Abstract
The purpose of this study is to introduce a new and efficient virtual model-based ergonomic simulation framework utilizing recent anthropometric data for a digitalized main control room in an advanced nuclear power plant. The system interface of the main control room has been undergoing digitalization via various information and control consoles. Console operators often face human–computer interactive problems due to inappropriate console design. Computational models with a process of visual perception and variables of anthropometric data are developed for designing and evaluating operator consoles with the requirements of human factor guidelines. From the 3D computational model and simulation application, console dimensions and a designing test module, which would be used for designing suitable consoles with safety concerns in a nuclear plant, are proposed. To efficiently carry out console design and evaluation feedback, an intelligent design review system comprising a virtual modeling and simulation framework is developed. The proposed automated and virtual design review system provides console design efficiency and evaluation effectiveness. This study may influence methods of employing suitable design concepts with various anthropometric data in many areas with safety concerns and may show a feasible solution to designing and evaluating the main control room.
Highlights
While nuclear energy is considered by many analysts and policymakers as being representative of sustainable energies, safety issues and accidents in nuclear power plants (NPPs) are among the challenges in the construction of a nuclear plant and facilities
This study aims to improve the system design capability by employing an intelligence by which data can be more collected by adding a knowledge acquisition facility, a self-training facility providing optimal design criteria, and an explanation facility with a virtual environment to the architecture
It proved very difficult to find human engineering deficiencies in the console design, since too many factors were involved in meeting the design criteria based on human factor guidelines for the workstation design of the digitalized main control room in advanced nuclear power plants
Summary
While nuclear energy is considered by many analysts and policymakers as being representative of sustainable energies, safety issues and accidents in nuclear power plants (NPPs) are among the challenges in the construction of a nuclear plant and facilities. These factors are considered in the evaluation of an operating NPP. According to the NRC [5], most NPP facilities and parts have to be monitored and controlled in a key space, i.e., the ‘control room’ It is defined as an area in an NPP from which most of the plant’s power production and emergency safety equipment can be operated using remote control methods. While there are many developments and advancements in the design and operations of the control room, this research focuses on how the control room in an NPP can be analyzed with various anthropometric data and ergonomic methods. The developed virtual model-based ergonomic analyzing framework is provided in Section 4, and Section 5 explains the design recommendations using the proposed framework
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