Self-test subsystem for nuclear reactor protection system
US4517154A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 27, 1982 |
| Grant date | May 14, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 27, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A self-test system for a nuclear power plant, nuclear reactor protection system is disclosed. Nuclear protection systems are the electronic controls, typically including circuit cards, located intermediate between sensors (as for detecting core overheat) and a control (as for providing rod injection to shut down a reactor). Constant surveillance of the nuclear system protection system is provided by a microprocessor that serially addresses protection system circuit cards and loads them at pre-determined input points with test commands. The addressed cards are thereafter simultaneously activated by a system-wide command. The test command is a pulse which is so short in duration that its affect is transparent to the system and cannot cause overall system operation. The pulse passes through the actuating electrical components to verify, on the real actuating path, the operating integrity of the system. After an appropriate response interval, the output state of the system is recorded in system-wide resident registers. Thereafter, with response data contained in these registers frozen at the recorded state, the output is read. This result is compared with the expected output in compute…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.