Microprocessor-Based Testing Increases Power Plant Availability

Commercial nuclear power plants need equipment that increases plant availability, reduces test time and is both self-diagnostic and user-friendly. Westinghouse's Process Protection Upgrade System, called Eagle 21™, is a functional replacement for existing analog process protection equipment used to monitor nuclear power stations and to initiate the actuation of the reactor trip and engineering safeguards systems. Periodic testing of this protection equipment is required by industry regulations, and the advent of microprocessor systems has made it possible for plant test personnel to do this required testing in a short time, with great precision, and with few or no errors. The architecture of the testing system is described and the major benefits are highlighted.