Control device and nuclear power plant control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9684302-B2
Application number	US-201113876798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2011
Priority date	Oct 4, 2010
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A nuclear power plant control system including: a detection unit for detecting a specific event occurring in the nuclear power plant; an on-site equipment handling the event; and a majority decision judging device and an on-site equipment control device which constitute a plurality of control devices respectively operating independently. Each of the control devices includes a plurality of arithmetic units which perform arithmetic processes independently and in parallel based on a detection result of the detection unit, and output a signal for controlling the on-site equipment according to the results of operations of the arithmetic processes. The plurality of arithmetic units perform a matching process for harmonizing process statuses of the arithmetic processes of respective arithmetic units with each other when starting up the control devices, and after completing the matching process, respectively perform the arithmetic processes independently and in parallel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device which is used in a safety protection system of a nuclear power plant, comprising:
a plurality of arithmetic units which respectively perform arithmetic processes independently and in parallel based on a detection result of a detection unit configured to detect an abnormal event occurring in the nuclear power plant, and output a signal for controlling a handling unit configured to handle the event according to results of operations of the arithmetic processes, wherein
the plurality of arithmetic units perform a matching process for harmonizing process statuses of the arithmetic processes of respective arithmetic units with each other when starting up the control device, and respectively perform the arithmetic processes independently and in parallel after completing the matching process,
in the matching process, when another arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units is activated after one arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units has started the arithmetic process, the one arithmetic unit transfers a processing status to the another arithmetic unit in a first arithmetic cycle of the another arithmetic unit to bring both the one arithmetic unit and the another arithmetic unit into a state in which a same arithmetic process is performed at a same timing while respectively operating independently,
the plurality of arithmetic units perform the arithmetic processes per the arithmetic cycles having a predetermined length of an arithmetic cycle, a starting timing of the arithmetic cycles being set so as to be shifted for respective arithmetic units, and
the event detected by the detection unit is input into each of the plurality of arithmetic units after a delay corresponding to an amount of time that the starting timing of the respective arithmetic unit is shifted.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arithmetic units compare the results of operations of the arithmetic processes of an own system and another system, and give an alarm when an inconsistency of the results of operations has continued over a predetermined time or more.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arithmetic units compare the results of operations of the arithmetic processes of an own system and another system, and give an alarm when an inconsistency of the results of operations has continued over a predetermined time or more, after expiration of an initial preset time.

4. A nuclear power plant control system which controls a safety protection system of a nuclear power plant, comprising:
a detection unit which detects an abnormal event which occurs in the nuclear power plant;
a handling unit which handles the event; and
a plurality of control devices which respectively operate independently, wherein
each of the control devices includes a plurality of arithmetic units which perform arithmetic processes independently and in parallel based on a detection result of the detection unit, and output a signal for controlling the handling unit according to results of operations of the arithmetic processes,
the plurality of arithmetic units perform a matching process for harmonizing process statuses of the arithmetic processes of respective arithmetic units with each other when starting up the control device, and respectively perform the arithmetic processes independently and in parallel after completing the matching process,
in the matching process, when another arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units is activated after one arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units has started the arithmetic process, the one arithmetic unit transfers a processing status to the another arithmetic unit in a first arithmetic cycle of the another arithmetic unit to bring both the one arithmetic unit and the another arithmetic unit into a state in which a same process is performed substantially at a same timing while respectively operating independently,
the plurality of arithmetic units perform the arithmetic processes per the arithmetic cycles having a predetermined length of an arithmetic cycle, a starting timing of the arithmetic cycles being set so as to be shifted for respective arithmetic units, and
the event detected by the detection unit is input into each of the plurality of arithmetic units after a delay corresponding to an amount of time that the starting timing of the respective arithmetic unit is shifted.

5. A control method of a safety protection system of a nuclear power plant, comprising:
performing arithmetic processes independently and in parallel by using a plurality of arithmetic units based on a detection result of a detection unit configured to detect an abnormal event occurring in the nuclear power plant, and outputting a signal for controlling a handling unit configured to handle the event according to results of operations of the arithmetic processes, wherein
the plurality of arithmetic units perform a matching process for harmonizing process statuses of the arithmetic processes of respective arithmetic units with each other when starting up the control device, and respectively perform the arithmetic processes independently and in parallel after completing the matching process,
in the matching process, when another arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units is activated after one arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units has started the arithmetic process, the one arithmetic unit transfers a processing status to the another arithmetic unit in a first arithmetic cycle of the another arithmetic unit to bring both the one arithmetic unit and the another arithmetic unit into a state in which a same process is performed at a same timing while respectively operating independently,
the plurality of arithmetic units perform the arithmetic processes per the arithmetic cycles having a predetermined length of an arithmetic cycle, a starting timing of the arithmetic cycles being set so as to be shifted for respective arithmetic units, and
the event detected by the detection unit is input into each of the plurality of arithmetic units after a delay corresponding to an amount of time that the starting timing of the respective arithmetic unit is shifted.

6. A control method of a safety protection system of a nuclear power plant, comprising:
detecting an abnormal event which occurs in the nuclear power plant by using a detection unit;
handling the event by using a handling unit;
operating independently by using a plurality of control devices, wherein
each of the control devices includes a plurality of arithmetic units which perform arithmetic processes independently and in parallel based on a detection result of the detection unit, and output a signal for controlling the handling unit according to results of operations of the arithmetic processes,
the plurality of arithmetic units perform a matching process for harmonizing process statuses of the arithmetic processes of respective arithmetic units with each other when starting up the control device, and respectively perform the arithmetic processes independently and in parallel after completing the matching process,
in the matching process, when another arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units is activated after one arithmetic unit of the plurality of arithmetic units has started the arithmetic process, the one arithmetic unit transfers a processing status to the another arithmetic unit in a first arithmetic cycle of the another arithmetic unit to bring the one arithmetic unit and the another arithmetic unit into a state in which a same process is performed at a same timing while respectively operating independently,
the plurality of arithmetic units perform the arithmetic processes per the arithmetic cycl

Assignees

• Kiuchi Shinji
• Shinohara Hironobu
• Akizuki Yasutake
• Fukui Toshiki
• Shirasawa Hiroshi
• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kiuchi Shinji
• Shinohara Hironobu
• Akizuki Yasutake
• Fukui Toshiki
• Shirasawa Hiroshi

Classifications

• G06F11/1658

  Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit · CPC title

• G21D3/04

  Safety arrangements (emergency protection of reactor G21C9/00) · CPC title

• Y02E30/40

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F11/2038

  with a single idle spare processing component · CPC title

• G21D3/001

  Computer implemented control · CPC title