Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

William F Schaefer

Bruce M Cook

Fred H Bednar

Louis W Gaussa, Jr

James R Easter

Glenn E Lang

Kenneth F Cooper

Stephen Slinski

James L Little

Anthony J Spurgin

A component interface module (CIM) arbitrates through priority logic component command signals from redundant systems and integrates the selected priority command signal with component feedback signals in component logic to generate a control signal for a component in a complex plant. The non-software based CIM is programmable for use with a variety of plant components. The component logic includes blocking logic that prevents or terminates generation of the control signal such as when component activation has been completed. Diagnostics incorporated into the CIM include: an input port interface test, a pulse test that continuously checks for proper propagation of test pulses through the priority and component logic, and a test of the functioning of the CIM output device such as a relay.

Component interface module

The real time actual and reference values of parameters pertinent to the key safety concerns of a pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant are used to generate an integrated graphic display representative of the plant safety status. This display is in the form of a polygon with the distances of the vertices from a common origin determined by the actual value of the selected parameters normalized such that the polygon is regular whenever the actual value of each parameter equals its reference value despite changes in the reference value with operating conditions, and is an irregular polygon which visually indicates deviations from normal otherwise. The values of parameters represented in analog form are dynamically scaled between the reference value and high and low limits which are displayed as tic marks at fixed distances along spokes radiating from the common origin and passing through the vertices. Multiple, related binary signals are displayed on a single spoke by drawing the associated vertice at the reference value when none of the represented conditions exist and at the high limit when any such condition is detected. A regular polygon fixed at the reference values aids the operator in detecting small deviations from normal and in gauging the magnitude of the deviation. One set of parameters is selected for generating the display when the plant is at power and a second set reflecting wide range readings is used the remainder of the time such as following a reactor trip. If the quality of the status, reference or limit signals associated with a particular vertice is 'bad', the sides of the polygon emanating from that vertice are not drawn to appraise the operator of this condition.

Generating an integrated graphic display of the safety status of a

A method of controlling a nuclear power generating station in the event of a malfunction of particular operating components which minimizes the number of hypothecated occurrences where tripping the reactor might become necessary. Upon identification of such a malfunction, preselected groups of control rods are fully inserted sequentially until a predetermined power level is approached. Additional control rods are then selectively inserted to quickly bring the reactor to a second given power level chosen to be compatible with safe operation of the system with the malfunctioning component. At the same time as the thermal power output of the reactor is being reduced, the turbine is operated at a rate consistent with the output of the reactor. Thus, in the event of a malfunction, the nuclear power generating system is operated in a turbine following reactor mode, with the reactor power rapidly reduced, in a controlled manner, to a safe level compatible with the type of malfunction experienced.

Method of operating a nuclear reactor

Growing community of inventors

North Huntingdon, PA, United States of America

William F Schaefer