Nuclear Plants and Emergency Virtual Simulations Based on a Low-Cost Engine Reuse

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Using virtual reality in the training of security staff and evaluation of physical protection barriers in nuclear facilities

The physical security of facilities containing radioactive objects, an already important matter, now has a new aggravating factor: the existence of groups intending to obtain radioactive materials for the purpose of intentionally induce radioactive contamination incidents, as for example the explosion of dirty bombs in populated regions, damaging both people and environment. In this context, the physical security of such facilities must be reinforced so to reduce the possibilities of such incidents. This paper presents a adapted game engine used as a virtual reality system, enabling the modeling and simulation of scenarios of nuclear facilities containing radioactive objects. In these scenarios, the physical protection barriers, as fences and walls, are simulated along with vigilance screens. Using a computer network, several users can participate simultaneously in the simulation, being represented by avatars. Users can play the roles of both invaders and security staff. The invaders have as objective to surpass the facility’s physical protection barriers to steal radioactive objects and flee. The security staff have as objective to prevent and stop the theft of radioactive objects from the facility. The system can be used to analysis simulated scenarios and train vigilance/security staff. A test scenario was already developed and used, and the preliminary tests had satisfactory results, as they enabled the evaluation of the physical protection barriers of the virtual facility, and the training of those who participated in the simulations in the functions of a security staff

GPU-based high performance Monte Carlo simulation in neutron transport

Graphics Processing Units (GPU) are high performance co-processors intended, originally, to improve the use and quality of computer graphics applications. Since researchers and practitioners realized the potential of using GPU for general purpose, their application has been extended to other elds out of computer graphics scope. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of using GPU in neutron transport simulation by Monte Carlo method. To accomplish that, GPU- and CPU-based (single and multicore) approaches were developed and applied to a simple, but time-consuming problem. Comparisons demonstrated that the GPU-based approach is about 15 times faster than a parallel 8-core CPU-based approach also developed in this work

A PSO approach for preventive maintenance scheduling optimization

This work presents a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) approach for preventive maintenance policy optimization, focused in reliability and cost. The probabilistic model for reliability and cost evaluation is developed in such a way that flexible intervals between maintenance are allowed. As PSO is skilled for realcoded continuous spaces, a non-conventional codification has been developed in order to allow PSO to solve scheduling problems (which is discrete) with variable number of maintenance interventions. In order to evaluate the proposed methodology, the High Pressure Injection System (HPIS) of a typical 4-loop PWR has been considered. Results demonstrate ability in finding optimal solutions, for which expert knowledge had to be automatically discovered by PSO

Applying a neuro-fuzzy approach for transient identification in a nuclear power plant

Transient identification in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is often a very hard task and may involve a great amount of human cognition. The early identification of unexpected departures from steady state behavior is an essential step for the operation, control and accident management in NPPs. The bases for the transient identification relay on the evidence that different system faults and anomalies lead to different pattern evolution in the involved process variables. During an abnormal event, the operator must monitor a great amount of information from the instruments that represents a specific type of event. Several systems based on specialist systems, neuralnetworks, and fuzzy logic have been developed for transient identification. In the work, we investigate the possibility of using a Neuro-Fuzzy modeling tool for efficient transient identification, aiming to helping the operator crew to take decisions relative to the procedure to be followed in situations of accidents/transients at NPPs. The proposed system uses artificial neural networks (ANN) as first level transient diagnostic. After the ANN has done the preliminary transient type identification, a fuzzy-logic system analyzes the results emitting reliability degree of it. A preliminary evaluation of the developed system was made at the Human-System Interface Laboratory (LABIHS). The obtained results show that the system can help the operators to take decisions during transients/accidents in the plant

A ergonomia na concepção das novas telas do simulador do Laboratório Interfaces Homem Sistema. LABIHS, do Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear

A ergonomia de concepção pode ser definida como a elaboração de novos produtos, processos ou sistemas informatizados, enfatizando a aplicação dos conceitos ergonômicos, seguindo os padrões ergonômicos contidos nas normas, objetivando o desenvolvimento de sistemas seguros, funcionais, adaptáveis as necessidades dos usuários, propiciando o aumento da confiabilidade operacional e da segurança na realização das tarefas. O objetivo desse trabalho é propor e aplicar uma estrutura metodológica para avaliação e desenvolvimento de interfaces gráficas de salas de controle de reatores nucleares com enfoque centrado nos operadores, na atividade dos operadores e na tecnologia de ferramentas computacionais disponíveis para confecção dessas interfaces

