Qualification of Artificial Intelligence Systems for Nuclear Application

Abstract

Nuclear power is a reliable, low-carbon source of energy, and it can benefit significantly from the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI). By combining digital simulations of real nuclear facilities with AI systems, the industry can optimize complex procedures and improve reactor design, performance, and safety. Such optimization can increase the efficiency of operations and reduce maintenance costs. While the usage of AI applications in Nuclear Energy presents a lot of advantages, little has been done to explore how AI applications are qualified to be introduced into nuclear power plants (NPP). This paper derives the study of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard N290.14-15, Qualification of digital hardware and software for use in instrumentation and control applications for nuclear power plants. This Standard defines requirements for the process of qualification of digital hardware and software for use in instrumentation and control applications for NPPs. This following study presents and discusses the methodologies presented in the CSA standard, the challenges to having AI systems qualified for use, and possible solutions.