The development of knowledge-based systems for process monitoring in British Nuclear Fuels

British Nuclear Fuels plc. (BNFL) offers nuclear fuel manufacture, enrichment, reprocessing and waste management services. BNFL became involved in the development and application of knowledge-based systems technology for the monitoring of process plants during 1983. The pilot system was called PROMASS (PROcess Management Advisory and Supervisory System), and was based on the operation of a full scale inactive plant at Sellafield. PROMASS was perceived as a system that would receive the same signals as the data logger, and would present this data, as well as any diagnostic messages to the shift leader in charge of the pilot plant. This work has culminated in the installation of operational systems at Sellafield, Springfields and Capenhurst, and has put BNFL in a strong position to further exploit the technology in future. This paper describes the development work that has been undertaken to date, and the role of the installed systems