I and C obsolescence solutions for operating plants

Conference · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2006

OSTI ID:22030142

Queenan, R M ^[1]

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1. NUS Instruments LLC, 200 S. Woodruff Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83401 (United States)

Operating plants have a large investment in their existing instrumentation and control systems. Engineers are trained on and have implemented monitoring programs for the existing hardware; maintenance technicians have been trained and have years of experience with the existing systems; operations personnel have had extensive training in how the existing systems operate, as well as hands-on experience with the human-machine interface and the response of the systems. The training Dept. typically has lesson plans for both engineering, maintenance, and operations on the various systems. And finally, the other NSSS plants that use common equipment have contributed a wealth of operating experience, improving overall reliability and reducing down time. So an operating plant is reluctant to replace any instrumentation and control system. However, the systems are or are becoming obsolete. Parts and repairs and service are getting harder and harder to find, and in general operating plants want to focus on power generation, not equipment maintenance. This paper will discuss the four main options available for operating plants: buy a new one, repair it, buy a replacement, or replace it. 'Repair' includes (1) only replacing the failed components, and (2) replacing all aging capacitors, worn switches and adjustments, and generally resetting the qualified life of the module. Buy a replacement includes (1) duplicate the existing design, and (2) redesign a form/fit/function replacement for the module with new parts and current technology. Finally, 'replace' means removing the old equipment - usually at the system level - and replacing it with a new digital system. The advantages and disadvantages of each will be presented, with input from the recent EPRI/NRC meeting on digital upgrade licensing. A balanced view will be presented, resulting in some guidance to plants on which option to chose. (authors)

• Research Organization: American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 22030142
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
AGING
CAPACITORS
COMPUTERS
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
ENGINEERS
INVESTMENT
LICENSING
MAN-MACHINE SYSTEMS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR INSTRUMENTATION
REACTOR MAINTENANCE
RELIABILITY
SWITCHES