Patent Number: 053393392
Section: summary

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process for performing an inspection or monitoring round, applying more particularly to the systematic inspection of nuclear sites. The automatic operation of certain nuclear installations requires regular monitoring or inspection. Following a predetermined path, a watchman performs a round during which he collects or reads data supplied by sensors positioned at different points of the installation. He checks and optionally modifies the functional state of equipment (e.g. opening or closing a valve, etc.). Access to certain areas of installations can be difficult and even dangerous and it is also appropriate to ensure the safety of the watchman. At the end of the round, the results of the measurements performed are generally stored and used for statistical processing or maintenance purposes. French patent 2 585 145 discloses a process for monitoring an industrial installation. The person entrusted with the round identifies the sensors or equipments to be checked by reading a coded identification number attached to each sensor or equipment and automatically compares said identification number with a reference previously recorded in a reference or control system, the latter supplying at the end of the comparison a validation signal. The measurements performed during the round are recorded in the control system. This type of process removes responsibility from the operator and makes it possible to ensure the effective passage of the operator to the measuring points. The measurements carried out during the round are at the earliest analyzed when the operator or watchman returns to the central control station. No decision concerning the operation of the industrial installation can be taken during the round. This time lag between the measurements and their analysis is prejudicial to the satisfactory operation of the installation. Any delay in consulting the results prevents rapid, effective maintenance actions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aim of the present invention is to provide a process for performing a round which is of a very flexible nature enabling preventative maintenance actions to be taken. A "dialogue" between a central monitoring unit and the watchman makes it possible to follow the path of the latter between the individual measuring points and thus to ensure that the round is being correctly performed. This also makes it possible to indicate in real time any abnormal condition noted during a measurement and to very rapidly take the necessary steps without waiting for the watchman to return. The watchman has more responsibility and he may decide to carry out supplementary measures or equipment function state changes not initially provided during the definition of the course of the round. The watchman plays an active part in the process according to the invention. He is assisted in his decisions by a portable microprocessing means connected by a radio link to the central unit. On detecting an abnormal condition, he may decide to suspend his round in order to carry out the operations which he considers necessary, whilst keeping the central monitoring unit informed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process for performing a monitoring or inspection round of a nuclear site over which are distributed collection or reading points grouping at least one sensor and at least one equipment having a certain operating state, the round being performed by a watchman, characterized in that it comprises: (a) beforehand PA1 (B) during the round, PA1 (D) at the end of the round, the information recorded in the portable microcomputer is copied again into the central computer for processing. (a) recording in a central computer connected to a radiofrequency transceiver, PA2 (b) copying again the recording performed in (a) in a portable microcomputer connected to a radiofrequency transceiver, PA2 (a) one collection point for each passage, (i) a sequence or combination of collection points, sensors to be checked and equipments to be checked and/or whose operating state is to be modified, said sequence constituting the round, PA3 (ii) information including at least reference values, tolerance thresholds and assistance comments on the watchman's decision concerning the collection points, the sensors to be checked and the equipments to be checked and/or whose operating state is to be modified, PA3 (i) performing a validation affirming passage to the collection point and for each validation a pinpointing signal of said collection point is transmitted by the transmitter connected to the portable microcomputer to the receiver connected to the central computer and recorded in the latter, PA3 (ii) checking the measuring points supplying information, recording said information in the portable microcomputer and comparing same with prerecorded information concerning the measuring points in such a way as to detect any abnormal state, PA3 (iii) checking and/or modifying the operating state of the equipment, recording information concerning said equipment and comparing the same with prerecorded information concerning said equipment so as to detect any abnormal state, any abnormal state detection in (ii) and PA3 (iii) leading to the transmission by the transmitter of the portable microcomputer to the receiver of the central computer, The validation at each collection point confirms the passage of the watchman, so that, via the central computer, he can be followed throughout his round. As a result of the "dialogue" between the computers enabling the watchman to maintain contact with the control room, any abnormal state is immediately passed onto the central computer and assistance or maintenance decisions can be taken in good time. The transfer of the information collected during the round into the central computer makes it possible to obtain a historical account for the individual rounds of the different measures taken.