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INTERIM REPORT

Accession No.ORNL/FTR-1101

Contract Programor Project Title: Operational Aids for Reactor Operators

Subject of this Document: Report of Foreign Travel of R. A. Kisner

Type of Document: ORNL Foreign Trip Report

Author: R. A. Kisner

Date of Document: June 26, 1981

Responsible NRC Individualand NRC Office or Division: Dr. Raymond DiSnivo

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

This document was prepared primarily for preliminary orinternal use. It has not received full review and approval.Since there may be substantive changes, this document shouldnot be considered final.

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FOREIGN TRIP REPORTORNL/FTR-1101

DATE: June 26, 1981

SUBJECT: Report of Foreign Travel of R. A. Kisner, Principal Investigatorfor NRC Research Program, " Operational Aids for Reactc,r Operators"

To: Herman Postma

FROM: R. A. Kisner

PURPOSE: Participate in the Enlarged Halden Programme Group Meeting onProcess Computer Applications

SITE VISITED: 6/14-19/81 Halden Conference, Fredrikstad, Norway,Dr. Torbjdrn J. Vik, Project Manager

ABSTRACT: The USNRC is a signatory to the OECD Halden Reactor Project,which, among many other activities, is also working in thesubject areas of operator support systems for the plant,operator support systems for the reactor core, control roomdesign, and operator's role and qualifications. The NRCrequested that a member of the ORNL staff engaged in similarwork attend the Enlarged Halden Programme Group Meeting onProcess Computer Applications and present a paper based oncurrent work at ORNL related to the conference theme. Thepaper presented, "A Taxonomy of the Nuclear Plant Operator'sRole," reflects recent work performed at ORNL.

The conference was arranged to report and discuss results fromthe research programs at Halden, and to consider future workin light of research results and operational experience pre-sented by the participating organizations. The project workin the fields of operator role and operator qualificationinvestigation and on control room design has been carried outunder the auspices of the Nordic Council as a joint effort byRisU National Laboratory in Denmark, the Studsvik ResearchCentre in Sweden, the Technical Research Centre of Finland,and the Institutt for Energiteknikk in Norway.

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REPORT

The traveler, principal investigator for the NRC Research Program," Operational Aids for Reactor Operators," was requested by the Office ofNuclear Regulatory Research, NRC, to attend the Enlarged Halden ProgrammeGroup Meeting on Process Computer Applications, June 14-19, 1981, at

'Fredrikstad, Norway. The traveler presented a paper covering some ofthe more recent work on human factors engineering at ORNL. This work,directly sponsored by NRC, investigated the role of the nuclear powerplant operating crew. The subject areas of the conference sessions wereoperator support systems for the plant, operator support systems-for thereactor core, control room design, and operator's role and qualifications.

The traveler recommends future participation in Halden ProgrammeGroup meetings on computer applications. The Halden project seems to bea useful vehicle for international exchange of research and developmentinformation. Much of the information gathered at the meeting will serveto stimulate new approaches on projects at ORNL related to operational .aids and human factors engineering. The work being performed byRasmussen, Hollnagel, and others at Ris6 National Laboratory, Denmark,seems especially thorough and potentially useful in furthering work atORNL on operator role investigation and evaluation of operational aids..The staff at Ris5 will be reviewing the paper, "A Taxonomy of the NuclearPlant Operator's Role," by Kisner, Fullerton, Frey, and Dougherty fortechnical content prior to journal publication.

In the following paragraphs, key statements from selected presenta-tions are summarized. Furthe- information is available from the writtenpapers distributed at the con ereice.

Opening Session

R. DiSalvo/USNRC - In the past, regulatory authorities provided noincentives for integration of the numerous systems in the controlroom. Control rooms were once not evaluated by NRC; now, after,

TMI, control room evaluation is part of NRC's function. Currentissues confronting NRC research are control room design, operatorqualifications, and guides and standards. Future issues are plantmaintenance, management's impact on safety, and allocation offunctions between human operators and automatic systems. .Onequestion of particular concern to NRC has to do with the effects ofstress on performance during emergencies: are we asking operatorsto perform at their best when they are actually at their worst?

