Research on the automatic generation code for nuclear fuel reloading patterns in pressurized water-cooled reactors

Abednego Kristanto; Wang Kan; Peng Sitao

doi:10.21831/jeatech.v2i2.39922

Research on the automatic generation code for nuclear fuel reloading patterns in pressurized water-cooled reactors

Abednego Kristanto, Tsinghua University, China
Wang Kan, Tsinghua University, China
Peng Sitao, Tsinghua University, China

10.21831/jeatech.v2i2.39922

Abstract

A method for automated generation program for nuclear fuel reloading patterns in Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) has been developed. This newly-developed method consists of six different steps to minimize the maximum F_ΔH value, and maximize the reactor cycle length. Step 1 is initial fuel placement that is expected to produce the longest cycle length possible with the selected Fuel Assemblies (FAs) for the current cycle. Step 2 is aiming to decrease the F_ΔH value of the FA with the maximum F_ΔH. Step 3 aims to increase the F_ΔH value of the old FA with the lowest F_ΔH. Step 4 is rotating FA with the lowest F_ΔH value to increase its F_ΔH value, and rotating several old FAs in the neighboring FA with the maximum F_ΔH value to decrease the maximum F_ΔH value. Step 5 is aiming to increase the F_ΔH value of FA with the lowest F_ΔH value. The last step or step 6, will try to move FAs that have high k_∞ in the periphery zone, inward to increase the cycle length of the reactor. These steps are translated into code in the Python programming language to enable automatic execution in a computer. A 3D nuclear reactor core neutronic code, COCO, is used for the calculation of F_ΔH value and reactor cycle length. Every nuclear power plant designer company will have their F_ΔH peaking factor safety limit in accordance with their DNB experiments and calculations, and the F_ΔH value safety limit used in this research is 1.46. A PWR loading pattern model is used to test this method. During the test, all the steps in this method are successfully executed in a total of 25 iterations plus one initialization calculation and produced acceptable results. The results of this method are all of the loading patterns found in all steps which have the maximum F_ΔH value below the defined criterion values. In the mentioned PWR loading pattern model, four optimized loading patterns are found using this method, all of which can be selected in the PWR refueling loading pattern design.

Keywords

Optimization Method; Loading Pattern; PWR Refueling

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.21831/jeatech.v2i2.39922