Challenges in the Development of Virtual Controls for 1E Safety Applications

摘要

The use of conventional control devices such as pushbuttons, toggle switches, thumbwheels and rotary controls in a nuclear power generating station requires the allocation of a considerable amount of control panel space as well as the cost of multiple input devices and their associated wiring. Alternately, computer-based virtual controls can be implemented via the use of a graphical user interface (GUI) on touch screen video display units (VDUs). Virtual control panels offer significant advantages over discrete controls in these two areas. In addition, as virtual devices, they can be reconfigured to match the real time context of the control task at hand. However, due to the technologies employed and the operational and developmental requirements associated with Class 1E nuclear safety systems, there are several challenges in the development of such a system that must be addressed.