The last half of the 20th century marked the rapid development of atomic energy for electric power production. An important part of the ongoing development of atomic power is the use of digital instrumentation and control (I&C) to facilitate safe and reliable operations at nuclear power plants (NPPs). Since 1995 RPC "Radiy" has been one of the leading designers, manufacturers, and suppliers of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Class A automated control systems for technological processes (ACS TP). These systems incorporate the latest technology for digital control and protection within nuclear power plants (NPP). The RPC “Radiy” design and manufacturing process for digital control and protection systems uses advanced science and engineering concepts including the application of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). FPGAs implement logic in hardware as opposed to software providing high reliability and structural simplicity.

Main directions of CJSC RPC “Radiy” activities are as follows:

The RPC “Radiy” Quality Management System meets all requirements of IS0 9001:2000 and is certified by both the Ukrainian National Certification Authority and TUV. The following provides a brief description of the critical digital control and protection systems designed and manufactured by RPC “Radiy”.

Program Technical Complex for Control Safety System (PTC CSS). The PTC CSS is designed for use as an upgrade to existing reactor safety system controls or for the control of safety systems at new nuclear power plants with VVER-440 and VVER-1000 type reactors. The PTC CSS is implemented using logic embedded in FPGA digital circuitry (i.e., “hard” logic) and can also be used to control other industrial processes such as thermal power engineering, petrochemistry and metallurgy.

Program Technical Complex for Emergency and Preventative Protection (PTC EP-PP) The PTC EP-PP is designed for use as an upgrade to existing reactor emergency shutdown and preventative protection system controls or for the control of systems at new nuclear power plants with VVER type reactors. The system continuously monitors reactor core operating parameters. If the monitored operating parameters exceed predetermined thresholds, the system generates emergency shutdown and/or preventative protection signals which are transmitted to the appropriate control rod group and individual control systems, and to other power plant informational and control systems. The PTC EP-PP meets all IEC and IAEA regulatory requirements for nuclear power plants. The PTC EP-PP is implemented using logic embedded in FPGA digital circuitry. The FPGA logic emulates a “two-out-of-three” control scheme in generating the final trip signal. The PTC EP-PP has a record of reliable operation at the Zaporozhskaya (3 units), Khmelnitskaya (2 units), Rovenskaya (3 units), and Yuzhno-Ukrainskaya (2 units) Nuclear Power Plants.

Program Technical Complex for Automatic Discharge Regulation and Reactor Power Limitation and Accelerated Preventative Protection (PTC APR-PLR-APP). The PTC APR-PLR-APP is designed for use as an upgrade to existing reactor control and protection systems or for the control of systems at new nuclear power plants with VVER type reactors. The PTC APR-PLR-APP is implemented using logic embedded in FPGA digital circuitry, and accomplishes the following functions:

Program Technical Complex for Group and Individual Control System (PTC GICS). The PTC GICS is designed to perform the following reactor control and protection functions: