Abstract: A digital rod control system that employs separate power modules to energize the respective coils of a magnetic jack control rod drive rod drive system so that two, independently powered grippers can simultaneously support the control rod drive rod when it is not in motion to avoid dropped rods. The basic building block of the system is two or more selecting cabinets which receive multiplex power from at least one moving cabinet and are under the control of a single logic cabinet. Each of the cabinets include monitoring features to confirm the reliability of the system.

Abstract: A digital rod control system that employs separate power modules to energize the respective coils of a magnetic jack control rod drive rod drive system so that two, independently powered grippers can simultaneously support the control rod drive rod when it is not in motion to avoid dropped rods. The basic building block of the system is two or more selecting cabinets which receive multiplex power from at least one moving cabinet and are under the control of a single logic cabinet. Each of the cabinets include monitoring features to confirm the reliability of the system.

Abstract: A component interface module (CIM) arbitrates through priority logic component command signals from redundant systems and integrates the selected priority command signal with component feedback signals in component logic to generate a control signal for a component in a complex plant. The non-software based CIM is programmable for use with a variety of plant components. The component logic includes blocking logic that prevents or terminates generation of the control signal such as when component activation has been completed. Diagnostics incorporated into the CIM include: an input port interface test, a pulse test that continuously checks for proper propagation of test pulses through the priority and component logic, and a test of the functioning of the CIM output device such as a relay.

Abstract: A component interface module (CIM) arbitrates through priority logic component command signals from redundant systems and integrates the selected priority command signal with component feedback signals in component logic to generate a control signal for a component in a complex plant. The non-software based CIM is programmable for use with a variety of plant components. The component logic includes blocking logic that prevents or terminates generation of the control signal such as when component activation has been completed. Diagnostics incorporated into the CIM include: an input port interface test, a pulse test that continuously checks for proper propagation of test pulses through the priority and component logic, and a test of the functioning of the CIM output device such as a relay.

Abstract: A vehicle antitheft system utilizing the parking brake of a vehicle. If the primary parking brake release mechanism is operated for releasing the brake, the parking brake does not release, because it continues to be held by a secondary system, which is under security control. The system includes a remote control unit for setting the parking brake from locations away from the vehicle.

Abstract: Loose parts are sensed moving in a conduit carrying a flowing material, such as the cooling circuit of a pressurized water nuclear reactor. An acoustic pickup produces an electrical signal with vibration of the conduit due to impact of the loose part, and background noise. A signal processor encodes the values of distinct parameters of the electrical signal such as amplitude, amplitude at particular frequencies, etc., in an ongoing manner, producing discrete output values. These outputs are coupled as inputs to a neural network with physical or logical neuron cells loaded with weighting factors affecting the strength and polarity of neural interconnections. The factors represent the acoustic signature of the loose part. Products of the input values and the weighting factors are summed to produce one or more neural network outputs, compared to a threshold. The sum normally varies randomly, but has a strong swing when the pattern is encountered, due to the factors emphasizing the pattern over background noise.

Abstract: An online valve monitoring system senses operational characteristics of a valve and provides a diagnosis of aberrations in the characteristics. Sensors, coupled to a valve, supply sensor signals as output to a data acquisition system to be transmitted to a remote location. An I/O processor at the remote location receives the sensor signals and a diagnostic processor extracts characteristic features from the sensor signals as deviations from baseline data for the valve. An expert system applies a rule base to the characteristic features individually or in combination to diagnose the causes of the deviations. Use of multiple sensors increases the confidence of the diagnosis which can be immediately communicated to an operator and used for scheduling maintenance of the valve. Use of this diagnosis and the trend line of historical data permits scheduling of preventive maintenance.

Abstract: The present invention is a component monitoring system which includes all sensor and plant component monitoring at distributed plant locations close to the sensors which are the source of the signals to be analyzed. Minimally preconditioned analog sensor signals are multiplexed and further conditioned by a sensor signal preprocessor that adjusts the gain and filters the sensor signals before being applied to an analog-to-digital converter controlled by a data acquisition computer. The analog sensor signals are converted into digital samples and stored in a data memory of a digital signal processor using a direct memory access technique. The data acquisition computer also controls the selection of sensors, gain, etc., based on commands from a controller. The digital signal processor, once sufficient sensor data has been collected, performs appropriate processing using known digital signal processing techniques.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor by means of a neutron detector which is composed of two electrodes between which a d.c. bias voltage is applied and which has a greater neutron sensitivity when the d.c. bias voltage is applied with one polarity than with the opposite polarity, which involves operating the nuclear reactor at a power level in the vicinity of zero, and applying a d.c. bias level with the one polarity between the detector electrodes and measuring the neutron-induced current flowing through the detector electrodes.To permit reversal of the bias voltage polarity, a safety interlock is provided to permit this to occur only if the bias voltage has been brought below a selected level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor by means of a neutron detector which is composed of two electrodes between which a d.c. bias voltage is applied and which has a greater neutron sensitivity when the d.c. bias voltage is applied with one polarity than with the opposite polarity, which involves operating the nuclear reactor at a power level in the vicinity of zero, and applying a d.c. bias level with the one polarity between the detector electrodes and measuring the neutron-induced current flowing through the detector electrodes.To permit reversal of the bias voltage polarity, a safety interlock is provided to permit this to occur only if the bias voltage has been brought below a selected level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for impacting a surface with a desired kinetic impact energy wherein an impacting device which can apply a variable impact energy corresponding to the magnitude of an input control signal is provided and placed adjacent the surface to be impacted. Thereafter, an input control signal of a preset magnitude is applied to the impact device to initiate an impact, the kinetic energy of the impact is determined, the value of the determined kinetic energy is compared with a value corresponding to the desired kinetic impact energy, the results of the comparison are indicated, the preset magnitude of the signal used for the control signal is adjusted to reduce any difference noted as a result of the comparison, and the process is repeated until a repeatable impact of the desired impact energy is determined and indicated.