L. Nordstrdm/Suedish Inspectorate - Too much emphasis has been placed onhuman factors engineering and not enough on the social aspects ofoperators and their jobs. Plant operators should not be treated as

! an " elite" group such as astronauts or airline pilots but rather asi " common" people who can be expected to serve out their job life to

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W. Aleite/Kraftwerk Union - When speaking of safety, we must nrt forgetthe plant's purpose - power generation. Three interrelated systemsare at work in assuring plant safety: (1) automatic control systems,(2) information systems, and (3) operators and experts. Nonredundantsystems, such as information systems, should only give advice tooperators and should not be allowed to control. Computers used iainformation systems should be transparent to the user.

J. Hamilton / South of Scotland Electricity Board - Plant operatorc in theUK are " degreed" and registered engineers. Maintenance is importantin plant operations. We must not frighten maintenance personnelwho are not " degreed' with too much theory in their training.Also, older plant operators may tend to reject new operationalaids. One useful aid is the simulator. Simulators can be used todisplay hidden parameters that can help operators operate the plantmore efficiently than current designs by allowing closer, saferoperation to design limits,

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Operator Support for the Plant

A. Zapp/GRS, Federal Republic of Germany - The STAR disturbance analysissystem uses logic diagrams to determine the cause and consequencesof plant disturbances. STAR has become a vehicle for introducingother ideas into the control room besides cause and consequenceanalysis only. Potential processes that STAR should provide arestatus surveillance; alarm handling and reduction; surveillance ofcomponents; trend data recording and display; mass, energy, andmomentum balances; and posttrip analysis. The system performanceand operator acceptance will be evaluated using data that are beingrecorded at the Grafenrheinfeld PWR power plant.

P. Visuni/TVO Power Company, Finland - An alarm handling approach was; developed to extract relevant alarms out of the many that occur'

during a disturbance (HALO - Handling of Alarms with L0gic). Twoways were described to reduce alarms: (1) generate an alarm onlyif an automatic function is not activated, and (2) suppress alarmsthat result from normal consequences of system action. In a testof the HALO system, a reduction from 200 to 20 alarms was accom-plished during the first 20 s of a pipe rupture in a BWR watercleanup system.

T. Graae/ ASEA-ATOM, Sweden - A CRT-based system for safety system super-vision was described. The system calculates allowed out-of-servicetimes, keeps a record of reported faults, surveys adherence totechnical specifications, and determines what tests are requiredand whether or not they have been performed. Performance evaluationof the system was based only on operator opinion.

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G. Dahll/Halden - A study was made of the potential usefulness of com-puterized operations manuals (COPMA) . COPMAs can track maintenanceactivities and warn in cases of mismanagement, and track technicalspecifications. Several kinds of manuals were described: (1) admin-istrative activities and planning, (2) safety-related technicalspecifications, (3) operation and maintenance, and (4) disturbanceand emergency. It was concluded in the discussion period thatCOPMAs are not to replace written text.

Control Room Situation

J. Wirstad/Ergonomrad, Sweden - Automation of a process makes it diffi-cult for the operator to acquire the " feel" of process dynamics andto develop the skill needed to carry out perceptual-motor tasks.At an earlier time in the history of process control, operatorswere directly involved with the process dynamics, which assumedconstant interaction. Operators in automated environments arepassive for long periods, but during emergencies they must respondsuddenly. An operator role analysis technique was described, basedon two groups of factors: (1) those that describe the actual jobsituation, and (2) those related to policies and rules or belongingto the history of the system.

