Patent Number: 039792552
Section: claims

1. A method of operating a system in response to a system parameter excursion of determinable magnitude but of indeterminate length, the method comprising the steps of: a. determining a maximum allowable parameter excursion to determine an excursion margin;  b. monitoring said parameter;  c. generating a variable excursion setpoint by tracking and holding the minimum value of the sum of said monitored parameter and said excursion margin;  d. resetting said excursion setpoint to a value larger than said minimum value of the sum of said excursion margin and said monitored parameter only on permission from an independent decision maker;  e. comparing said monitored parameter to said setpoint; and  f. instituting responsive action when said monitored parameter exceeds said setpoint.  a. determining a maximum allowable parameter excursion to determine an excursion margin;  b. monitoring said parameter;  c. generating a variable excursion setpoint by tracking and holding the maximum value of the difference of said monitored parameter and said excursion margin;  d. resetting said excursion setpoint to a value less than said maximum value of the difference of said monitored parameter and said excursion margin only on permission from an independent decision maker;  c. comparing said monitored parameter to said setpoint; and  f. instituting appropriate responsive action when said monitored parameter falls below said setpoint.  a. scramming said reactor; and  b. flooding the core of said reactor with emergency core coolant water.  a. determining a maximum allowable parameter excursion to establish an excursion margin;  b. monitoring said parameter to generate a parametric signal commensurate with said parameter;  c. adding said excursion margin to said parametric signal to generate a signal commensurate with their sum;  d. comparing the last existing setpoint to said signal commensurate with said sum;  e. decreasing said setpoint only when said setpoint is greater than said signal commensurate with said sum;  f. increasing said setpoint when said setpoint is less than said signal commensurate with said sum only when independent permission is supplied from an independent decision maker;  g. comparing said signal commensurate with said monitored parameter to said setpoint; and  h. instituting responsive action when said comparison to said setpoint of step (g) indicates that said monitored parameter exceeds said setpoint.  a. determining a maximum allowable parameter excursion to establish an excursion margin;  b. monitoring said parameter to generate a parametric signal commensurate with said parameter;  c. subtracting said excursion margin from said parametric signal to generate a signal commensurate with their difference;  d. comparing the last existing setpoint to said signal commensurate with said difference;  e. increasing said setpoint only when said setpoint is less than said signal commensurate with said difference;  f. decreasing said setpoint when said setpoint is greater than said signal commensurate with said difference only when independent permission is supplied from an independent decision rather;  g. comparing said signal commensurate with said monitored parameter to said setpoint; and  h. instituting responsive action when said comparison to said setpoint of step (g) indicates that said monitored parameter is less than said setpoint.  a. determining a maximum allowable parameter excursion to determine an excursion margin;  b. monitoring said parameter;  c. generating a variable excursion setpoint by adding said excursion margin to the smallest value attained by said monitored parameter;  d. resetting said excursion setpoint by adding said excursion margin to a value of said monitored parameter larger than said smallest value attained by said monitored parameter only on permission from an independent decision maker;  e. comparing said monitored parameter to said setpoint; and  f. instituting responsive action when said monitored parameter exceeds said setpoint.  a. determining a maximum allowable parameter excursion to determine an excursion margin;  b. monitoring said parameter;  c. generating a variable excursion setpoint by subtracting said excursion margin from the largest value attained by sai monitored parameter;  d. resetting said excursion setpoint by subtracting said excursion margin from a value of said monitored parameter smaller than said largest value attained by said monitored parameter only on permission from an independent decision maker;  e. comparing said monitored parameter to said setpoint; and  f. instituting responsive action when said monitored parameter is less than said setpoint. 2. A method of operating a system in response to a system parameter excursion of determinable magnitude but of indeterminate length, the method comprising the steps of: 3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said system is a pressurized water nuclear reactor and said system parameter is the pressure of the primary coolant, said step of instituting responsive action including the steps of: 4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said system is a nuclear reactor and said system parameter is the operating core power. 5. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said system is a pressurized water nuclear reactor and said system parameter is the pressure of the secondary coolant. 6. A method of operating a system in response to a system parameter excursion of determinable magnitude but of indeterminate length by means of a continuously generated variable setpoint, the method comprising the steps of: 7. A method of operating a system in response to a system parameter excursion of determinable magnitude but of indeterminate length by means of a continuously generated variable setpoint, the method comprising the steps of: 8. A method of operating a system in response to a system parameter excursion of determinable magnitude but of indeterminate length, the method comprising the steps of: 9. A method of operating a system in response to a system parameter excursion of determinable magnitude but of indeterminate length, the method comprising the steps of;