Environmental testing of an experimental digital safety channel
This document presents the results of environmental stress tests performed on an experimental digital safety channel (EDSC) assembled at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as part of the NRC-sponsored Qualification of Advanced Instrumentation and Controls (W) System program. The objective of this study is to investigate failure modes and vulnerabilities of microprocessor-based technologies when subjected to environmental stressors. The study contributes to the technical basis for environmental qualification of safety-related digital I&C systems. The EDSC employs technologies and digital subsystems representative of those proposed for use in advanced light-water reactors (ALWRs) or for retrofits in existing plants. Subsystems include computers, electrical and optical serial communication links, fiber-optic network links, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, and multiplexers. The EDSC was subjected to selected stressors that are a potential risk to digital equipment in a mild environment. The selected stressors were electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference (EMYRFI), temperature, humidity, and smoke exposure. The stressors were applied over ranges that were considerably higher than what the channel is likely to experience in a normal nuclear power plant environment. Ranges of stress were selected at a sufficiently high level to induce errors so that failure modes that are characteristic of the technologies employed could be identified.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Engineering Technology; Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 385571
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR--6406; ORNL/TM--13122(1996); ON: TI97000453
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
FIBER OPTICS
HUMIDITY
INTERFERENCE
MULTIPLEXERS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIO NOISE
SMOKES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
FIBER OPTICS
HUMIDITY
INTERFERENCE
MULTIPLEXERS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIO NOISE
SMOKES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K