Fundamentals of a graded approach to safety-related equipment setpoints

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6959254

Woodruff, B A ^[1]; Cash, Jr, J S ^[2]; Bockhorst, R M

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1. Florida Power Light Co., Miami, FL (United States)
2. Control Associates Inc., Walkersville, MD (United States)

The concept of using a graded approach to reconstitute instrument setpoints associated with safety-related equipment was first presented to the industry by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission during the 1992 ISA/POWID Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. The graded approach establishes that the manner in which a utility analyzes and documents setpoints is related to each setpoint's relative importance to safety. This allows a utility to develop separate requirements for setpoints of varying levels of safety significance. A graded approach to setpoints is a viable strategy that minimizes extraneous effort expended in resolving difficult issues that arise when formal setpoint methodology is applied blindly to all setpoints. Close examination of setpoint methodology reveals that the application of a graded approach is fundamentally dependent on the analytical basis of each individual setpoint.

• OSTI ID: 6959254
• Report Number(s): CONF-931160--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 69
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Control Systems
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
LIMITING VALUES
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR INSTRUMENTATION
REACTOR MONITORING SYSTEMS
REACTOR PROTECTION SYSTEMS
REACTOR SAFETY
SAFETY
SPECIFICATIONS