BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020: A Comprehensive Guide to Safety-Critical HDL-Programmed Integrated Circuits in Nuclear Power Plants

In the ever-evolving world of nuclear power, safety is paramount. The BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 standard is a crucial document that provides detailed guidelines for the development of HDL-programmed integrated circuits, specifically designed for instrumentation and control systems that are vital to the safety of nuclear power plants. This standard is essential for professionals in the nuclear industry who are responsible for ensuring the reliability and safety of these critical systems.

Overview of the Standard

The BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 standard, released on December 14, 2020, is a comprehensive document spanning 64 pages. It is part of a series of standards that focus on the development and implementation of high-level design (HDL) programmed integrated circuits within nuclear power plants. These circuits are integral to systems performing category B or C functions, which are crucial for maintaining the safety and operational integrity of nuclear facilities.

Key Features and Benefits

• Standard Number: BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020
• ISBN: 978 0 539 16331 5
• Status: Standard
• Pages: 64
• Release Date: December 14, 2020

Ensuring Safety and Reliability

This standard is designed to ensure that HDL-programmed integrated circuits used in nuclear power plants meet the highest safety and reliability standards. By adhering to the guidelines set forth in this document, engineers and developers can create systems that are robust, reliable, and capable of performing essential safety functions under a variety of conditions.

Comprehensive Guidelines

The BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 standard provides comprehensive guidelines for the entire lifecycle of HDL-programmed integrated circuits, from initial design and development to testing and implementation. This ensures that every aspect of the circuit's functionality is thoroughly evaluated and optimized for safety and performance.

Focus on Category B and C Functions

One of the key focuses of this standard is on systems performing category B or C functions. These functions are critical to the safety and operational integrity of nuclear power plants, and the standard provides detailed guidance on how to develop and implement circuits that can reliably perform these functions.

Why Choose BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020?

Choosing the BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 standard means choosing a document that is at the forefront of safety and reliability in the nuclear power industry. This standard is recognized internationally and is used by professionals around the world to ensure that their systems meet the highest safety standards.

International Recognition

As part of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards, the BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 is recognized globally. This means that by adhering to this standard, your systems will meet international safety and reliability requirements, making it easier to collaborate with partners and stakeholders worldwide.

Expertly Crafted Guidelines

The guidelines provided in this standard have been expertly crafted by leading professionals in the field of nuclear power and safety. This ensures that the information is not only accurate but also practical and applicable to real-world scenarios.

Future-Proof Your Systems

By following the BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 standard, you can future-proof your systems against potential safety and reliability issues. The standard is designed to be adaptable to new technologies and methodologies, ensuring that your systems remain at the cutting edge of safety and performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 standard is an essential resource for anyone involved in the development and implementation of HDL-programmed integrated circuits in nuclear power plants. With its comprehensive guidelines and international recognition, this standard is a valuable tool for ensuring the safety and reliability of critical systems. By choosing this standard, you are choosing to prioritize safety, reliability, and excellence in the nuclear power industry.

BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020

This standard BS EN IEC 62566-2:2020 Nuclear power plants. Instrumentation and control systems important to safety. Development of HDL-programmed integrated circuits is classified in these ICS categories:

• 27.120.20 Nuclear power plants. Safety

This part of IEC 62566 provides requirements for achieving highly reliable HDL-Programmed Devices (HPDs), for use in I&C systems of nuclear power plants performing functions of safety category B or C as defined by IEC 61226.

The programming of HPDs relies on Hardware Description Languages (HDL) and related software tools. They are typically based on blank Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) or similar micro-electronic technologies such as Programmable Logic Devices (PLD), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), etc. General purpose integrated circuits such as microprocessors are not HPDs. Annex B.8 provides descriptions of a number of different types of integrated circuits.

This document provides requirements on:

1. a dedicated HPD life-cycle addressing each phase of the development of HPDs, including specification of requirements, design, implementation, integration and validation, as well as verification activities associated with each phase,

2. planning and complementary activities such as modification and production,

3. selection of pre-developed components. This includes micro-electronic technologies and Pre-Developed Blocks (PDBs),

4. tools used to design, implement and verify HPDs.

This document does not put requirements on the development of the micro-electronic technologies, which are usually available as "commercial off-the-shelf" items and are not developed under nuclear quality assurance standards. It addresses the developments made with these micro-electronic technologies in an I&C project with HDLs and related tools.

This document provides guidance to avoid as far as possible latent faults remaining in HPDs, and to reduce the susceptibility to single failures as well as to potential Common Cause Failures (CCFs).

Reliability aspects related to environmental qualification and failures due to ageing or physical degradation are not handled in this document. Other standards, especially IEC 60987, IEC/IEEE 60780-323 and IEC 62342, address these topics.

This document does not cover cybersecurity for HDL aspects of I&C systems. IEC 62645 provides requirements for security programmes for I&C programmable digital systems.

This document provides guidance and requirements to produce verifiable HPD designs and implementations requiring justification due for their role in carrying out category B or C safety functions. This document describes the activities to develop HPDs, organized in the framework of a dedicated life-cycle. It also describes activities and guidelines to be used in addition to the requirements of IEC 61226 for system classification and IEC 61513 for system integration and validation when HPDs are included.