Combating Obsolescence - ACR Digital Control Systems Design

Abstract

The ever increasing use of digital technologies and products to meet the control, automation and monitoring needs of the nuclear power plant– even though justified by the benefits it provides – comes with an increased risk of technological obsolescence happening through the course of the plant life. Some well considered strategies are being employed in the ACR design process to minimise this risk and alleviate the consequence if it happens. These include application of a modular overall architecture, adoption of international widely accepted standards to harmonise equipment qualification and software practices, production of control functional specifications that are not influenced by target platform, and careful selection of technologies and products.