A Review of Alarm System Design for Advanced Control Rooms of Nuclear Power Plants

ABSTRACT

Alarm systems are designed to provide cues to make operators aware of an operational problem, so that mitigation actions can be taken. New technologies are enabling innovative designs of alarm systems for safety-critical systems. To help better design alarm systems in advanced control rooms of nuclear power plants (NPPs), recent researches on alarm system design in the NPP domain are reviewed from the following aspects: (1) functions of an alarm system and opportunities and challenges of new technologies; (2) effects of alarm floods and different alarm management methods; (3) visual presentation of alarm information; (4) evaluation criteria for alarm systems. Through the comprehensive literature review, this article proposes research topics related to human factors and ergonomics that are worth studying in advanced alarm systems of NPPs.

KEYWORDS:

• Alarm system
• advanced control rooms
• alarm management
• alarm presentation
• evaluation

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; [71371104].

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; [71371104].

Notes on contributors

Xiaojun Wu

Xiaojun Wu is now a lecturer in Tsinghua University, China. Her PhD in Management Science and Engineering was awarded by Tsinghua University in 2016, with a doctorial period partially spent at Ohio State University. Her research interests include interface design, alarm systems in NPPs, and cognitive engineering.

Zhizhong Li

Zhizhong Li is a full professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University. He received his PhD degree in Manufacturing Engineering and Automation from Tsinghua University in 1999. His current research areas include interface design, human error, system safety, and other ergonomics issues associated with complex industrial systems.