Digital Instrumentation and Control Failure Events Derivation and Analysis by Frame-Based Technique

Abstract

A frame-based technique, including physical frame, logical frame, and cognitive frame, was adopted to perform digital I&C failure events derivation and analysis for generic ABWR. The physical frame was structured with a modified PCTran-ABWR plant simulation code, which was extended and enhanced on the feedwater system, recirculation system, and steam line system. The logical model is structured with MATLAB, which was incorporated into PCTran-ABWR to improve the pressure control system, feedwater control system, recirculation control system, and automated power regulation control system. As a result, the software failure of these digital control systems can be properly simulated and analyzed. The cognitive frame was simulated by the operator awareness status in the scenarios. Moreover, via an internal characteristics tuning technique, the modified PCTran-ABWR can precisely reflect the characteristics of the power-core flow. Hence, in addition to the transient plots, the analysis results can then be demonstrated on the power-core flow map. A number of postulated I&C system software failure events were derived to achieve the dynamic analyses. The basis for event derivation includes the published classification for software anomalies, the digital I&C design data for ABWR, chapter 15 accident analysis of generic SAR, and the reported NPP I&C software failure events. The case study of this research includes (1) the software CMF analysis for the major digital control systems; and (2) postulated ABWR digital I&C software failure events derivation from the actual happening of non-ABWR digital I&C software failure events, which were reported to LER of USNRC or IRS of IAEA. These events were analyzed by PCTran-ABWR. Conflicts among plant status, computer status, and human cognitive status are successfully identified. The operator might not easily recognize the abnormal condition, because the computer status seems to progress normally. However, a well trained operator can become aware of the abnormal condition with the inconsistent physical parameters; and then can take early corrective actions to avoid the system hazard. This paper also discusses the advantage of Simulation-based method, which can investigate more in-depth dynamic behavior of digital I&C system than other approaches. Some unanticipated interactions can be observed by this method.