Elsevier

Displays

Volume 29, Issue 3, July 2008, Pages 273-284
Displays

Human factors approach for evaluation and redesign of human–system interfaces of a nuclear power plant simulator

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2007.08.010Get rights and content

Abstract

Nuclear power production is a safety-critical process where ultimate execution of process change decisions lie with the operators. Thus it is important to provide the best possible decision support through effective supervisory control operator interfaces. This requires a human factors/ergonomics approach in the modernization of analog instrumentation and control systems of the existing nuclear power plants. In this article, we describe how this approach is being used for modernization of the ANGRA I power plant. Using a cognitive task analysis (CTA) approach, we observed operators working on an advanced control room of a nuclear power plant digital simulator and noted several opportunities for improvement in the human/system interfaces related to the graphics design, alarm systems and procedure integration. A redesigned prototype was constructed as an alternative to the current simulator and hardcopy procedure manuals. The design improves upon the graphical layout of system information and provides better integration of procedures, automation and alarm systems. The design was validated by expert opinion and a scenario-based comparison.

Relevance to industry

Human factors/ergonomics are not playing the role they deserve in the design of process control systems making them less controllable than they could be if human factors were adequately incorporated. The use of human factors approach in the design of process control systems throughout the industry presents many opportunities for improvements with regard to system effectiveness, efficiency, reliability and safety.

Section snippets

Digital interface design for nuclear power plants

Nuclear power plant (NPP) control room operators observe and manipulate an extremely complex system. In the past, this required walking along a large control panel, taking readings from gauges and adjusting knobs and levers. Many of today’s control rooms have been upgraded such that these control panels have been replaced or augmented with visual display units (VDUs). Unlike the old analog control rooms, in the new “advanced” interfaces all operators can access almost all the information about

Research setting

The simulator in which this study had been carried out simulates in an advanced (digital) control room nuclear power plant physical processes that are similar to the ANGRA I Brazilian first constructed nuclear power plant. The construction of ANGRA I started in 1972, the first criticality (the first fission reaction in the reactor core) occurred in 1982, and the plant commercial operation started in 1985. Since then, it has generated 40 million MWh of electric energy. After the solution of some

Materials and methods

In this research, we use LABIHS to investigate the nature of operator–system interaction during abnormal events in order to contribute to operational safety and efficiency through enhanced decision support system design. LABIHS consists of an advanced control room, an experimenter’s gallery room and other auxiliary rooms. The advanced control room consists of nuclear reactor simulator software, graphical user interface design software, a hardware/software platform to run and provide the

Graphic design evaluation

Fig. 6 shows a typical control screen for one subsystem of the plant, in this case, the Chemical and Volume Control System (CVCS). Multiple objects with bright, contrasting colors compete for the operator’s attention on the cluttered screen. In many places in the interface, red is associated with a state of alarm or failure. However, this association is undermined by the red color of some valves, pumps, and indicators which are operating normally (red means valve closed; the same color pattern

Recommendations for a new HSI prototype

The redesigned interface is based on the deficiencies noted in the previous section. They include improved aesthetics and mock-up designs of new functionality. While we have not coded the components into the simulator software, we do not expect significant compatibility problems. The components consist of borders, text boxes and colors – all of which are supported by the simulator’s graphics builder software. The component functionality is also expected to be compatible, as it largely mimics

Conclusions

The human factors/ergonomics requirements for complex industrial system design, evaluation and validation should be applied in the design process in which the system is produced, and in the system itself. In this research we investigate a part of the produced system (the human system interface – HSI) in order to validate the design solutions taken during the design phase. The methodology used was based on field studies and observations of the operators’ performance in the LABIHS simulators.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of National Advice of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq – Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) and CAPES/FIPSE. The research was performed at Instrumentation and Human Reliability Division of the Nuclear Engineering Institute, Brazil (DICH/IEN).

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