Patent Number: 048045152
Section: claims

1. Apparatus for processing a plurality of signals produced by sensors monitoring selected parameters in a complex process for use by a process protection system, said apparatus comprising a plurality of independent, digital signal processors smaller in number than said plurality of sensor signals for generating digital protection system actuation signals for said protection system in response to predetermined combinations of values of said sensor signals indicative of predetermined conditions within said complex process, with at least some of said signal processors generating at least two such actuation signals and wherein for at least a given one of said predetermined conditions, a first of said independent signal processors generates a primary actuation signal for said given condition from a first combination of values of a first set of sensor signals and a second of said independent signal processors generates a secondary actuation signal for the given condition from a second combination of values of a second set of sensor signals, whereby although at least two protection system actuation signals are generated by at least some of said independent signal processors, the primary and secondary actuation signals indicative of a given predetermined process condition are generated in separate independent signal processors. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said independent digital, signal processors has a separate digital output line for transmitting each protection system actuation signal generated thereby to the process protection system, and wherein said apparatus includes electrical isolation means in each said digital output line to electrically isolate each digital signal processor from the process protection system. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said independent digital signal processors includes means for generating from the sensor signals applied thereto processed parameter signals representative of the analog value of selected parameters associated with said complex process, and wherein said apparatus includes, a common parameter signal output device, a common electrical isolation means, data link means connecting each of said independent digital signal processors with said common parameter output device through said common electrical isolation means, and a communications processor for controlling said data link means to sequentially transmit the parameter signals from each of said independent digital, signal processors to said common parameter signal output device through said common electrical isolation means. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 including a second parameter signal output device and a second common electrical isolation means and wherein said data link means transmits said processed parameter signals to said second parameter signal output device through said second common electrical isolation means under the control of said communications processor. 5. The apparatus of claim 3 including a second data link means, a second common electrical isolation means and a second communications processor and wherein said plurality of independent, digital, signal processors are divided into two groups with those in the first group connected to said common parameter signal output device by the first mentioned data link means through the first mentioned common electrical isolation means controlled by the first mentioned communications processor and those independent, digital signal processors in the second group are connected to said common parameter signal output device by said second data link means through said second common electrical isolation means under the control of said second communications processor. 6. The apparatus of claim 2 for use in processing redundant sets of signals produced by multiple sensors monitoring the selected parameters in the complex process and wherein said plurality of independent, digital, signal processors constitutes a channel set which processes one set of said redundant sensor signals and wherein said apparatus includes redundant channel sets each comprising a plurality of independent, digital, signal processors which process a set of said redundant sensor signals. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said independent, digital, signal processors includes input/output means for receiving said sensor signals required for said signal processor to generate said protection system actuation signals and for generating an active signal on each output line which goes inactive in response to the associated actuation signal, and wherein each channel set includes a common tester/bypass means which includes means for individually and sequentially as to each actuation signal replacing with selected actuating generating test signals at the input/output means only the required sensor signals for that actuation signal and for disconnecting only the actuation signal generated by the test signal from the associated output line and applying it instead to said test/bypass means, and means for sensing and recording the actuation signal generated by said test signal, whereby each actuation signal is individually bypassed by the generation of a continuous active signal on the associated output line when it is under test. 8. Apparatus for processing for use in a process protection system and a process control or monitoring system signals generated by a plurality of redundant sets of sensors monitoring selected parameters in a complex process comprising: multiple channel sets for separately processing each set of redundant sensor signals and each including; a plurality of independent, digital, signal processors for generating from selected sensor signals of the channel set protection system actuation signals indicative of predetermined conditions within said complex process with at least some of said signal processors generating more than one actuation signal but with related actuation signals indicative of the same condition generated in different signal processors, and for generating from said sensor signals processed parameter signals representative of the analog value of selected parameters within the complex process; input/output means for said digital signal processors including means for receiving the sensor signals required by the signal processor to generate the assigned actuation signals and processed parameter signals and means for connecting each of the actuation signals to a separate electrically isolated output line; common tester/bypass means for sequentially one at a time as to each actuation signal, replacing the required sensor signals with test signals which generate an actuation signal and for disconnecting the actuation signal from the output line and applying it to the tester/bypass means instead for sensing and recording of the actuation signal/common parameter signal output means; a common electrical isolation means; common data link means connecting each of said independent digital, signal processors with said common parameter signal output means through said common electrical isolation means and a common communications processor for sequentially controlling the transmission of said parameter signals by said data link means from said independent, digital signal processors to said common parameter signal output means through said common electrical isolation means. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said data link means are also connected to said tester/bypass means and wherein said communications processor also controls the sequential transmission of said parameter signals by said data link means from said independent, digital signal processors to said tester/bypass means, and the tester/bypass means includes means for storing and outputing said parameter signals through a common additional isolation means. 