R. Kisner/ORNL, USA - The presentation covered four topics: (1) influ-

i ence of automation, (2) taxonomy of the operator's role, (3) opera-tor acceptance of his role, and (4) emergency role of the operator.A new concept of " automation space" was presented which depictsautomation and operator role in three-dimensional space. Since the

degree of automation is inconsistent throughout the control room,the operator must operate many systems with differing degrees ofautomation. The operator is present for solving ill-defined prob-lems and providing high-level supervision above the design level ofthe automatic systems.

E. Edsberg/Halden - Operator activity is high up to an operating powerlevel of 40%. Above 40%, the activity declines. Control roomshcve a relaxed atmosphere. A state diagram was developed fordescribing the operation in a number of plant modes.

J. Ranta/ Technical Research Centre of Finland - The significance ofautomation and results of changes in automation in the operator'srole were discussed. With automation, information managementbecomes important. The author presented a plan for organizingcontrol room design that was adopted from the " Guidelines for theDesign of Man / Machine Interfaces for Process Control," InternationalPurdue Workshop on Industrial Computer Systems.

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Control Room Design

J. Rasmussen/RisU National Laboratory, Denmark - Human operators areemployed for their adaptive and improvisive behavior. This behaviorrequires experimentation (i.e., selection and trial). Malfunctionsoccur where the effect of trial is irreversible. The effects ofoperator actions should be made both observable and reversible.

Complexity is a function of the resoluti'on with which oneanalyzes 4. system and is not directly related to the quantity ofcomponents in a system. Prior to the semiconductor revolution, the"one sensor-one indicator" technology prevailed. Only one level ofresolution of the representation was available to the operator.With computer technology, multiple sensors, and CRTs, many levelsof resolution are available to the operator. The author discussedthe differences between abstraction and aggregation of the represen-tation of a system. He made the following suggestions for guidingthe operator through complexity: (1) the top-down strategy is therecommended method for representing the plant to the operator,(2) use bottom-up warnings and top-down analysis, (3) refer toreasons and targets rather than to situations and symptoms, and(4) do not go deeper in detail than the immediate task requires.

E. Holinagel/Ris5 - The differences between verification and validationin the context of experimental evaluation were discussed. Verifi-cation compares the experimental results with the basic idea, andvalidation compares real-life implementation with the experimentalresults. The author went on to discuss the validity of simulatortraining. The degree of realism is related to the objective andsubjective degrees of task difficulty.

M. Holmgren/Swedish Defense Research Institute - Studies were conductedto determine the factors that influence operator attitudes towardcomputer-based communication devices in the process industry. The

'findings show that the degree of process automation affects operatorattitude. Differences in age and experience also influence thisattitude.

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APPENDIX A

ITINERARY

Site / PrincipalDate Location Organization Subject Contacts

6/14-19/81 Fredrikstad, OECD Halden Enlarged Halden Torbjurn J. Vik,Norway Reactor Programme Project Manager

Project Group Meetingon ProcessComputerApplications

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APPENDIX B

LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED

Denmark

E. Holinagel Ris5 National LaboratoryJ. Rasmussen Ris5 National Laboratory

Finland

B. WahlstrUm Technical Research Centre of Finland

Germany

W. Aleite Kraftwerk Union AGL. Felkel Gesellschaft fur Reaktorsicherheit mbHA. H51d Gesellschaft fur Reaktorsicherheit mbHA. Zapp Gesellschaft fur Reaktorsicherheit mbH -

Norway

K. Moe Industri Design

Sweden

M. Holmgren Swedish Defense Research Institute

United Kingdom

D. Embrey U.K. Atomic Energy AuthorityJ. Hamilton South of Scotland Electricity Board

> United Statesi >

M. Bray EG&G IdahoR. DiSalvo USNRCL. Hanes WestinghouseF. O'Brien EP RI

| Halden Reactor Projecti

l T. VikJ. HolH. Milde,

| M. Ovreeide!,

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APPENDIX C

BIBLIOGRAPHIC LISTING OF ACQUIRED LITERATURE

Papers were presented at the Enlarged Halden Programme Group Meetingon Process Computer Applications, June 14-19, 1981, Fredr ikstad ,Norway.

