To develop an integrated platform that uses state-of-the art computational and modeling techniques and integrates all tasks required for plant fuel-reload into one automated process.
Development of an artificial intelligence (e.g., genetic algorithm) automatized reactor core designing platform plug-and-play type with various physics simulation tools.
Multiphysics simulation with feedback from system analysis and fuel performance including uncertainty analysis.
Researchers will develop an integrated platform that combines tasks for a fuel-reload analysis and fuel-pattern optimization. The integrated platform removes manual data transfer between tasks, eliminating human-error, and the optimization capability allows for reduced fuel-batch size. This integrated platform also allows the transition from a deterministic approach to transient and accident analyses to a probabilistic (risk-informed) approach. The risk-informed approach to safety evaluations will enable additional reductions in fuel-batch size. The integrated platform will be ready for deployment to industry, giving utilities the option to perform fuel analyses in-house, independent from fuel vendors, which will provide additional savings. This work will assist industry with the transition to accident-tolerant fuels because the developed integrated platform and computational platform will be capable of performing evaluations of accident-tolerant fuels during both the licensing phase and normal plant operations.
Complete an economic benefit assessment for the new fuel-management plan and extend the framework's capabilities to other core configurations (i.e., pressurized water reactors with accident-tolerant fuelsand 24-month refueling cycle, generic boiling-water reactors).
Complete demonstration of ready for deployment framework to the industry, including equilibrium scenarios (i.e., normal plant operation).
Prepare a topical report that demonstrates the framework and its capabilities, including regulatory-required steps for a typical license-amendment request. Support the topical report review and approval process by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
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