Human-Machine Interface for the Fuel Handling System in CANDU-600 Nuclear Reactors. Design Requirements and Standards, Proposed Solutions and Encountered Issues, Objectives and Challenges

The Control Room plays a central role in the operation and supervision of the Fuel Handling System in CANDU-600 nuclear reactor, being responsible for critical decision-making during system exploitation. The current state of the workforce and the limited number of highly trained personnel in this field highlight the need to optimize and simplify operator workload by developing systems capable of taking over parts of their tasks. Romania must develop new electricity generation capacities to support the transition toward a low-carbon economy while ensuring stability, security, and availability within the National Energy System, as well as generating socio-economic benefits. The completion of Units 3 and 4 Project at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant is positioned to deliver these outcomes. This paper aims to explore new solutions for improving the Human-Machine Interaction in Fuel Handling Systems by investigating the implementation of modern display, data acquisition, and control systems suitable for use in the Fuelling Machine Testing Rig located in the Institute for Nuclear Research Pitești. This work addresses the selection of relevant design requirements and standards for nuclear Human-Machine Interfaces, the identification of operational issues encountered in the Control Room, the proposal of improvement solutions, as well as the definition of objectives, while considering the necessity of preparing and optimizing the testing facility for the acceptance and pre-acceptance tests of the Fuelling Machines for Units 3 and 4.