SII 2009 Special Lectures
Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan        Sunday, November 29th, 2009
2009.11.20 updates

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Keynote Lecture 1 (11:00-12:00)                        

Integration of online instrumentation in nuclear reactors: dealing with constraints toward innovation
Jean-Francois VILLARD

 (Nuclear Energy Commission, Reactors Studies Division, CEA Cadarache, France)

Dr. VillardHead of Project Reactors Studies Department Nuclear Energy Division CEA Cadarache
Master's degree in Engineering, June 1996, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France
Fellow of the World Nuclear University - Summer Institute, 2006, Stockholm, Sweden
12 years of experience in measurement systems and nuclear instrumentation in CEA, successively in Pierrelatte, Saclay then Cadarache (South of France).
Head of Project, in charge of the coordination of Research and Development programs related to instrumentation for research reactors in the Nuclear Energy Division of CEA.
Initiator and now coordinator of the Joint Instrumentation Laboratory between CEA and SCKCEN (Belgium Research Centre for Nuclear Energy).
In charge of the development of in-pile measurement systems for the future Jules Horowitz Reactor (JHR) which will start operation in Cadarache in 2014.

Abstract:
If nuclear energy has definitely reached its maturity, it is still facing challenges. In particular, the assessment of material and fuel behaviour under radiation still requires support, and a continuous effort has to be followed to improve upstream research programs from “cook and look” irradiations toward highly instrumented experiments.
In the present context of nuclear renaissance, optimizing the life cycle of nuclear systems under safety constraints requires high-performance experimental programs to reduce the existing uncertainties on margins and limits.
In addition to improvement in modelling and simulation, innovation in instrumentation is crucial for analytical and integral experiments conducted in research reactors. These needs are particularly critical in Material Testing Reactors (MTRs), which are specifically dedicated to the assessment of nuclear radiation effects on material or fuel sample properties. Irradiations carried out in MTRs are essential phases in most scientific programs regarding nuclear technologies, such as research for the enhancement or qualification of nuclear fuels for current or future power reactors, the assessment of reactor materials ageing for lifetime increase studies, and in-pile tests of innovative devices for advanced reactors or material investigations.
The quality of nuclear research programs relies obviously on an excellent knowledge of their experimental environment which constantly calls for better online determination of neutron and gamma flux. But the combination of continuously increasing scientific requirements and new experimental domains –brought for example by Generation IV programs- necessitates also major innovations for in-pile measurements of temperature, dimensions, pressure or chemical analysis. For these reasons, significant efforts have been made recently in order to strengthen research and development activities regarding innovative reactor instrumentation.
However, the integration of online measurements in nuclear reactors meets strong constraints that can be illustrated by the following criteria:
- high reliability, because irradiated sensors cannot be replaced or repaired easily;
- very high accuracy, in order to satisfy continuously increasing scientific requirements;
- capability to operate in harsh nuclear environments (neutron flux and gamma radiation in MTRs can exceed respectively 4∙1018 n∙m-2∙s-1 and 15 kGy∙s-1);
- capability to operate in corrosive environments, such as pressurized water, liquid metals, or high-temperature gas;
- miniaturized sensors and cables in order to ensure a low intrusiveness, for instance when needed to be implemented in narrow irradiation devices without altering the nominal thermal conditions of the samples;
- safety management, involving redundancy and specific data analysis.
As a result, reactor instrumentation can somehow appear as a very conservative area where progresses need much time before being considered as proven technology and included in the operational practice.
Nevertheless, major progresses have recently been obtained in this field, such as implementation of optical and acoustical techniques in research reactors.
The main constraints encountered to integrate instrumentation in nuclear reactors will be described. An overview of the state-of-the-art and upcoming innovations for reactor measurements will also be proposed.
Key Words: reactor instrumentation, nuclear measurements, optics, acoustics

Keynote Lecture 2 (16:15-17:15)                   

A critical look at Model-Driven Engineering for complex (robot) control systems
Herman Bruyninckx

 (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Belgium )

Prof. BruyninckxDr. Bruyninckx (<http://people.mech.kuleuven.be/~bruyninc/>) obtained the Masters degrees in Mathematics (Licentiate, 1984), Computer Science (Burgerlijk Ingenieur, 1987) and Mechatronics (1988), all from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. In 1995 he obtained his Doctoral Degree in Engineering from the same university, with a thesis entitled ``Kinematic Models for Robot Compliant Motion with Identification of Uncertainties.''

