The objective of this research is to develop software tools for assisting operators with detection of anomalies in dynamic systems, identification of the faulty components responsible for the anomalies, and optimization of the response to the upset conditions. To date, researchers have focused on developing and qualifying a prototype software system (PRODIAG) for diagnosis of transient thermal-hydraulic processes. This research has been conducted in cooperation with the Commonwealth Research Corporation (the R&D organization of Commonwealth Edison). PRODIAG is designed to receive thermal-hydraulic process signals and, by applying qualitative first-principles-based reasoning to the time trends in these signals, to detect process anomalies and identify failed components by using knowledge bases of basic component functions and process schematics information. Unlike conventional process diagnostic software, PRODIAG does not require pre-specification of the possible faults. This allows PRODIAG to detect unanticipated faults and enables its application to different processes/systems through the provision, via user input, of the appropriate process schematics information.

Current efforts are directed to the development of an integrated software package for assisting operators during off-normal plant transient conditions. This software package uses PRODIAG as a diagnostic module, along with additional, developmental modules that perform the following functions: (1) deducing the trends in the noisy signals produced by process instrumentation for input to PRODIAG, and (2) recommending strategies for restoring the plant to a safe operating state while preventing unnecessary plant shutdown in the event PRODIAG diagnoses a malfunction. The entire package employs knowledge bases, which are structured using generic thermal-hydraulic first principles instead of specific events. This approach allows broad applicability of the package and should greatly facilitate the tasks of verification and validation, which need not be done on an application-specific basis. Future efforts are to integrate the process monitoring and diagnostic capabilities together with a process advisory management module PROMANA, to form the IGENPRO operator support package.