Ergonomic design of an overview display in a nuclear power plant control room. Integrated process status overview

摘要

A major modification of the Borssele Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), scheduled in 1997, includes the installation of a new Integrated Process Status Overview (IPSO) display in the extensively modified control room. The IPSO display is to promote effective communications among all individuals present in the control room with a clear overview of the main process systems. The flexible LCD rear-projection technique is selected for the replacement of the existing IPSO display with engraved process symbols and hard-wired LEDs. The relation between the IPSO display and the CRT based Process Presentation System (PPS) is described after an elaborate introduction to the nuclear technology and the modification project. The followed IPSO design methodology includes interviews with all IPSO user groups to acquire their experience and comment on the current IPSO in order to enhance the functionality and the acceptance of the new IPSO graphics. The ergonomic design requirements for the new IPSO display concern both generic aspects of information presentation on human-machine interfaces, as well as specific issues related to the selected LCD rear-projection technique. Intermediate stages in the design of the IPSO graphics are outlined as well as the results of the concept evaluation by the user groups. For special interest the functionality of a three dimensional (3-D) display was explored. The design study concludes with a 'final' IPSO graphics design to be used for evaluations on the control room simulator. The presentation of one graphic was found to be most appropriate with adjustment of colour (grey) of components and systems which do not need to operate during the current process conditions or plant mode. (orig.). (Atomindex citation 28:053709)