if there is a malfunction of the host controller.
33 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A computer system for controlling a physical process performed by devices, comprising:
-
host control means, including a host processor, for inputting and outputting signals, including outputting automated control signals to the devices performing the physical process and inputting process data signals representing conditions related to the physical process; local operator interface means, disposed in physical proximity to said host control means, for inputting local operator instructions from a local operator and shared data signals included in the signals output by said host control means and for outputting the operator instructions to said host control means and display data, included int he shared data, to the local operator; remote operator interface means, separate from said host control means and said local operator interface means, for inputting remote operator instructions from a remote operator and the shared data signals and for outputting the remote operator instructions to said host control means and the display data to the remote operator; and diagnostic processor means, operating independently from said host processor, for detecting unacceptable temperature and power levels and logic failures in said host control means and for sending safety shutdown control signals to the devices via said system control means when any of the unacceptable temperature and power levels and the logic failures are detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A computer system for controlling flux mapping of a nuclear reactor using flux mapping instrumentation, including neutron flux detectors mounted on cables driven by detector drivers into thimbles selected by selectors, comprising:
-
host control means for inputting and outputting signals, including outputting automated control signals to the devices performing the physical process and inputting process data signals representing conditions related to the physical process, said host control means including-- host processor means for controlling operation of said host control means; nonvolatile memory means for storing a plurality of flux map sequences accessed one at a time by said host processor means to generate selector control signals included in the automated control signals and used to control the selectors during a flux mapping operation; and host input/output means for communicating between said host processor and the flux mapping instrumentation; local operator interface means, disposed in physical proximity to said host control means, for inputting local operator instructions from a local operator and shared data signals included in the signals output by said host control means and for outputting the operator instructions to said host control means and display data, included in the shared data, to the local operator; remote operator interface means, separate from said host control means and said local operator interface means, for inputting remote operator instructions from a remote operator and the shared data signals and for outputting the remote operator instructions to said host control means and the display data to the remote operator, said local and remote operator interface means each including-- one of local and remote processor means for controlling operation of said local and remote operator interface means, respectively; shared data communication means for communicating between said host input/output means and one of said local and remote processor means; and operator input/output means for receiving the local and remote operator instructions, respectively, including instructions selecting one of the flux map sequences for a flux mapping operation and for displaying operator output data formatted by one of said local and remote processor means; and system control means for permitting only one of the local and remote operator instructions to be received by said host control means at any given time. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for controlling flux mapping of a nuclear reactor, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) storing a plurality of flux map sequences in nonvolatile memory; (b) selecting one of the flux map sequences utilizing the steps of; (b1) receiving local instructions from a local operator; (b2) receiving remote instructions from a remote operator; (b3) receiving an instruction selection signal indicating that only one of the local and remote instructions is to be used for controlling of the flux mapping operation; (b4) selecting the one of the flux map sequences in dependent upon said receiving in steps (b1)-(b3); (c) displaying the one of the flux map sequences selected in step (b); (d) receiving instructions modifying the one of the flux map sequences; and (e) modifying the one of the flux map sequences to produce a modified flux map sequence in dependence upon the instructions received in step (d); (f) wherein said controlling the flux mapping operation in step (b3) is in dependence upon the one of the flux mapping sequences selected in step (b) and modified in step (e). - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification