This presentation shares his insights on design simulation and the new role of the simulator in Simulator Assisted Engineering. For more information, go to GSES.com, email info@gses.com, or call 800-638-7912. You can also follow GSE at @GSESystems and Facebook.com/GSESystems.
3. Company Evolution
Singer Link Miles
Dawn of a Market
1929
S3 Technologies
The Singer Company
Link Simulation
ManTech Int’l
1st Nuclear
1971
1979
TMI & Chernobyl Drive Market
1990
GSE Systems
GPI / S3 Technologies / EuroSim
Graphical Technology
1994
Engineering V&V
2007
Aging Workforce
2013
3
4. Leveraging our Simulation Heritage
TRAINING
ENGINEERING
CHANGING THE WAY THE ENERGY INDUSTRY
LEARNS
TECHNOLOGY TO MITIGATE RISK, SAVE TIME &
MONEY
• Situated learning
• View design scenarios virtually
• High engagement, powerful content
• Identify and correct problems before construction
• Triggers profound reflections
• Avoid delays
• Rapid understanding of complex environments
• More effective human machine interface
• Demonstrates how actions affect context
• Avoids limits of “chalk & talk”
4
5. Changing the Way the Energy Industry Learns
High-Fidelity
Simulation
NUCLEAR SYSTEMS
VIRTUAL WALK-THROUGH
CRITICAL EQUIPMENT DIAGNOSTIC
EQUIPMENT FUNDAMENTALS
5
7. Introduction
• Digital Instrumentation and Control (I&C) and
Digital Control Rooms have become a key focus
of the Power industry.
• New plants’ designs and the life extension of
older plants require the industry and the
regulator to understand and validate these
system designs.
• The Real-time or Dynamic Simulator is playing a
valuable role in the design of these new systems.
7
8. Background
• Real-time simulators came to the Nuclear
industry as training tools in the 1970s
– Full plant modeled but computing power limited the fidelity
– Models often “hand crafted” to mimic plant dynamics
– Basic models adequate for analog controls, traditional hard
panel control panels and “Old School” plant process computer
• Today’s NPP Simulator is high fidelity
– Scope is the same, but…
• High-definition (HD) predictive models used to model plant systems
• Engineering grade models for Thermodynamics and Neutronics
• HD first principle models used for all other systems
– Digital Controls and Modern HSI’s provide detailed view of
systems
Today the Real-time simulator is a true engineering tool, as a
holistic dynamic plant model.
8
9. Critical issues for new plant design
and construction
• Plants are using new technology.
• New control and information systems are being
introduced that have extensive and complex
control and logics.
• The plant will integrate disparate technologies
often for the first time.
• Coordination of the technology providers for the
unit operations, and the integration and design of
the plant is a huge concern.
• Aggressive scheduling is required to improve the
return on investment (ROI).
9
10. Role of the “Engineering” Simulator
• Holistic engineering V&V platform
• Controls system design and V&V
• Human factors engineering platform
• Develops and validates operating procedures
• Provides the plant buyer an ANS 3.5 Simulator
for training & licensing operators early in the
plant design and construction process
10
11. High Fidelity Predictive Models
• Idaho National Lab’s RELAP5-3D
– Real-time version of the industry standard
reactor transient analysis code
• Studsvik’s Simulate-3R Neutronics
Model
– Real-time version of the Simulate 3 Fuel Analysis
Code
• EPRI’s MAAP5
– Containment and severe accident analyses
11
12. GSE’s High Fidelity Predictive Models
• GSE’s High Fidelity Modeling Tools
–
–
–
–
JTopmeret: Two phase BOP system modeling
JControl: High fidelity control modeling
JElectric: High fidelity electrical system modeling
JDesigner: Flexible HIS development environment
The Key: Predictive models are necessary for
engineering simulators.
12
13. I&C Design Platform
• The platform is an integration of:
– JControl (control & logic design and modeling tool),
– JDesigner (HMI design tool), and
– ISIS Information Management System.
• The JControl and JDesigner have been deployed
in hundreds of projects worldwide over the past
decade.
13
15. DCS Validation
• Test DCS control strategy & Implementation
– Interaction between safety and non-safety systems
– Interaction with local (remote) plant controls (non-CCR
operators)
• Test DCS implementation
– Ensure logic and control is implemented properly
– Ensure setpoints are properly determined and implemented
Dynamic Model
Control Design
Test Results &
Performance
15
16. Typical Problems Found During
Simulator Development
Finding these problems before construction and
commissioning saves time and money:
• Logic
– Incorrect permissives preventing equipment to start
– Signals connected incorrectly
• Graphics
– Incorrect tags so data not displayed correctly
– Incorrect feedback
16
17. Typical Problems Found During
Simulator Development cont’d
• Control
– Control loops not connected
– Feedback loops not connected
– KP/KI inverted
• Transmitters
–
–
–
–
Range incorrect
Units inconsistent
Range inconsistent with logic
Instrument calibration and signal scaling
17
18. New Uses Simulation – Human Factors
Engineering
• New Control Room Layouts
• New DCS based operator
interface
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Location of information
Navigation through 300+ screens
Density of information
Information overload
Problem diagnosis and resolution
Alarm management
Supervisor’s role and information
system
Electronic procedures
Regulator comfort
18
19. HFE Simulators
• USNRC
– Upgrade and convert existing
simulator with Digital Human
System Interface
– RELAP5-HD primary model
– Digital Control Room interface
• USNRC
– Generic PWR (ANS 3.5 Simulator)
– VPanel Interface Platform
– Developing Digital HIS
• INL
– Generic PWR (ANS 3.5 Simulator)
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20. GSE First of a Kind/Engineering Simulator Experience
Westinghouse AP1000
Ultra Supercritical Korea
NuScale Power
Pebble Bed
Modular Reactor
HYH CPR-1000 HFE
and Control V&V
Platform
IGCC China
SMART Korea
Atomic Energy
Research Institute
B&W mPower
Engineering
and HFE
Simulator
20
21. Chinese CPR1000
• Project
Objectives/Deliverables
– Deliver a DCS V&V Platform
Simulator
– Using simulator to design
and V&V Control Strategy,
DCS HMI and Automated
Operating Procedures
– V&V in total of 9 revisions of
DCS I&C and HMI
synchronize with design
progress
– Plant Automated Operating
Procedure and Alarming
System was constructed
using the simulator
Configuration Menus
For Importing AutoCAD Drawings
Test/Scenario Preparation
Building and Running the Test
Report Generation
Post Test Analysis
Export Functions
Test Observations/Comments
Exit
21
22. Chinese CPR1000
• Project Status
– Project has been completed and delivered
– Purchaser engineers have been trained for continuing the DCS
V&V during plant construction
• Project Duration
– December 2007 to December 2009
22
23. GSE Project Success Factors
• Engineering grade predictive models
• Successful approach for teaming with plant
vendors:
– Development of a flexible team
• Team made up of GSE and Customer Engineers to facilitate Sim
Technology Transfer
• Reach Back to experienced system experts to support data gaps
– Integrated development environment
• VPN access between development site and customer
• Leveraging of electronic data to automate development
• Just in time collaboration and support.
– GSE’s experience on full scope projects reveals that the
relationship between the parties should be viewed as a
partnership
23
24. The Value
Reduce design cost and project risk for the
following:
Validate Plant System Process Designs
Design & Validate Digital I&C Strategy
Design & Validate Human Machine Interface
Use as a Platform for Human Factor Engineering (Control Room
Design)
– Validate Plant Operation Procedure
–
–
–
–
Bottom line: identify and correct design flaws early in
the design process.
24
25. Thank You
We hope you enjoyed this presentation. View the recording of this
webinar here: www.gses.com/resources/presentations#HFE
For more information:
Visit: gses.com
Call: +1.800.638.7912
Email: info@gses.com
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Editor's Notes
A popular term for describing the new role of the simulator is Simulator Assisted EngineeringFor many of these new plants, the simulator is their first view of the plant running. It provides an Integrated Environment testing out design assumptions.For years simulators have been used to test the DCS implementation in non-nuclear applications, finding issues with control strategies as well as bugs in implementing the DCS when it is less costly to fix.From a human factors perspective, operating a nuclear plant almost totally from computer screens versus panel boards is a “radical” change. Presenting the right level of information, determining the navigation and conduct of operations, and testing out new operator aids such as electronic procedures and alarm handling systems are all effective uses of the simulator.For many of the new plants, operating procedures just don’t exist and the simulator is a perfect tool for developing the procedures and corresponding training materialsFinally at the end of the day, you also have your ANS 3.5 simulator available for use in licensing operators
Help evaluate human factors design. This is particularly important in the nuclear industry where the extensive or exclusive use of digital control systems is new. Transitioning from old control boards to new DCS systems requires decisions on how to present plant information to the operator, how to navigate between potentially 300 computers screens, what information will be always available, how to handle alarms, how quickly an operator can diagnosis a problems. New technology such as electronic procedures and expanded plant automation make the use of simulation an important step in validating HMI design and ensuring its effectiveness both for operators and to convince regulators.