Quality assurance of reactor operation by computer methods

Conference · Mon May 03 04:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:7348291

Williams, M C; Bartlett, R J

The necessity and value of computer auditing has been proven at N Reactor. During a recent audit, discrepancies were noted when temperature calculations did not agree within +- 1/sup 0/F upon comparison of Quality Assurance and Reactor Operations calculations. Input data was checked and no discrepancies noted. Quality Assurance and Reactor Operations programs were executed again, using new data, and all calculations agreed within the required accuracy. A subsequent diagnostics test was performed on the Quality Assurance computer system, revealing hard (gross) computer memory failures, although further routine computer operation did not reveal this. The incident demonstrates that errors in operating limits could occur, undetected, if reliability were based solely on limits calculated by the Reactor Operations computer, without verification by means of the Quality Assurance computer. This type of incident is similarly possible at Commercial nuclear facilities which rely on one computer system only, without verification (auditing) of input parameters, subsequent calculation of operating parameters (limits), and computer operation.

• Research Organization: United Nuclear Industries, Inc., Richland, Wash. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7348291
• Report Number(s): UNI-SA-0020; CONF-760622-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
220700* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Plutonium & Isotope Production Reactors
ACCURACY
COMPUTERS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
LWGR TYPE REACTORS
N-REACTOR
OPERATION
PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
QUALITY ASSURANCE
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS