Patent Number: 053751507
Section: claims

1. In a nuclear power plant having a nuclear steam supply system including a multiplicity of components which operate together to perform critical plant process functions in a plurality of plant operating modes; means for measuring plant process and component operating variables and for generating parameter signals from said measured variables; a control room including data processing means responsive to the parameter signals for displaying monitoring information including parameter values and parameter alarms in response to abnormal parameter signals, to the operator on at least one display screen, protection means responsive to the operating parameter signals for automatically initiating operation of safety related components upon the occurrence of certain abnormal events, means by which the operator can control safety related components, and means by which the operator can control components relating to power generation in the plant, a method for the operator to use the data processing means to diagnose plant disturbances that challenge the ability of the plant to perform the critical functions, comprising: displaying on one of said screens, an apex page containing,  automatically monitoring the parameter signals for key parameters representative of each critical function process and continuously checking the monitored key parameters against mode and event dependant acceptance criteria;  if a particular critical function does not meet acceptance criteria because of an abnormal parameter signal associated with a component in a system that is expected to perform the critical function, generating a critical function alarm signal specific to said particular critical function and indicating an alarm condition in said first matrix at the descriptor for said particular critical function;  automatically monitoring the availability, operation state and performance of the critical function success paths against mode and event dependant acceptance criteria;  if a particular critical function success path does not satisfy the acceptance criteria because of an abnormal parameter signal for a particular component in the success path configuration, generating a success path alarm signal specific to said particular success path and indicating an alarm condition on the apex page at the descriptor for said particular success path;  storing for selection and display by the operator on another of said screens,  in the event a critical function alarm or success path alarm is generated and indicated on said apex page, storing a correlated alarm indicator  while viewing an alarmed descriptor on the apex display page, selecting the first level display page for display at said another one of said screens, whereby while viewing the first level display page, the operator can observe the hierarchical relation among the correlated alarm indicator, the critical function descriptors, and the success path descriptors;  while viewing the first level display page, selecting the second level display page containing the system in which the abnormal parameter alarm is present, for display at said one of said screens;  after the step of selecting the second level display passage, selecting a third level display page that contains the diagnostic information associated with the component from which the abnormal alarm parameter signal originated.  the apex display page is on a large screen that is visible throughout the control room, and  said another screen is at an operator's panel in the control room.  the apex display page can be selectively displayed by the operator on said another screen, and  while viewing the apex display page on said another screen, the operator selects and displays the first level display page on said one screen.  storing for selection and display by the operator on one of said screens,  displaying on each alternate first, second, and third display pages, an alarm descriptor indicative of the origin of the alarmed parameter;  displaying on the apex display page, a menu containing touch responsive images for the operator to access and display on said other screen, any one of the first or alternate first display pages,  displaying on said accessed and displayed page, a touch sensitive image for the operator to access and display a second level or alternate second level display page. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein 3. The method of claim 2, wherein, 4. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of, 5. The method of claim 1, including displaying on said apex display page, symbols indicative of the status of a preferred success path for each critical function. 6. The method of claim 5, including displaying the status of the success path with distinct symbols indicative of the operating state (on/off or active/inactive), and controllability (the ability of the operator or protection means to change the operating state). 7. The method of claim 6, including displaying the symbols with shape coding.