Power supply with nuclear reactor

Each parameter of the processes of a nuclear reactor and components operatively associated therewith is monitored by a set of four like sensors. A trip system normally operates on a 'two out of four' configuration; i.e., to trip the reactor it is necessary that at least two sensors of a set sense an off-normal parameter. This assumes that all sensors are in normal operating condition. However, when a sensor is in test or is subject to maintenance or is defective or disabled, the 'two out of four' configuration would be reduced to a 'one out of three' configuration because the affected sensor is taken out of service. This would expose the system to the possibility that a single sensor failure, which may be spurious, will cause a trip of the reactor. To prevent this, it is necessary that the affected sensor be bypassed. If only one sensor is bypassed, the system operates on a 'two out of three' configuration. With two sensors bypassed, the sensing of an off-normal parameter by a third sensor trips the reactor