He is full-time Professor at the K.U.Leuven, and held visiting research positions at the Grasp Lab of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (1996), the Robotics Lab of Stanford University (1999), and the Kungl Tekniska Hogskolan, Stockholm (2002). Since 2007, he is Coordinator of the European Robotics Research Network EURON (<http://www.euron.org>).

His current research interests are on-line Bayesian estimation of model uncertainties in sensor-based robot tasks, kinematics and dynamics of robots and humans, and the software engineering of large-scale robot control systems. In 2001, he started the Free Software ("open source") project Orocos (<http://www.orocos.org>), to support his research interests, and to facilitate their industrial exploitation.
 
Bayesian estimation is his core research activity, and has its focus on "realtime" design: the raw sensor measurements must be processed and interpreted in the context of the motion and interaction models fast enough in order to use them in the feedback control of the robot. The sensors and  models used in the "interactions" are mostly force sensors, distance sensors and cameras. The focus of the research activities shifts from the traditional industrial robotics applications to more biomechanical "robotic devices", looking for new application domains of the robotics signal processing and control expertise of the research group.

Abstract:
I have been working towards a comprehensive, large-scale (and open source) software ecosystem for robot control, on the basis of (i) the concepts and standards of Model-Driven Engineering, and (ii) the pragmatics of available software. In this talk, I will present my expectations of how MDE will be able to realize such ambitious software projects, as well as my "lessons learned" in this context.
 

Invited Lecture 1 (10:30-11:00)                         

System Integration for “Komatsu Dantotsu Products”
Ichiro Nakano

(Executive Officer, General Manager, System Development Center, Development Division, Komatsu Ltd.)

Dr. NakanoIchiro Nakano was born in Tokyo in 1959 and attended Waseda University for Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering.  He entered in Komatsu, a construction and mining equipment manufacturer in Japan, in 1982 and worked as one of the first engineers who introduced computerized control systems in construction equipment. Then he realized the importance to introduce computer software engineering methodologies in the control software development for higher quality and better productivity, and studied Computer Science for M.S. at University of California, Santa Barbara from 1989 to 1991.  Since then, he is a leading architect of computer control systems and IT systems in Komatsu, and currently is in charge of System Development Center in Hiratsuka city in Kanagawa.

Abstract:

Komatsu is a machine manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, and considered as one of the time-honored experts in hydraulic and power line control systems. Control systems have been evolved rapidly and provide various sophisticated features on machine. Now, we consider the evolution has reached a different phase by system integration.
Recently, Komatsu is described as not only a manufacturer of advanced machine products, but also a new value creator based on system integration.
I will introduce three major systems which heavily depend on system integration technologies, and as a result they differentiate Komatsu in the industry.
- KOMTRAX: global telematics system for construction machine.
- Autonomous Hauling System: unmanned huge mining dump truck control system
- Hybrid Excavator: world first mass-produced hybrid construction machine.

 

Invited Lecture 2 (15:45-16:15)                            

System Engineering in the development of Hybrid Car Prius
Shoichi SASAKI

(Keio University Graduate School of System Design and Management)

Prof. SasakiHe graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1974, and has master degree (Electrical Engineering).  He joined Toyota Motor corp., and was mainly involved in the research and development of Electric and Hybrid vehicle. His main research field is the application of power electronics to the vehicle. Through the contribution of the development of the Toyota Prius, and the related inventions, he received the award of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (2004), and also received the Technical Award from The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (1998).

Abstract:
System development of Hybrid Vehicle is described, comparing with the system engineering mothodology. Prius, the first mass production hybrid passenger car, is described as an example. From the view point of the Dual Vee Model which is proposed by Forsberg et al., the development model of hybrid vehicle can be recognized as an extended model of the Dual Vee. The management of the Prius development will also be mentioned.


© Copyright 2009 SII 2009 Organizing Committee