An integrated signal validation system for nuclear power plants

The optimal control and safe operation of a nuclear power plant requires reliable information concerning the state of the process. Signal validation is the detection, isolation, and characterization of faulty signals. Properly validated process signals can provide increased plant availability and reliability of operator actions. This paper reports on a comprehensive signal validation software system developed for application to nuclear power plants. This system combines some previously established fault detection methodologies as well as some newly developed modules. The techniques have been implemented in a modular architecture that allows for the addition or removal of signal validation modules as deemed necessary. Intramodule confidence factors describing the validity of a given signal are derived using fuzzy membership functions. A final evaluation of signal status is made by the system executive based on results from each signal validation module