This publication defines a framework that represents the state of the art in assessment methodologies for safety and instrumentation and control software used at nuclear power plants. It describes an approach for developing and communicating assessments based on claims, argument and evidence. The assessment of software dependability, which encompasses properties such as safety, reliability, availability, maintainability and security, is an essential and challenging aspect of the safety justification. Guiding principles for a dependability assessment are established to provide the basis for defining an assessment strategy and implementing the assessment process. Sources of evidence for the assessment are provided and lessons learned from past digital instrumentation and control system implementation in areas such as software development, operational usage, regulatory review and platform certification are also described.

Accidents and natural disasters involving nuclear power plants such as Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and the recent meltdown at Fukushima are rare, but their effects are devastating enough to warrant increased vigilance in addressing safety concerns. Nuclear Power Plant Instrumentation and Control Systems for Safety and Security evaluates the risks inherent to nuclear power and methods of preventing accidents through computer control systems and other such emerging technologies. Students and scholars as well as operators and designers will find useful insight into the latest security technologies with the potential to make the future of nuclear energy clean, safe, and reliable.

The nuclear industry and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) have been working for several years on the development of an adequate process to guide the replacement of aging analog monitoring and control instrumentation in nuclear power plants with modern digital instrumentation without introducing off-setting safety problems. This book identifies criteria for the USNRC's review and acceptance of digital applications in nuclear power plants. It focuses on eight areas: software quality assurance, common-mode software failure potential, systems aspects of digital instrumentation and control technology, human factors and human-machine interfaces, safety and reliability assessment methods, dedication of commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software, the case-by-case licensing process, and the adequacy of technical infrastructure.

Instrumentation and Control Systems for Nuclear Power Plants provides the latest innovative research onthe design of effective modern I&C systems for both existing and newly commissioned plants, along withinformation on system implementation. Dr. Cappelli and his team of expert contributors cover fundamentals,explore the most advanced research in control systems technology, and tackle topics such as the human–machine interface, control room redesign, and control modeling. The inclusion of codes and standards,inspection procedures, and regulatory issues ensure that the reader can confidently design their own I&Csystems and integrate them into existing nuclear sites and projects. - Covers various viewpoints, including theory, modeling, design and applications of I&C systems - Includes codes and standards, inspection procedures and regulatory issues - Combines engineering and physics aspects in one thorough resource, presenting human factors, modeling and HMI together for the first time - Instrumentation and Control Systems for Nuclear Power Plants highlights the key role nuclear energy plays in the transition to a lower-carbon energy mix

Plant Hazard Analysis and Safety Instrumentation Systems is the first book to combine coverage of these two integral aspects of running a chemical processing plant. It helps engineers from various disciplines learn how various analysis techniques, international standards, and instrumentation and controls provide layers of protection for basic process control systems, and how, as a result, overall system reliability, availability, dependability, and maintainability can be increased. This step-by-step guide takes readers through the development of safety instrumented systems, also including discussions on cost impact, basics of statistics, and reliability. Swapan Basu brings more than 35 years of industrial experience to this book, using practical examples to demonstrate concepts. Basu links between the SIS requirements and process hazard analysis in order to complete SIS lifecycle implementation and covers safety analysis and realization in control systems, with up-to-date descriptions of modern concepts, such as SIL, SIS, and Fault Tolerance to name a few. In addition, the book addresses security issues that are particularly important for the programmable systems in modern plants, and discusses, at length, hazardous atmospheres and their impact on electrical enclosures and the use of IS circuits. - Helps the reader identify which hazard analysis method is the most appropriate (covers ALARP, HAZOP, FMEA, LOPA) - Provides tactics on how to implement standards, such as IEC 61508/61511 and ANSI/ISA 84 - Presents information on how to conduct safety analysis and realization in control systems and safety instrumentation

This report provides practical guidance on the methods available for verification of the software and validation of computer based systems in nuclear power plants, and on how and when these methods can be effectively applied. It will be of particular interest to all those involved in the development, implementation, maintenance and use of software and computer based instrumentation and control systems in nuclear power plants.