rate of heat output, the thermal stresses 
on the heat exchangers are much 
greater than in presently operating 
power plants. (2) Since the coolants 
used are generally corrosive to the pri- 
mary system, the heat exchangers must 
be constantly monitored. (3) More 
accurate data on heat exchangers than 
is now available will permit us to choose 
the sizes of the units more accurately. 
Heat exchangers have been oversized 
by as much as 50% to insure plant per- 
formahce. Since compactness is im- 
portant in nuclear power plants, accu- 
rate sizing is important. 
Nuclear-power test facilities will 
shortly accumulate a greater amount 
of accurate data on heat exchangers 
than has been amassed in the last 25 
years of conventional power-plant 
design. 
SYSTEM DETAILS 
The data-reduction system is shown 
in the block diagram of Fig. 2. The 
recording and monitoring panel records 
on strip charts all variables of interest 
to operations and design groups. The 
slow data reducer gives operations a 
typed log of 300 plant variables. The 
scram monitor constantly scans at high 
speed significant scram-circuit signals 
and coast-down information. The fast 
reducer is to record transient data and 
other “instantaneous” data that may 
be required for the IBM 704 computer. 
Display Panel 
A U-shaped panel for displaying the 
information in the system is ideal. 
Figure 3 is a plan view of all the record- 
ing equipment. It will be seen that 
the panel is divided into the following 
sections: health physics, reactor, pri- 
mary coolant, steam system, and 
mechanical components. 
Readout is accomplished with 
side-lighted name plates or Inditron 
lighted-filament tubes. Equipment to 
accomplish the readout is generally 
a self-balancing potentiometer and a 
digitizer or an integrating voltmeter. 
A console desk associated with the 
panel serves as a communications cen- 
ter. On it there are a telephone, inter- 
com system, interval timer, time- 
marker button, and annunciator-reset 
button. Another feature is an indica- 
tor on which the operator can dial any 
plant temperature. 
A scroll on the console desk allows 
the operator to scan operational graphs, 
calibration curves, etc. This elimi- 
nates the necessity of pasting such 
charts on the test panel. 
A useful adjunct to the panel is a 
centrally located graphic representation 
of the plant such as Fig. 1. The read- 
out points for the most important vari- 
ables are marked on this layout, par- 
ticularly for the use of operations per- 
sonnel and visitors. From the points 
of view of both information and _poli- 
tics, a useful piece of information to 
display with the layout is reactor full- 
power hours. 
The panel should be designed so that 
modules holding from one to three re- 
corders can be removed by merely 
loosening fasteners. Experience shows 
that test facilities suffer many changes 
to the panel, usually resulting in addi- 
tion of instruments as well as rearrange- 
ment. Removable sliding doors at the 
back of the cubicles are superior to 
hinged doors in the cramped spaces of 
test sites. 
Strip-Chart Recorders 
Wide strip-chart recorders are pre- 
ferred over all others. Operations peo- 
ple prefer round charts, but those are 
not good for getting accurate data. 
Operations’ chief objection to strip 
charts is that a single day’s operation is 
not visible as a unit. To compromise 
the chart speed is slowed to 1 in./hr, 
with some change gears available for 
faster chart speeds when specific tests 
require them. Plant operations are 
generally run from separate panels, but 
it is convenient for the operators to 
TABLE 2 —Variabies That Should Be Fed to Fast and Slow Reducers 
Variable No. of Points Variable No. of Points 
Health Physics Primary Coolant 
Area fixed gamma monitor above reactor Flow measurements in core 6-50 
shielding 1 Primary-coolant flow 2 
Airborne particle gaseous monitor, maneuvering Pressurizer liquid level and temperature (if 
area 1 applicable) 1 
Area fixed neutron monitor above reactor Pressurizer pressure 
shielding 1 Pressurizer spray flow rate and spray-flow-inlet 
Area particle and gaseous monitor, ventilation temperature (if applicable) 1 
exhaust 1 Steam Generator 
Steam-generator-inlet and -outlet temperatures 2 
Reactor Superheater-inlet temperature (if applicable) 2 
Period level 10-°-10-*% power level 1 Ap across steam-generator system 2 
Period level 0-150% power level 1 Feedwater flow rate 2 
Count rate 10-*-10-*% power level 1 Steam-drum liquid level 2 
Linear level 10-4-100% power level 1 Steam flow 2 
Linear level 0-150% power level 1 Steam-drum pressure 2 
Log-neutron-level recorder 1 Feedwater temperature and drum temperature 2 
Control-rod-position precision indicator 4-20 Steam flow to main turbine 1 
Control-rod-position recorder 4-20 Steam flow to steam condenser (heat sink) 1 
Reactor temperatures 100 Steam temperature at turbine throttle valve 1 
Ap, reactor (total) 2 Power Equipment 
Reactor inlet and outlet temperatures 2 Main-turbine rpm 1 
Ap, reactor interpass (if applicable) 1 Turbine-generator-set output (if applicable) 2 
Neutron flux distribution 6-50 Cooling-water-flow rate to rod-drive mechanism 4- 20 
47 
