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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Testable voted logic power circuit and method of testing the same

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5835009

A protection system is described for a nuclear reactor comprising: redundant sets of detectors for monitoring preselected reactor parameters and operating conditions and for generating redundant partial actuation signals in response to preselected values and conditions; three independent logic trains, to each of which each redundant partial actuation signal is applied, the logic trains each generating an actuation signal in response to a preselected number of the redundant partial actuation signals; a load; a voltage source; three pairs of switches connected in three groups of two switches each with the two switches in each group associated with a different pair of switches and being connected in parallel, and with the three groups of switches being connected in series with each other and with the load across the voltage source; means for applying a different one of the actuating signals independently to each of the pairs of switches to actuate the same; and thereby actuate the load when at least two out of the three actuation signals are generated; a resistor shunting each group of switches to provide a leakage path between the voltage source and the load device; and a current detector for measuring the current drawn from the voltage source. The impedance of the resistors is several magnitudes larger than the impedance of a closed switch, such that the current through the leakage path is insufficient to energize the load, but sufficient for the current measuring means to detect whether a switch is actuated.

Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
Patent Number(s):
US 4696785
OSTI ID:
5835009
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English