A Signal Validation Methodology for Nuclear Power Plants

A signal validation methodology to improve the reliability of the information displayed to the operator of a nuclear power plant is presented. The general design methodology is developed and then applied to the steam generator and feedwater subsystem of a typical pressurized water reactor. Using steady-state and transient simulations of this subsystem, including realistic additive sensor noise, the developed algorithm successfully isolates a variety of injected sensor faults and demonstrates its inherent capability to isolate common-mode sensor failures and plant component failures.