Operation validation system to prevent human errors in nuclear power plants

Abstract

The importance of human and organizational factors in the nuclear industry has been emphasized, and along these lines there have been various improvements to human–system interfaces (HSIs). Operator support systems are one of the key HSIs that can contribute to reduce human errors. The system proposed in this work, called the concealed intelligent assistant (CIA), is designed as an operator support system using artificial intelligence algorithms. The CIA system validates operator actions and notifies operators of human errors to prevent adverse effects on plant integrity. The operation validation system consists of two-step filtering, namely through a procedural compliance check module and a comparison of safety impact evaluation module. Both modules employ a prediction algorithm with deep neural networks, where the former predicts the results of operators’ decision-making, and the latter implements plant parameter prediction strategies. The CIA system minimizes any increase in the cognitive burden on operators because it provides additional information only when a mistake is actually expected to adversely affect the integrity of the power plant.