First Workshop on The Applications of FPGAs in Nuclear Power Plants 8 10 October 200 EdF, RD, Chatou, France

1. First Workshop on The Applications of FPGAs in Nuclear Power Plants8 – 10 October 200 EdF, R&D, Chatou, France Interest in FPGA/ASIC technologyfor I&C systems in NPP

2. October, 8th 2008 First Workshop on The Applications of FPGAs in Nuclear Power Plants 2 Evolution of the I&C systems up to now Dedicated hardware-based ? assembling (wiring or printed circuits) elementary logic or analog components ? basic components easily understandablefailure modes, effects and criticality are assessable,testable and maintainable ? adding functions needs adding hardware ? redesign Software-based ? writing software programs supported by modular and standardized hardware ? can pack as many functions as needed ? complex components (microprocessor) and system software layer are difficult to qualify and maintain in the long term (commercial lifetime)

3. October, 8th 2008 First Workshop on The Applications of FPGAs in Nuclear Power Plants 3 Programmable logic hardware : a solution for next I&C generation ? Dedicated hardware: sustainability problems ? cost of designing and maintaining dedicated hardware becomes prohibitive (ageing, basic components availability from the supply chains, new functional needs) Software-based: trouble with undue complexity ? ? ever increasing performance of integrated circuits (Moore’s law) ? quicker obsolescence ? technology is driven by other high-tech, mass-market products ? unnecessary functions need to be addressed in the safety case ? Develop application functions by writing hardware configuration descriptions to be implemented in programmable logic hardware components such as Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)

4. October, 8th 2008 First Workshop on The Applications of FPGAs in Nuclear Power Plants 4 Programmable logic hardware: potential use in I&C systems for NPP The Utility point of view - Refurbishment scenarios: dedicated hardware-based electronic boards ? pack existing designs in simplified hardware, implementing the same function software-based programmed logic electronic boards? implement in FPGA the Intellectual Property core of popular 8 or 16 bits obsolete microprocessors to execute the qualified existing software The Motorola MC6800 microprocessor … … and its prototype « clone » based on an 6800 IP developed by EDF R&D and assessed by DS&S The I&C supplier point of view Provide design solutions which do not stick to the microprocessor market

5. October, 8th 2008 First Workshop on The Applications of FPGAs in Nuclear Power Plants 5 Programmable logic hardware : Expected properties Reliability of integrated circuits for design and manufacturing processes of the I&C components Long term availability based on a limited set of components (family) that can be used to implement a large variety of electronic functions Ability to move of functions to technology « du jour » when necessary, with limited effort (portability thanks to the use of standard languages such as Verilog or VHDL ) Current capacity (number of cells) can accommodate all required functions as well as robust design architectures Only the necessary functions have to be implemented in the hardware component Ability to be used in Safety applications in the nuclear field