1. Raymond DiSalvo, " Human Factors Activities at the United StatesNuclear Regulatory Commission."

2. W. Aleite, " Viewpoints of a German Manufacturer on Needs forR&D - Ef forts on Control Room Design and Operator SupportSystems."

3. J. Hamilton, "SSEB Use of Halden Project."

4. W. E. Buttner , L. Felkel, R. Manikarnika, A. Zapp, " DisturbanceAnalysis and Alarm Handling - A Current Revis a of RequirementsBased on Experiments with the SIAR System."

5. P. J. Visuri, B. B. Thomassen, F. A. @wre , " Handling of Alarmswith Logic (HALO) and Other Operator Support Systems."

6. M. A. Bray, "Use of Process Computet Graphics During LOFT Loss-of-Coolant Experiments."

7. W. Aleite and F. E. Rubbel, "VDU-Information-Wall - An OperatorAid for Normal Operation and in Accident Conditions."

8. Tapani Graae, " Implementation of an Automated Status AnalysisSystem in an Operating Nuclear Power Plant - Experiment inPilo t S cale. "

9. G. Dahll, F. Dworzak, B. Karlsson, P. Visuri, "The Potentialsof Computer Assisted Operations Manuals."

10. Bj6rn Wahlstrom, "The Control Room Situation."

11. P. G. Sj611n, " Systems and Procedures in the Operator 'sEnvironment. "

12. Jan Wirstad, " Operator Role Description."

13. R. A. Kisner, A. M. Fullerton, P. R. Frey, E. M. Dougherty,"A Taxonomy of the Nuclear Plant Operator 's Role."

14. Erik Edsberg, B. B. Thomassen, " Functioning of the Operating

Crew in a Complex Control System."

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15. Jukka Ranta, "The Design Process Leading to a Control Room."

16. J. @. Hol, G. @hra, E. Edsberg, F. Pettersen, "Re tro fittingof Control Rooms with Computer-Based Systems."

17. Jan Wirstad, " Operator Competence and Training.

18. Hakan Andersson, " Job Analysis and Training Content."

19. Leena Tuominen, " Training with Simulators."

20. M. Holmgren, " Experience from VDU-Presented Information."

21. Nordic Coordinating Committee for Atomic Energy, "NKA/KRUProject on Opecator Training, Control Room Design and HumanReliability - Publications List."

22. Nordic Coordinating Committee for Atomic Energy, "NKA/KRUProject on Operator Training, Control Room Design and HumanReliability - Summary Repor t."

23. L. P. Goodstein, " Overview Presentation on Control Room Design."

24. Erik Hollnagel, " Experimental Evaluation and Validation."

25. M. Holmgren, " Attitudes Towards Computer Based CommunicationDevices Within Process Industries."

26. Jens Rasmussen, " Coping with Complexity."

27. Er ik Ed s ber g , " Human Factor s ' Engineering in Control SystemDesign."

28. S. Hval, " Status Report on the On-Line Core Physics SimulatorCYGNUS."

29. Yasunori Sakamoto, Tsutomu Ohtsuka, Maomi Makino, Isamu Toyoshi,Kiyoshi Niki, Nobuhiko Nezu, " Development and Operating Experi-ence of Reactor Management System."

30. S. Berresen, H. K. Naess , S. E. Wennemo, "BWR Power Distribu-tion Surveillance Based on PRESTO."

31. K. Haugset , R. Moen, U. S. Jdrgensen, Berg, " Core Surveil-.

lance Systems: Development at the Ibiden Project and WithinSignatory Organizations."

32. Kjell Arnesen, Odd Falmyr, Tor Hveding, Morten Pehrsen, ThorPalmgren, " Trends in Distributed Process Control Systems; -Data Communication Strategies, Process Interface Techniques,and Graphic Operator Communication Systems."

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33. M. W. Jervis, "Some Aspects of Design of Distributed ComputerBased Control Systems in CEGB Power Stations."

