METHOD FOR OPERATING A SYSTEM WITH A VARIABLE EXCURSION MARGIN SETPOINT

摘要

A method for operating a nuclear reactor or any other machine or industrial process where it is of importance to terminate operation when a given parameter deviates from a variable operating value by more than a given amount regardless of the rate at which the deviation occurs. A variable setpoint is continuously generated from the past history of the operating parameter by adding the current value to a predetermined excursion margin whenever this causes the variable setpoint to decrease. The setpoint remains constant whenever the operating parameter is increasing so that a system trip is initiated whenever the setpoint is exceeded. The variable setpoint is permitted to increase to within the excursion margin of the operating parameter only when independent authorization is given indicating that the increase is legitimate.