NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) perspective of software QA (quality assurance) in the nuclear history
Computer technology has been a part of the nuclear industry since its inception. However, it is only recently that computers have been integrated into reactor operations. During the early history of commercial nuclear power in the United States, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) discouraged the use of digital computers for real-time control and monitoring of nuclear power plant operation. At the time, this position was justified since software engineering was in its infancy, and horror stories on computer crashes were plentiful. Since the advent of microprocessors and inexpensive computer memories, significant advances have been made in fault-tolerant computer architecture that have resulted in highly reliable, durable computer systems. The NRC's requirement for safety parameter display system (SPDS) stemmed form the results of studies and investigations conducted on the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. An NRC contractor has prepared a handbook of software QA techniques applicable to the nuclear industry, published as NUREG/CR-4640 in August 1987. Currently, the NRC is considering development of an inspection program covering software QA. Future efforts may address verification and validation as applied to expert systems and artificial intelligence programs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5560665
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-880601-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 89-027705
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Vol. 56; Conference: American Nuclear Society annual meeting, San Diego, CA (USA), 12-16 Jun 1988; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
PROGRAMMING
QUALITY ASSURANCE
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
EXPERT SYSTEMS
INVENTORIES
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTOR SAFETY
REAL TIME SYSTEMS
RELIABILITY
US NRC
USES
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ENGINEERING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OPERATION
SAFETY
US ORGANIZATIONS
220100* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Theory & Calculation
990200 - Mathematics & Computers