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L-3 MAPPS Human Factors Simulator Delivered to the Center for Advanced Engineering and Research

The Advanced Configurable Main Control Room Simulator (ACMCRS) will be used for human-machine interface (HMI) and human factors (HF) studies, investigation of digital instrumentation and control systems for nuclear power plants, and cybersecurity issues. This unique facility was made possible in part by generous support from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (TICRC), which provided more than $10 million in grants to support construction of the facility and the purchase of specialized equipment for the control room.

The Center for Safe and Secure Nuclear Energy, one of the four research areas at the CAER, features the fully configurable ACMCRS, which will provide invaluable technical input for regulatory guidance in a range of applications, including control room design, digital technologies and human performance measures.

"To date, the United States has not had a configurable control room simulator for research use like the one at the Halden Man-Machine Lab in Norway," said Bob Bailey, executive director for the CAER. "The simulator provided by L-3 MAPPS, with AREVA’s cooperation, will now enable us to perform critical experiments in the U.S. in areas such as alarm systems, control room design, display navigation and development of human performance measures."

Michael Chatlani, vice president of L-3 MAPPS Power Systems and Simulation said: "We are pleased to support the CAER and proud that the detailed modeling methods and robust simulation technology used by L-3 MAPPS are being leveraged by prestigious research facilities like CAER’s Center for Safe and Secure Nuclear Energy."

The ACMCRS is a high-fidelity simulation of AREVA’s EPR™ plant running on L-3 MAPPS’ cutting-edge Orchid® simulation environment. The simulator consists of four operator stations, each able to accommodate up to 10 monitors. CAER will be able to easily configure the number of monitors and HMI displays on each monitor for various HF experiments. The four operator stations can be used as part of an integrated control room environment or separately for individual studies.

The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER) is a non-profit organization within Virginia’s Region 2000 Partnership that creates working relationships between high-tech industries, major R&D centers and university researchers, and facilitates professional development opportunities for scientists and engineers in the region. Its 30,000-square-foot research and education facility, located in the New London Business and Technology Center in Bedford County, will serve as the region’s source for industry innovation in nuclear and wireless technologies. For more information about CAER, please visit www.caer.us.