PROCEDURE FOR ESTABLISHING A MODEL FOR LOADING FUEL SETS IN THE NUCLEUS OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR.

摘要

Procedure to establish a load model of fuel assemblies in the core of a nuclear reactor. All possible load models for the core of a nuclear reactor are searched and optimized to meet design constraints. The fuel inventory is divided into a few batches according to the gross reactivity levels. A recursive enumeration procedure identifies models that meet the selected core position restrictions, which can be modified by the user to adjust the size of the search space. For batch loading models satisfy the restrictions, the lots are divided into several smaller lots. A sensitivity matrix that linearizes the relationship between the position of the fuel assembly and the depletion model is processed by means of a mixed integer linear programming with branching and joining to identify an optimal child load model. The procedure is repeated through several levels of batch refinement and selecting the optimal child models, which include a level at which fuel absorbers are assigned to the feed assemblies, until the level of individual fuel assembly is reached. The many remaining optimal models provide a range of solutions.