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US5059382A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of renovating the control system for controlling control clusters in a nuclear reactor, and a corresponding control system

Assignee: Areva NP SAS
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Filing: 1989-01-13
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Granted: 1991-10-22
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Expires: 2009-01-13
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Abstract

Abstract Control clusters, each of which comprises a plurality of neutron-absorbing rods, are operable by means of electromagnetic mechanisms whose coils are powered by power bridges driven from a control desk (11). The control system includes a controlling hard-wired logic circuit (12) serving the desk and supervising a plurality of hard-wired logic interfaces each of which serves a subgroup (10) of electromagnetic mechanisms for a determined number of clusters. The static power assemblies (9) each including a hard-wired logic interface and the power bridges of the subgroup(s) (10) served thereby are successively and independently replaced by at least one electronic power assembly (23) constituted by a computer and the power bridges of a subgroup served thereby.

Inventors

  • 👤 Serge Jahnke
  • 👤 Philippe Ple

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 22:05
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C7/00; G21C7/06; G21C7/08; G21C7/12; G21C7/36; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 171 words
A method of renovating a control system for controlling control clusters in a reactor provided with such clusters operated by electromagnetic mechanisms (1) having coils powered by power bridges (31, 32, 33) from a control desk (11) via said control system, said control system including a controlling hard-wired logic circuit (12) serving said desk and monitoring a plurality of hard-wired logic interfaces (15) each serving at least one subgroup (10) constituted by the electromagnetic operating mechanisms (1) of a determined number of simultaneously operable clusters, said method comprising successively and independently replacing each static power assembly (9) constituted by a hard-wired logic interface (15) and the power bridges (31, 32, 33) of at least one subgroup served thereby by at least one electronic control assembly (23) constituted by a computer and the power bridges (31', 32', 33') of a subgroup served thereby, said computer being interconnected via peripheral circuits (28, 29, 30, 35) with the power bridges and the controlling hard-wired logic in a manner which simulates a hard-wired logic interface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 171 words
A method of renovating a control system for controlling control clusters in a reactor provided with such clusters operated by electromagnetic mechanisms (1) having coils powered by power bridges (31, 32, 33) from a control desk (11) via said control system, said control system including a controlling hard-wired logic circuit (12) serving said desk and monitoring a plurality of hard-wired logic interfaces (15) each serving at least one subgroup (10) constituted by the electromagnetic operating mechanisms (1) of a determined number of simultaneously operable clusters, said method comprising successively and independently replacing each static power assembly (9) constituted by a hard-wired logic interface (15) and the power bridges (31, 32, 33) of at least one subgroup served thereby by at least one electronic control assembly (23) constituted by a computer and the power bridges (31', 32', 33') of a subgroup served thereby, said computer being interconnected via peripheral circuits (28, 29, 30, 35) with the power bridges and the controlling hard-wired logic in a manner which simulates a hard-wired logic interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 185 words
A control system for controlling control clusters in a reactor provided with such clusters operated by means of electromagnetic mechanisms (1) whose coils are powered by power bridges (31, 32, 33) from a control desk (11) via a controlling hard-wired logic circuit (12) serving the desk and supervising a plurality of hard-wired logic interfaces (15) each of which serves at least one subgroup (10) constituted by a determined number of simultaneously operable clusters, said control system comprising, in parallel, (a) static power assemblies (9) each constituted by a hard-wired logic interface (15) and the power bridges (31, 32, 33) served thereby; and (b) electronic control assemblies (23) each constituted by a computer and the power bridges (31', 32', 33') of a subgroup (1), the computer of each electronic control assembly being interconnected like a hard-wired logic interface via peripheral circuits (28, 29, 30, 35), firstly to the power bridges, and secondly to the controlling hard-wired logic circuit, thereby enabling the reactor to operate normally while its control system is being renovated between shut-down periods during which static power assemblies are replaced by electronic control assemblies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 185 words
A control system for controlling control clusters in a reactor provided with such clusters operated by means of electromagnetic mechanisms (1) whose coils are powered by power bridges (31, 32, 33) from a control desk (11) via a controlling hard-wired logic circuit (12) serving the desk and supervising a plurality of hard-wired logic interfaces (15) each of which serves at least one subgroup (10) constituted by a determined number of simultaneously operable clusters, said control system comprising, in parallel, (a) static power assemblies (9) each constituted by a hard-wired logic interface (15) and the power bridges (31, 32, 33) served thereby; and (b) electronic control assemblies (23) each constituted by a computer and the power bridges (31', 32', 33') of a subgroup (1), the computer of each electronic control assembly being interconnected like a hard-wired logic interface via peripheral circuits (28, 29, 30, 35), firstly to the power bridges, and secondly to the controlling hard-wired logic circuit, thereby enabling the reactor to operate normally while its control system is being renovated between shut-down periods during which static power assemblies are replaced by electronic control assemblies.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4236220A Cited
US4125432A Cited
FR2407603A1 Cited
US4777010A Cited
US4363778A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-10-21 1995-04-22 1995-10-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-10-21 1999-04-22 1999-10-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-10-21 2003-04-22 2003-10-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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