Grant: Industrial Research Chairs

Instrumentation & Control (I&C) systems are the brain and nerve systems for any nuclear power plant. Their*performance ultimately determines the safety and operational efficiency of the plant. In the previous two terms*of the NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair (IRC) program, Dr. Jin Jiang has excelled in the areas of*modeling, control, and performance monitoring based on fieldbus and wireless technologies. We have built a*strong research team and state-of-the-art facilities to support the research in this area. The goal of the research*in the third term of this IRC program is to further leverage the established infrastructure to improve safety and*operational efficiency of nuclear power plants, and to continue training outstanding HQP to supply Canadian*nuclear industries with new leadership quality and new ideas.*The proposed research can be divided into two main themes: (1) Advanced Control Systems; and (2)*Performance Monitoring, both for nuclear power plants. The research under the first theme, Advanced Control*Systems, will be divided into safety systems and process control systems. Five topics will be investigated,*including 1) predictive safety systems, 2) passive safety systems, 3) intelligent autonomous control, 4) control*for SCWR, and 5) adoption of advanced technologies (fieldbus, wireless). Under the second theme, techniques*for both pre-accident and post-accident condition monitoring systems will be examined. This theme consists of*four topics: 1) wireless technologies for equipment health monitoring within a nuclear power plant, 2) smart*devices for plant condition monitoring, 3) environment monitoring, as well as 4) radiation monitoring in a*post-accident condition where radiation hardened wireless sensor technologies will be investigated.*It is expected that 21 highly qualified personnel will be trained through this program over the next 5 years.*