A preliminary analysis on optimization of core flow distribution. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Haipeng; Wang, Yan; Xie, Heng
• Is Part Of: Progress in nuclear energy. Volume 146(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Flow distribution -- Natural circulation -- Global optimization -- Simulated annealing algorithm; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 333.7924
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2022.104147
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-1970

Abstract

Abstract: Optimization of core flow distribution is closely related with thermal safety, and a good match between core flow distribution and power distribution in reactor core is helpful for the promotion of thermal-hydraulic design, especially for the reactor with natural circulation whose driving force is limited. Flow distribution can be contrived by the reasonable resistance arrangement of core inlet in reactor design. In this study, an automatic solution search algorithm on optimizing inlet resistance distribution of reactor core is designed and established, and also an automatic core flow distribution optimization code coupled with COBRAIIIC code is developed in place of the method by skill and experience of user. A natural circulation reactor is selected to be tested, and the results show that the coolant temperature difference of assembly channel outlets at a specific time point of fuel cycle life can be eliminated by optimizing the core flow distribution. Further, for the flow distribution optimization during fuel cycle life which could be regarded as a global optimization problem with range limits of independent variable, simulated annealing algorithm is applied to solve it. A good optimization result that the coolant temperature difference of the assembly flow channel outlets during a fuel cycle life is reduced effectively is obtained, which provides a support for further enhancement of reactor system performance.