New trends in designing NPP control boards

A short analytical summary of the latest developments and future trends in designing NPP control boards is given. The designs of the Westinghause and the Hynkley-Point NPP control boards are described in detail. The essence of the advanced control board concept consists , firstly, in expanded use of computer-controlled displays for the sake of reducing the content of unimportant information presented to an operator, and, secondary, in better account of human possibilities to convert the NPP operation information into a more suitable form. An enlarged use of the direct digital reactor control utilizing microprocessors is expected. Besides, the employment of full-scale control board mock-ups and information desks as well as testing newly-developed control boards at computer reactor simulators are concluded to be used at all-growing rate