34 L. A. J. Lawrence, "The Application of Computers in the Develop-ment of Control, Protection and Surveillance Systems for UKFast Reactors and Associated Plant."

35. Berg and S. Hval, " Main Characteristics of Array Processors -.

Their Potentials for Applications in Core Surveillance andControl Systems."

36. Joakko Lahti and Gustav Dahll, "The Specification Language X -Version 2."

37. A. N. Buckler, " Methods of Adjusting Core Physics Models to FitOn-Power Reactor Maasurements."

38. Harold Reed, " Local Data Networks of the Collision Detection

Type - Special Emphasis on Ethernet and its Characteristics asto Capacity, Safety and Reliability."

39. A. Kruger , D. Bunemann, K. Penndor f, M. H. Turgut, " A Fas tBurnup Routine for 3D Reactor Simulators."

40. Jaakko Lahti, "SPEX - A Computer Programme for the Input of X-Specif i ca tions. "

41. T. N ring and C. O. Fult, " Documentation of the Start andShutdown Feedwat er System of the STUDS-24 PWR Simulator."

42. R. Moen, T. Busi, R. M. Versluis, "Multivariable FeedbackControl - Final Report on the Case Study of the C-E System 80Reactor."

43. A. Hoeld , Y. Er can, O. Lupas , D. Beraka , " Status of the CoreSurveillance Systems at the GRS. "

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ORNL/ FTR-1101

DISTRIBUTION

1-2. Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, DOE, Washington,D.C. 20555

3. M. P. Norin, Division of Nuclear Power Development, DOE,Washington, D.C. 20555

4. Director, Division of Safeguards and Security, DOE, Washington,D.C. 20555

5-6. Director, Division of International Security Affairs, DOE,Washington, D.C. 20555

7. J. A. Lenhard, DOE /ORO8. J. S. Denton, DOE /ORO9. Herman Postma

10-15. R. A. Kisner16-17. Laboratory Records Department

18. Laboratory Records Department - RC19. Laboratory Protection Division

20. ORNL Patent Section21. ORNL Public Relations Office

22-24. Director, Division of Reactor Licensing, NRC, Washington, D.C.20555

25-26. Of fice of Standards Development, NRC, Washington, D.C. 2055527-31. Executive Secretary, Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards,

NRC, Washington, D.C. 2055532-36. Raymond DiSalvo, Section Leader, Human Factors Branch, NRC,

Washington, D.C. 2055537. Lawrence Shao, Acting Director, Division of Reactor Safety

Research, NRC, Washington, D.C. 2055538-39. Director of International Programs, NRC, Washington, D.C. 2055540-41. Division of Technical Information and Document Control, NRC,

Washington, D.C. 2055542-43. Technical Information Center, P.O. Box 62, Oak. Ridge, TN 3783044-45. S. H. Hanauer, Director, Division of Human Factors Safety, NRC,

Washington, D.C. 2055546. W. S. Farmer, NRC, Washington, D.C. 2055547. O. Meyer, IdaFo National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls,

Idaho 8340148. D. A. Dahlgren, Sandia Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque,

NM 8711549. A. B. Long, EPRI, Box 10412, Palo Alto, CA 9430350. J. L. Anderson51. J. B. Bullock52. G. F. Flanagan53. P. R. Frey54. A. M. Fullerton55. P. M. Haas56. E. W. Hagen57. A. L. Lotts58. F. R. Mynatt

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59. L. C. Oakes60. W. H. Sides, Jr.61. D. B. Trauger62. J. Solecki, DOE /ID63. E. M. Dougherty, TEC, Knoxville,-TN 3792264. T. Appelhaus, NRC Resident Engineer, OECD Halden Reactor Project,

Halden, Norway65. R. B. Minogue, Director, Of fice of Nuclear Regulatory Research,

USNRC, Washington, DC66. IETA' Program Manager, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, MS L .'39,

P. O. Box 808, Livermore, CA 94550