**4.1 Hardware architecture**

The hardware requirements are exemplified in Figure 11, where there are four PC interconnected through a fast Ethernet local area network. Each PC must have the processor and memory required to execute the simulator smoothly, and to support high processing demand functions like execution faster than real-time. The monitors of the operator consoles must be of a similar size of the ones in the actual power plant. In the case of the Figure 11, the configuration depicts monitors of 20" and 50". During the training session, the trainee

Fig. 11. Hardware architecture.

can use any one of his consoles to supervise and control any process of the power plant. The instructor console is provided with two monitors, hence, besides of using the instructor functions described previously, he can display any screen of the operator consoles with the purpose of watching any operative action carried out by the trainee. In many architectures of simulators is common to find an additional PC, the maintenance station (not shown in Figure 11), which serves as a backup if the instructor console fails or as a test station, this means that any software modification is tested and validated in this station before any change is carried out in the simulator.
