Reactor control having transient mitigation system

Claim 1

A reactor control system for controlling a nuclear reactor, comprising: first and second monitors for monitoring operation of said reactor, said first and second monitors respectively providing first and second signals respectively representing the operative values for first and second monitoring parameters for operation of said reactor; a feedback control system having a control parameter for controlling operation of said reactor; a transient mitigation system integrated with said feedback control system for automatically adjusting said control parameter to mitigate abnormal behavior of one of said first and second monitoring parameters, said transient mitigation system comprising: a data base containing a first predetermined membership function for said first monitoring parameter, a second predetermined membership function for said second monitoring parameter and a third predetermined membership function for said control parameter, said first membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said first monitoring parameter, said second membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said second monitoring parameter, and said third membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said control parameter, with each of said ranges having respective membership values, wherein at least two of said ranges in each of said first, second and third membership functions are generally trapezoidal in form with leading and trailing ramps defining a range of membership values from a minimum membership value to a maximum membership value, and with a plateau extending between said ramps defining full membership at said maximum membership value; means for encoding operatively coupled to said data base and said first and second monitors for receiving said first and second monitoring parameter signals and effective for identifying membership ranges and membership values based on each of said first and second monitoring parameter signals; means operatively coupled to said encoding means for applying a plurality of predetermined fuzzy logic control rules to select at least one range of said third membership function based on said ranges and membership values of said first and second membership functions identified by said encoding means in response to said first and second monitoring parameter signals; and means operatively coupled to said selecting means, said data base, and said feedback control system for decoding said at least one selected range of said third membership function to provide a control signal representing a singular mitigating value of said control parameter for mitigating said monitoring parameter abnormal behavior.

Claim 6

A method for controlling the operation of a nuclear reactor in dependence on first and second monitoring parameter input signals respectively received from first and second monitors placed inside the reactor, comprising the steps of: providing a data base containing a first predetermined membership function for said first monitoring parameter, a second predetermined membership function for said second monitoring parameter and a third predetermined membership function for a control parameter, said first membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said first monitoring parameter, said second membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said second monitoring parameter, and said third membership function including plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said control parameter, with each of said ranges having respective membership values, wherein at least two of said ranges in each of said first, second and third membership functions are generally trapezoidal in form with leading and trailing ramps defining a range of membership values from a minimum membership value to a maximum membership value, and with a plateau extending between said ramps defining full membership at said maximum membership value; p1 encoding each of said first and second monitoring parameter signals based on said data base to identify ranges and membership values of said first and second membership functions; applying a plurality of predetermined fuzzy logic control rules to select at least one range of said third membership function based on said ranges and membership values of said identified first and second membership functions in response to said first and second monitoring parameter signals; and decoding said at least one selected range of said third membership function to provide a control signal representing a singular mitigating value of said control parameter for mitigating said monitoring parameter abnormal behavior.

Claim 7

A method for controlling the operation of a nuclear reactor in dependence on first and second monitoring parameter input signals respectively received from first and second monitors placed inside the reactor, comprising the steps of: providing a data base containing a first predetermined membership function for said first monitoring parameter, a second predetermined membership function for said second monitoring parameter and a third predetermined membership function for a control parameter, said first membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said first monitoring parameter, said second membership function including a plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said second monitoring parameter, and said third membership function including plurality of discrete adjacent ranges collectively covering an entire range of parameter values from a minimum parameter value to a maximum parameter value of said control parameter, with each of said ranges having respective membership values, wherein at least two of said ranges in each of said first, second and third membership functions are generally trapezoidal in form with leading and trailing ramps defining a range of membership values from a minimum membership value to a maximum membership value, and with a plateau extending between said ramps defining full membership at said maximum membership value; p1 encoding each of said first and second monitoring parameter signals based on said data base to identify ranges and membership values of said first and second membership functions; applying a plurality of predetermined fuzzy logic control rules to select at least one range of said third membership function based on said ranges and membership values of said identified first and second membership functions in response to said first and second monitoring parameter signals; and decoding said at least one selected range of said third membership function to provide a control signal representing a singular mitigating value of said control parameter for mitigating said monitoring parameter abnormal behavior.