RAFFIA Reliable Asic Fpgabased solutions For I

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RAFFIAReliable Asic / Fpga-based solutionsFor
Ic Applications Nguyen THUY, Patrick
SALAÜNEDF RD6 quai Watier78400 Chatou, FRANCE
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Summary

• Why use ASIC / FPGA?
• The RAFFIA project
• Questions?

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Why Use ASICs / FPGAs ?
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ASIC Technologies

• ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit
• Also covers FPGAs (Field Programmable Logic
  Arrays) and other types of PLDs (Programmable
  Logic Devices)
• Direct hardware implementation of functions,
  rather than software executed on a processor
• Drivers of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)
  for Information Technology (IT) purposes
• Integration of many complex functions on the same
  circuit
• Speed
• Low manufacturing costs for mass production
• But for IC applications, these are not
  priorities, so

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Why Use ASICs in IC Applications?

• Functional capacity equivalent to software-based
  technologies
• Direct implementation of control functions logic
• Replacement of components of existing , obsolete
  control systems (e.g., Motorola 6800)
• Simpler, more effective safety justification
• Simplicity, compared to software-based solutions
• Auxiliary functions can be designed so that they
  will not interfere with the main functions
• E.g., self-monitoring
• Cost-effectiveness
• Installation can be cheaper than for classical
  PLCs
• Can be made to cope with existing cabinets,
  cabling, power supplies, HVAC
• Greater potential for applications portability
• Allows components (circuits or boards)
  replacements
• As opposed to whole systems replacement
• Note an ASIC is only a part of a control system
• Some safety properties may involve devices
  external to the ASIC
• System level safety properties need to be
  projected on the ASIC

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Example 1 Circuit Level ReplacementsCloning
of Obsolete µ-Processors

• At COGEMA (AREVA)
• Obsolescence of the 3 µ-processors of Control
  Baileys µZ
• At EdF (1300 MW series)
• Motorolas MC 6800 is used in many different
  types of boards
• Controbloc 4 board types, 18 000 boards for the
  whole series (plus spares)
• SPIN 2 board types, 1000 boards for the whole
  series (plus spares)
• Cloning the MC 6800 pin-to-pin might be a much
  cheaper solution than the replacement of the
  concerned IC systems (estimated cost reduction
  80)
• Advanced studies, just in case the current
  solution (storage of sufficient spares) would fail

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Example 2 Board Level ReplacementsABRM
(Asic-Based Replacement Modules)
The ASIC-based replacement modules preserve the
current architecture of the Westinghouse 7300
System. They are primarily board-for-board,
pin-for-pin replacements that can be adapted to
particular applications by the means of daughter
boards
ASIC
Application-specific daughter board
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Example 3 System Level ReplacementsToshibas
FPGA-based Platform

• Suitable for safety-related applications
• Topical report and generic pre-qualification will
  be submitted for NRC review
• Current applications
• Power Range Monitor (PRM)
• Trip signal based on the measurement of neutron
  flux
• 4 sub-functions Local Power Range Monitor
  (LPRM), Average Power Range Monitor (APRM),
  Recirculation Flow Measurement, Rod Block Monitor
  (RBM)
• Trip Module (TM)
• Trip signal based on measurement of other plant
  parameters
• At at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Unit 6 (BWR)

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Comparison of Software- and ASIC-based Solutions
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Portability of Applications
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The RAFFIA Project
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RAFFIAReliable ASIC / FPGA-based solutions For
IC Applications

• RD project
• EdF RD and UVa-CSIS (Center for Semi-custom
  Integrated Systems)
• Launched in 2002
• First phase (RAFFIA 1) ends spring 2006
• First phase objectives
• Safety classified ASIC-based systems
• Correctness of design
• Formal verification
• Fault tolerance
• Now defining objectives of second phase (RAFFIA
  2)
• Raffia the fiber of the raffia palm used
  especially for tying plants and making baskets
  and hats

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Typical Architecture of ASIC-based Platforms
ASIC
Platform X
Basic Logic (Elementary Functions,Execution
Engine)
Platform Y
Non-ASIC Devices
Note Particular Basic Logic modules may depend
on non-ASIC devices
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Multi-Tier Qualification Process
Non-ASIC Devices
Validation of Applications
Pre-qualification of Generic Platform(s)
Verification of Basic Logic
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Safety / Dependability Properties

• Correctness and completeness of specifications
  wrt real needs
• Including specification of failure modes
• Correctness of design with respect to
  specifications
• Hardware qualification
• Ambient conditions, EMI, aging, ...
• Conformance of manufactured items to design
• Fault tolerance
• Modifiability over lifetime

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Questions?