MACSIM: an agent oriented simulation code for the MNR

As reported in [GAR93], one relevant issue confronting the operator of a nuclear power plant is information and task overload. The goal of improving the environment for operators and technical support staff is accomplished by providing tools and techniques which reduce staff involvement in low level tasks and assist in information and knowledge manipulation so that high level tasks can be performed more efficiently. Past work by the McMaster University Performance Support System Group (PSSG) focussed on the OPerator/User Support project (OPUS), an operator companion for the Secondary Side Chemistry System at Pt. Lepreau. Therein, the feasibility of a distributed, loosely coupled network of computer programs, organized as a society of computing agents (manager, supervisors, technicians) was proven. Current work is aimed at implementing this strategy for the McMaster University Nuclear Research Reactor (MNR), a 2 MWth swimming pool reactor. (author)