Metodologia para avaliação de interfaces de salas de controle avançadas de plantas industriais utilizando análise da confiabilidade humana

Uma sala de controle avançada de uma planta industrial é um sistema complexo, que controla um determinado processo usado, por exemplo, para produzir energia elétrica ou produção de petróleo. Os operadores interagem com a sala de controle através de interfaces e várias estações de monitoração. Estas interfaces apresentam implicações significativas para a segurança da planta industrial, pois influenciam na atividade dos operadores, afetam o modo como eles recebem informações relacionadas com o status dos principais sistemas e determinam os requisitos necessários para que os operadores entendam e supervisionem os principais parâmetros. Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia para avaliação de interfaces gráficas de salas de controle avançadas de plantas industriais, utilizando um método de análise de confiabilidade humana de primeira geração, THERP, e o julgamento de especialistas

A COLLABORATIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR TRAINING OF SECURITY AGENTS IN NUCLEAR EMERGENCIES

In face the recently observed security menaces related to terrorist actions and natural disasters, there is a need for a major qualification and training of the agents responsible for avoid any problems regarding to abnormal conditions. In the conventional training procedures, however, field simulations are associated to logistical and operational constraints regarded to the execution of the tests which can expose the user to risk. On the other hand, the use of virtual simulations provides an alternative to such limitations besides of promote the qualifying of professionals with a great reliability. For this reason, this paper proposes the development of a collaborative virtual environment that will be used to prepare the security agents on identifying individuals suspected of carrying radioactive materials. The development of the virtual environment consisted on modeling using Autodesk 3ds Max, where the scene itself and the scene objects were modeled besides the terrain creation and basic features programming using the Game Engine Unity 3D. In the Engine Game were included radiation detectors and avatars. The security agents were able to communicate to each other by means of auxiliary external tools like a headset software that makes possible the communication, coordination and cooperation required for an effective collaboration. Experimental tests of the virtual simulations were performed with the participation of CNEN radiological protection agents and collaborators. The tests have shown that the proposed method can contribute to improve the training results of the basic collaborative skills required for a CNEN agent in an emergency situation without the need to espose him to any kind of risk. In face of that, we hope that it can contribute to minimize the demand for qualified security professionals

Metodologia para análise da confiabilidade humana durante o processo de retirada de emergência dos trabalhadores de instalações industriais de alto risco

O conceito de erro humano não deve ter conotação de culpa e punição, devendo ser tratado como uma conseqüência natural, que emerge devido a não continuidade entre a capacidade humana e a demanda do sistema. A maioria dos erros humanos é uma conseqüência da situação de trabalho e não da falta de responsabilidade do trabalhador. A antecipação e o controle de impactos potencialmente adversos de ações humanas ou interações entre o ser humano e o sistema são partes integrais da segurança do processo, onde os fatores que influenciam o desempenho humano devem ser reconhecidos e administrados. A participação dos trabalhadores, projetistas, engenheiros de segurança, especialistas em fatores humanos é de vital importância neste processo. Este projeto tem como objetivo principal desenvolver uma metodologia para a predição da probabilidade de ocorrência de erros humanos durante o processo de retirada de emergência dos trabalhadores de instalações industriais de alto risco

A NEURO-FUZZY SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THE ATTENTION DIRECTION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPERATORS

Accident diagnosis in nuclear power plants (NPPs) is a very hard task for plant operators due the number of variables they have to deal simultaneously when facing accident situations. The previous identification of possible accident situations is an essential issue for safe operation in NPPs. Artificial intelligence techniques and tools are suitable to identify complex systems accident situations because the system faults and anomalies lead to different pattern evolution in the correlated processes variables, Such patterns can be identified by Artificial Neuron Networks (ANNs). The system developed in this work aims to support operators’ attention direction during accidents in NPPs using a Neuro-Fuzzy approach for event's identification forecast. ANNs are used to perform this task. After the NN has done the event type identification, a fuzzy-logic system analyzes the results giving a reliability level of that. The results have shown the system is capable to help the operators to direct their attention and narrow their information search field in the noisy background of the operation during accident situations in nuclear power plants