An operator model-based filtering scheme

This paper presents a diagnostic model developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for off-normal nuclear power plant events. The diagnostic model is intended to serve as an embedded module of a cognitive model of the human operator, one application of which could be to assist control room operators in correctly responding to off-normal events by providing a rapid and accurate assessment of alarm patterns and parameter trends. The sequential filter model is comprised of two distinct subsystems --- an alarm analysis followed by an analysis of interpreted plant signals. During the alarm analysis phase, the alarm pattern is evaluated to generate hypotheses of possible initiating events in order of likelihood of occurrence. Each hypothesis is further evaluated through analysis of the current trends of state variables in order to validate/reject (in the form of increased/decreased certainty factor) the given hypothesis. 7 refs., 4 figs