Alarm management system

• US 6,492,901 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ridolfo, Charles F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/568,471
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/525, 340/511, 340/692, 340/9, 340/17, 700/12, 700/27, 700/83, 702/188, 702/183-185, 702/187
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/00 Monitoring; Testing measuring in general G01; Maintaining
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

An alarm management system and method includes structure and function for receiving one or more process parameter signals representative of one or more process parameters. Each of the received process parameters is then compared with an associated alarm point. An alarm status signal is generated on the basis of the comparison. An annunciation command signal is transmitted on the basis of the alarm status signal. And, a sound is then generated on the basis of the annunciation command signal.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of alarms, comprising:

receiving one or more process parameter signals representative of one or more process parameters;

comparing each of the received process parameter signals with an associated alarm setpoint;

generating an alarm status signal on the basis of the comparison indicating an unanswered new alarm condition or a return-to-normal condition, which signal is different from a signal indicating a new alarm condition;

receiving the alarm status signal;

transmitting an annunciation command signal on the basis of the received alarm status signal; and

generating a sound on the basis of the annunciation command signal.

2. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 1:

wherein the sound generation step comprises;

(1) generating a plurality of tones, each having a different frequency from another, on the basis of the annunciation command signal, and

(2) synthesizing a human voice signal of a specified pitch on the basis of the annunciation command signal.

3. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 2:

wherein the plurality of tones includes;

(1) a first tone of a first frequency that indicates a new alarm condition,

(2) a second tone of a second frequency that indicates a previously alarming condition has returned to a normal, non-alarming condition, and

(3) a third tone of a third frequency that indicates either a new alarm has not been acknowledged or a previously alarming condition that has returned to a normal, non-alarming condition has not been cleared.

4. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 3, further comprising:

generating each of the first, second, and third tones for a first predetermined time period.

5. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 4, further comprising:

generating the third tone repeatedly with a specified period.

6. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 2, further comprising:

including information related to operational responsibility in the alarm status signal, and

synthesizing the specified pitch of the human voice synthesized in said voice synthesization step on the basis of the information related to operational responsibility.

7. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 6, further comprising:

including at least a first operator responsibility and a second operator responsibility in the information related to operational responsibility, and

synthesizing, in said voice synthesization step, a substantially male-sounding human voice for the first operator responsibility, and a substantially female-sounding human voice for the second operator responsibility.

8. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 2:

wherein said voice synthesization step comprises generating the human voice signal substantially immediately following generation of each of the plurality of tones.

9. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 8:

wherein the alarm status signal includes information related to operational responsibility; and

wherein the specified pitch of the human voice synthesized in said voice synthesization step is determined on the basis of the information related to operational responsibility.

10. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 9:

wherein the operational responsibility includes at least a first operator responsibility and a second operator responsibility; and

wherein said voice synthesization step comprises synthesizing a substantially male-sounding human voice for the first operator responsibility, and a substantially female-sounding human voice for the second operator responsibility.

11. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 10:

wherein the first and second operators are a reactor operator and a turbine operator, respectively, in a nuclear power plant.

12. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the alarm status signal and storing alarm information included in the alarm status signal.

13. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 12, further comprising:

periodically extracting the alarm information from memory;

categorizing the extracted alarm information into a plurality of predetermined categories; and

displaying the alarm information, for each of the plurality of alarms, arranged into the plurality of predetermined categories.

14. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 13:

wherein the alarm information includes, for each of the plurality of alarms, alarm status information indicating;

(1) whether the alarm is a new alarm,

(2) whether the alarm, if new, has been acknowledged, and

(3) whether a condition that caused the alarm has returned to a normal, non-alarming condition.

15. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 13:

wherein the plurality of predetermined categories includes;

(1) operator responsibility for the alarm,

(2) a priority status of the alarm, and

(3) a system with which the alarm is associated.

16. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 15:

wherein said display step comprises displaying a total number of alarms, within each of the plurality of predetermined categories, having identical alarm status information.

17. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 16:

wherein said display step further comprises displaying the total number of alarms, irrespective of the plurality of predetermined categories, having identical alarm status information.

18. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 15:

wherein the operator responsibility category includes a first operator responsibility category and a second operator responsibility category.

19. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 18:

wherein the first and second operators are a reactor operator and a turbine operator, respectively, in a nuclear power plant.

20. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 15:

wherein the priority status category includes a plurality of predetermined priorities ranked according to an alarm'"'"'s relative importance.

21. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 20:

wherein the predetermined priorities include a first priority, a second priority, and a third priority.

22. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 21:

wherein the alarm'"'"'s relative importance is based on the alarm'"'"'s relation to reactor safety in a nuclear power plant, and;

(1) the first priority includes alarms for plant conditions which, if not corrected immediately, will result in a plant shutdown, radioactive release, or major equipment damage,

(2) the second priority includes alarms for plant conditions which, if not corrected, will require an eventual plant shutdown, or an eventual radioactive release, and

(3) the third priority includes alarms for plant conditions which, if not corrected, may result in a first or second priority alarm.

23. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 12, further comprising:

periodically retrieving and categorizing the stored alarm information into a plurality of predetermined categories;

storing mimic display information for a plurality of process systems;

periodically retrieving the stored alarm information and generating the mimic display information for each of the plurality of process systems including the retrieved alarm information therein;

receiving a first command from an input selection device to select information; and

transferring the selected information to a video display unit for display thereon,

wherein the selected information includes one of;

(1) the alarm information in one of the first plurality of predetermined categories, and

(2) the alarm information included in one of the plurality of process system mimic displays.

24. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 23, further comprising:

filtering the selected alarm information in accordance with a second command from said input selection device.

25. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 23, further comprising:

displaying each of the plurality of alarms in chronological order of occurrence.

26. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 23:

wherein the plurality of predetermined categories includes;

(1) operator responsibility for the alarm,

(2) a priority status of the alarm,

(3) the process system with which the alarm is associated, and

(4) a total number of alarms.

27. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 23:

wherein the alarm information includes, for each of the plurality of alarms, alarm status information indicating;

(1) whether the alarm is a new alarm,

(2) whether the alarm, if new, has been acknowledged, and

(3) whether a condition that caused the alarm has returned to a normal, non-alarming condition; and

wherein the selected information displayed on the video display unit includes the alarm status information.

28. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 24, further comprising:

selectively displaying specified alarm status information for each of the plurality of alarms in the selected predetermined category in accordance with the second command.

29. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 24, further comprising:

selectively displaying alarm information categorized into more than one of the predetermined categories in accordance with the second command.

30. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 26:

wherein the operator responsibility category includes a first operator responsibility category and a second operator responsibility category.

31. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 30:

wherein the first and second operators are a reactor operator and a turbine operator, respectively, in a nuclear power plant.

32. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 26:

wherein the priority status category includes a plurality of predetermined priorities ranked according to an alarm'"'"'s relative importance.

33. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 32:

wherein the predetermined priorities include a first priority, a second priority, and a third priority.

34. A method of managing a plurality of alarms according to claim 33:

wherein the alarm'"'"'s relative importance is based on the alarm'"'"'s relation to reactor safety in a nuclear power plant, and;

(1) the first priority includes alarms for plant conditions which, if not corrected immediately, will result in a plant shutdown, radioactive release, or major equipment damage,

(2) the second priority includes alarms for plant conditions which, if not corrected, will require an eventual plant shutdown, or an eventual radioactive release, and

(3) the third priority includes alarms for plant conditions which, if not corrected, may result in a first or second priority alarm.