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Pilot Project Control Room Ringhals 2

Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and Ringhals Vattenfall AB have signed a contract for developing a Virtual Reality (VR) model of the existing control room of Ringhals 2.

VR techniques have been applied at Ringhals within the field of robot simulations for the last 4-5 years. With this latest pilot VR project, Ringhals wants to evaluate possibilities and limitations of applying VR techniques to control room engineering (CRE) within the nuclear industry.

The Halden Virtual Reality Centre (HVRC) at IFE has used VR technology in combination with human factors (HF) competence in several CRE projects over the last four years. Customers include Oskarshamn AB, Barsebäck AB, Forsmark AB, Svenska Kraftnät AB, Amoco AS, and Statnett SF.

The application of VR techniques has improved the communication between the design team, the control room operators, the suppliers and the licensing authorities. By improving communication, costly design errors can be avoided in early project stages. Effective communication channels also improve creativity in the design process. Planned changes to the control room can easily be visualised in the VR model at relatively low cost. Involving control room operators in the design process leads to better understanding and less resistance to proposed changes.

The use of VR techniques in control room design gives both short and long term benefits. Investments made in the design stages can form a basis for utilising the VR model later e.g. in training of personnel in operating safety panels.