A Methodology for Allocating Nuclear Power Plant Control Nuclear to Human or Automatic Control (NUREG/CR-3331, ORNL/TM-8781, NRC Distribution Category RX)

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: June 17, 1983
Date Published: August 1983

Prepared by:
R. Pulliam
H. E. Price
J. Bongarra
C. R. Sawyer
R. A. Kisner
A. Diaz

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Prepared for the
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
under Interagency Agreement No. 40-550-75

NRC Fin No. 80438

Prepared by
Biotechnology, Inc.
Falls Church, Virginia

under Subcontract No. 9027 with

Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
operated by
UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION
for the
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
under Contract No. W-7405-eng-26

 

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington DC 20555-0001

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Abstract

This report describes a general method for allocating control functions to man or machine during nuclear power plant (NPP) design, or for evaluating their allocation in an existing design.

The research examined some important characteristics of the systems design process, and the results make it clear that allocation of control functions is an intractable problem, one which increases in severity with the increasing complexity of systems. The method is reported in terms of specific steps which should be taken during the early stages of a new system design, and which will lead to an optimal allocation at the functional design level of detail.

The procedures described are not expected to provide an ultimate solution to the allocation-of-functions problem. However, these procedures can at least assure that allocation of control functions is considered during design in an orderly and rational way. They should substantially advance the general understanding of this problem and the ability of the design community to allocate control functions to humans or automation in complex systems.