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Human approach to process control and the provision of predictive information

Conference · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6951855
This summary presents the results of a study on the human approach to reactor control. It was determined that the essential aspect of the human control process is the creation and maintenance of mental models for use in predicting plant response. Accordingly, the suggestion is made that faster-than-real-time analytical models be developed to assist operators in the verification of their control decisions. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL) are engaged in a joint program to develop advanced instrumentation and control systems for both commercial power and spacecraft reactors. As part of this effort, various digital technologies have been demonstrated on the 5-MW(th) MIT research reactor. These include signal validation and instrument fault detection, equipment status verification, closed-loop control using both analytical and rule-based approaches, control law reconfiguration, and paged computer displays. The success of the MIT-CSDL program has shown that these techniques can be used safely in the actual operation of a nuclear reactor.
Research Organization:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
OSTI ID:
6951855
Report Number(s):
CONF-861102-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 53
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English