Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design

Benjamin R. Betzler; D. Chandler; David H. Cook; E. E. Davidson; Germina Ilas

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167

Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design

Benjamin R. Betzler, D. Chandler, David H. Cook, E. E. Davidson, Germina Ilas

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Common objectives of high-performance research reactors include neutron scattering, materials irradiation, and isotope production. The design of a core that optimizes these multiple objectives often presents a multidimensional (i.e., in design space), multiobjective optimization problem. The developed systematic approach discussed herein draws on response surface methodology to validate and leverage a surrogate model to serve in place of high-fidelity computational analyses. Optimization and design analysis methods leverage this surrogate model to provide a flexible tool for generating optimized designs and understanding the impact of design decisions on desired metrics. In applications to High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) low-enriched uranium (LEU) core designs, neutronic, isotopic evolution, and thermal hydraulic analyses are used to generate key performance and safety metrics for assessing the feasibility and fitness of given designs. Three optimized designs that consider different desired metrics and constraints (e.g., key metric weighting and fabrication constraints) are presented, providing potential design options that satisfy the requirements for HFIR's conversion from high enriched uranium to LEU fuel.

Original language	English
Article number	110167
Journal	Nuclear Engineering and Design
Volume	352
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167
State	Published - Oct 2019

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration , Office of Material Management and Minimization , and the ORNL Research Reactors Division . The authors would also like to thank the Shift development team (T.M. Pandya, G.G. Davidson, and S.R. Johnson) for support with the tool. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan ).

Keywords

Design optimization
High Flux Isotope Reactor
LEU conversion
Research reactor
Response surface

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10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167

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title = "Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design",

abstract = "Common objectives of high-performance research reactors include neutron scattering, materials irradiation, and isotope production. The design of a core that optimizes these multiple objectives often presents a multidimensional (i.e., in design space), multiobjective optimization problem. The developed systematic approach discussed herein draws on response surface methodology to validate and leverage a surrogate model to serve in place of high-fidelity computational analyses. Optimization and design analysis methods leverage this surrogate model to provide a flexible tool for generating optimized designs and understanding the impact of design decisions on desired metrics. In applications to High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) low-enriched uranium (LEU) core designs, neutronic, isotopic evolution, and thermal hydraulic analyses are used to generate key performance and safety metrics for assessing the feasibility and fitness of given designs. Three optimized designs that consider different desired metrics and constraints (e.g., key metric weighting and fabrication constraints) are presented, providing potential design options that satisfy the requirements for HFIR's conversion from high enriched uranium to LEU fuel.",

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AU - Chandler, D.

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AU - Ilas, Germina

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N2 - Common objectives of high-performance research reactors include neutron scattering, materials irradiation, and isotope production. The design of a core that optimizes these multiple objectives often presents a multidimensional (i.e., in design space), multiobjective optimization problem. The developed systematic approach discussed herein draws on response surface methodology to validate and leverage a surrogate model to serve in place of high-fidelity computational analyses. Optimization and design analysis methods leverage this surrogate model to provide a flexible tool for generating optimized designs and understanding the impact of design decisions on desired metrics. In applications to High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) low-enriched uranium (LEU) core designs, neutronic, isotopic evolution, and thermal hydraulic analyses are used to generate key performance and safety metrics for assessing the feasibility and fitness of given designs. Three optimized designs that consider different desired metrics and constraints (e.g., key metric weighting and fabrication constraints) are presented, providing potential design options that satisfy the requirements for HFIR's conversion from high enriched uranium to LEU fuel.

AB - Common objectives of high-performance research reactors include neutron scattering, materials irradiation, and isotope production. The design of a core that optimizes these multiple objectives often presents a multidimensional (i.e., in design space), multiobjective optimization problem. The developed systematic approach discussed herein draws on response surface methodology to validate and leverage a surrogate model to serve in place of high-fidelity computational analyses. Optimization and design analysis methods leverage this surrogate model to provide a flexible tool for generating optimized designs and understanding the impact of design decisions on desired metrics. In applications to High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) low-enriched uranium (LEU) core designs, neutronic, isotopic evolution, and thermal hydraulic analyses are used to generate key performance and safety metrics for assessing the feasibility and fitness of given designs. Three optimized designs that consider different desired metrics and constraints (e.g., key metric weighting and fabrication constraints) are presented, providing potential design options that satisfy the requirements for HFIR's conversion from high enriched uranium to LEU fuel.

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Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design

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