The optimum design of tight lattice reactor core with thin rod bundles

The fuel height, rod diameter, pitch, and the loading pattern are all important parameters in the reactor core design process. Based on the analysis of the core performance, optimization calculation is performed on the three objective functions of ABV-6M reactor, i.e., power density, coolant temperature difference between the inlet and outlet, and flow-induced vibration are proposed for optimization calculation. Then a multi-objective problem (MOP) model is applied and computed optimally by non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) with the aim of maximizing power density and temperature difference as well as minimizing the flow-induced vibration. The results of optimal designs called ‘Pareto-optimal solutions’ are a set of multiple optimum solutions, from which the final optimization can be chosen after sensitivity analysis is performed. On the basis of lattice parameters optimization, the radial one-dimensional fuel loading pattern was optimized for achieving the optimum fuel utilization. The typical optimum design considered to be safe in a verification check showed that tight lattice effectively improved the reactor performances and saved the fuel consumption.

► Focus on lattice parameter and loading pattern optimization. ► Lattice parameters are optimized by NSGA-II. ► Loading pattern is optimized by backward diffusion theory. ► The optimum solution is checked for safety. ► The tight lattice effectively improved the core performances and saved fuel utilization.