Separating Display and Control: a DCC Perspective

Abstract

Digital Computer Controllers (DCCs) have been used in CANDU plants for over 25 years to perform both control and HMI display/annunciation functions. AECL is now developing new technology to separate display and control in order to take advantage of modern plant display systems such as AECL’s Advanced Control Centre Information System (ACCIS) product for existing and new-build CANDU plants. This paper presents an overview of recent control and display system interface development work performed at AECL to connect such disparate technologies. It includes an examination of key issues; a review of architectural options that use ‘commercial off-the-shelf’ (COTS) hardware; a discussion of potential migration strategies to DCS-based control systems; and a description of recent AECL control and display system testbed work.