Application of Fault Tree Analysis Technique to Predict Instrumentation System Failure and Define Problem Areas in a Nuclear Power Plant Containment Study

An application of the Fault Tree Analysis Technique to predict instrumentation and control system failure of a nuclear power plant containment isolation system is described in this paper. Because of the lack of a reliable data base, a qualitative failure assessment was made to define problem areas, determine the priority of failures of hardware, software and human interface units and their impact on the total system. This qualitative analysis may detect startling problem areas and may, also, reveal the effect of unit faults on specific systems not otherwise apparent.