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said independent, digital, signal processors in each channel set are divided into two groups, with those in each group transmitting their processed parameter signals by a data link means common to the group to one processed parameter output device common to the channel set through an electrical isolation means common to the group under the control of a communications processor also common to the group. 11. A method of processing signals generated by sensor monitoring selected parameters of a complex process using a plurality of independent, digital, signal procesors, said method comprising the steps of: applying to each independent, digital signal processor, the sensor signals required for the generation of selected protection system actuation signals, some of which are a primary indication of the occurrence of a given event in the process requiring emergency action and others of which are a secondary indication of the occurrence of the given events, with sensor signals required for the generation of more than one of said selected actuation signals applied to at least some of said independent, digital, signal processors, but with the sensor signals required for the generation of the primary actuation signal and the secondary actuation signal for a given event applied to different independent, digital, signal processors;  operating the independent, digital signal processors to generate the selected actuation signals in response to the predetermined values of the applied sensor signals; and  applying each of said actuation signals to a separate output line separately electrically isolated from the signal processor in which it is generated.  applying the sensor signals in each redundant set of sensor signals to a separate group of said independent, digital, signal processors to form redundant channel sets, and within each channel set applying to individual independent, digital, signal processors the sensor signals required to generate within said signal processors selected partial protection system actuation signals, some of which are a primary indication of a given event in the plant requiring emergency action and others of which are a secondary indication of the given event, with sensor signals required to generate the primary actuation signal and the secondary actuation signal for a given event applied to separate independent, digital, signal processors within the channel set;  operating the independent, digital, signal processors in each channel set to cyclically generate the selected partial actuation signals in response to predetermined values of the applied sensor signals; and  applying each of said partial actuation signals to a separate output line separately electrically isolated from the signal processor in which it is generated. 12. The method of claim 11 including the steps of sequentially, one at a time, as to each protection system actuation signal, disconnecting the actuation signal from its separate output line, removing the sensor signals required for the generation of the actuation signal from the associated independent, digital signal processor to which they are applied and substituting therefore test signals selected to generate the actuation signal, and generating a test fail signal if an actuation signal is not generated by the independent, digital signal processor in response to the test signals, whereby each actuation signal is tested individually while the remaining actuation signals, including any generated by the same independent, digital signal processor as the actuation signal under test, remain on line. 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of operating said independent, digital, signal processors includes generating from the applied sensor signals and storing processed parameter signals indicative of the analog value of selected process parameters, and sequentially one at a time transmitting each of said stored processed parameter signals over a data link to a common processed parameter signal output device through a common electrical isolation means. 14. A method of processing signals generated by redundant sets of sensors monitoring selected parameters in a nuclear fueled electric power generating plant using a plurality of independent, digital, signal processors, said method including the steps of: 15. The method of claim 14 including the steps of repetitively for each channel set generating a ramp signal, continuously applying said ramp signal to each of said independent, digital, signal processors in the channel set, operating each of said signal processors to cyclically generate, along with the generation of said partial protection system actuation signals, a test actuation signal when said applied ramp signal reaches a preset value, the time interval required for said repetitive ramp signals to reach said preset value being longer than the interval required for the signal processors to generate all of its assigned partial actuation signals and the test actuation signal, monitoring each signal processor for the generation of the test actuation signal and generating an alarm signal if said test actuation signal is not generated by a signal processor when the ramp signal reaches the preset value. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of applying each partial protection system actuation signal to a separate output line includes generating a signal having a first level on the output line in the absence of the associated actuation signal and generating signal having a second level on the output line in the presence of the actuation signal; and including the steps of sequentially, one at a time as to each actuation signal in only one channel set, removing the sensor signals required to generate that actuation signal from the associated independent, digital, signal processor and replacing them with test signals having values selected to generate said actuation signal, disconnecting the actuation signal from the associated output line so that the signal having the first level remains on that output line, applying the actuation signal instead to a tester/bypass device which generates a test fail signal if the actuation signal is not generated in response to the test signals, removing the test signal from the signal processor and reapplying said sensor signals to the signal processor and said actuation signal to the output line, whereby only one actuation signal in one channel set at a time is tested and during the sequential testing the actuation signal is effectively bypassed by the generation of the signal having said first level on the associated output line. 17. The method of claim 16 including after removal of each test signal from a signal processor, the steps of, maintaining the magnitude of the test signal at a value above that which would cause the signal processor to generate a partial protection system actuation signal, monitoring the signal on the associated output line, and generating an alarm signal if an actuation signal appears on said output line whereby a check is made to assure that the tester is disconnected from the signal processor following each test. 18. The method of claim 16 including the steps of operating said independent, digital, signal processors to generate from the applied sensor signals, parameter signals representative of the analog value of selected process parameters, storing said parameter signals in the associated signal processor, and as to each channel set; sequentially transmitting the stored parameter signals by common data link means, through a common electrical isolation means to a common parameter signal output device.