Title: Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design

Abstract

Typical objectives of high-performance research reactors include neutron scattering, materials irradiation, and isotope production. The creation 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 determine 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.

Authors:

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Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:: Wed Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2019

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Material Management and Minimization (NA-23)

OSTI Identifier:: 1558535

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Nuclear Engineering and Design

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 352; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5493

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; Design optimization; High Flux Isotope Reactor; Response surface; Research reactor; LEU conversion

Citation Formats


                    Betzler, Benjamin R., Chandler, David, Cook, David H., Davidson, Eva E., and Ilas, Germina. Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167.

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                    Betzler, Benjamin R., Chandler, David, Cook, David H., Davidson, Eva E., & Ilas, Germina. Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167

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                    Betzler, Benjamin R., Chandler, David, Cook, David H., Davidson, Eva E., and Ilas, Germina. Wed .  
"Design optimization methods for high-performance research reactor core design".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1558535.

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@article{osti_1558535,

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

  author       = {Betzler, Benjamin R. and Chandler, David and Cook, David H. and Davidson, Eva E. and Ilas, Germina},

  abstractNote = {Typical objectives of high-performance research reactors include neutron scattering, materials irradiation, and isotope production. The creation 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 determine 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.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167},

  journal      = {Nuclear Engineering and Design},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 352,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2019},

  month        = {Wed Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2019}

}

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Journal Article:

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110167

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Figure 1: Visualization of the extrapolation method from two design studies.

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Figure 1 (p. 9)

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Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.

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