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​​​​​​​​Plant Fuel-Reload Optimization​​


Goal

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.​

Outcome

Researchers will develop an integrated platform that combines multiple tasks required for a fuel-reload analysis and includes fuel-pattern optimization. The integration removes manual data transfer between tasks, eliminating human-error, and the optimization capability allows for a reduced fuel-batch size. This 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 developed platform will be ready-for deployment to industry, providing utilities the option to perform fuel analyses in-house, independent from fuel vendors, an additional savings. This work will assist industry with the transition to accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs) because the developed framework and computational platform will be capable of performing evaluations of ATFs during both the licensing phase and normal plant operations.

Planned Major Accomplishments:​

  • ​2023—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 ATFs and 24-month refueling cycle, generic boiling-water reactors).

  • 2024—complete demonstration of ready-for-deployment framework to the industry, including equilibrium scenarios (i.e., normal plant operation).

  • 2025—prepare a topical report (TR) that demonstrates the framework and its capabilities, including all regulatory-required steps for a typical license-amendment request; support the TR review and approval process by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

 

Related Reports

 

 

Development of Plant Reload Optimization Platform Capabilities for Core Design and Fuel Performance Analysis, INL/RPT-22-70382269184The Plant Reload Optimization Platform development project aims to build a reactor core design tool that includes reactor safety and fuel performance analyses, and also uses artificial intelligence to support optimization of core design solutions.The Plant Reload Optimization Platform development project aims to build a reactor core design tool that includes reactor safety and fuel performance analyses, and also uses artificial intelligence to support optimization of core design solutions.12/14/2022 2:46:26 PMU.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy This information was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the U.S. Government The LWRS Program promotes a wide 29https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf
Development and Demonstration of a Risk-Informed Approach to the Regulatory Required Fuel Reload Safety Analysis, INL/RPT-22-6862853489Development and Demonstration of a Risk-Informed Approach to the Regulatory Required Fuel Reload Safety Analysis.Development and Demonstration of a Risk-Informed Approach to the Regulatory Required Fuel Reload Safety Analysis.8/22/2022 9:13:14 PMINL/RPT-22-68628 Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Development and Demonstration of a Risk-Informed Approach to the Regulatory Required Fuel Reload Safety Analysis August 71https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf
Demonstration of the Plant Fuel Reload Process Optimization for an Operating PWR, INL/EXT-21-64549234769Demonstration of the Plant Fuel Reload Process Optimization for an Operating PWR, INL/EXT-21-64549Demonstration of the Plant Fuel Reload Process Optimization for an Operating PWR, INL/EXT-21-645499/29/2021 4:12:16 PMU.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy This information was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the U.S. Government The LWRS Program is promoting a 212https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf
Development and Release of the Methods and Tools for Risk-Informed Asset Management, INL/EXT-21-63255152635Development and Release of the Methods and Tools for Risk-Informed Asset Management, INL/EXT-21-63255Development and Release of the Methods and Tools for Risk-Informed Asset Management, INL/EXT-21-632558/25/2021 2:48:40 PMINL/EXT-21-63255 Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Development and Release of the Methods and Tools for Risk-Informed Asset Management July 2021 U.S. Department of 278https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf
Integration of Data Analytics with Plant System Health Program, INL/EXT-20-59928200476Integration of Data Analytics with Plant System Health Program, INL-EXT-20-59928Integration of Data Analytics with Plant System Health Program, INL-EXT-20-599289/29/2020 10:57:36 PMINL/EXT-20-59928 Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Integration of Data Analytics with Plant System Health Program September 2020 U.S. Department of Energy Office 459https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf
RISA Plant Reload Process Optimization: Development of design basis accident methods for plant reload license optimization, INL/EXT-20-59614199544RISA Plant Reload Process Optimization: Development of design basis accident methods for plant reload license optimization, INL/EXT-20-59614RISA Plant Reload Process Optimization: Development of design basis accident methods for plant reload license optimization, INL/EXT-20-596149/1/2020 2:01:12 AMU.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy This information was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the U.S. Government Safety is a key parameter to all 266https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf
Industry Application Emergency Core Cooling System Cladding Accept Criteria Problem Statement, INL/EXT-15-3507355911Industry Application Emergency Core Cooling System Cladding Acceptance Criteria Problem Statement, INL/EXT-15-35073Industry Application Emergency Core Cooling System Cladding Acceptance Criteria Problem Statement, INL/EXT-15-350734/30/2015 6:38:33 PMCesare Frepoli, Joseph P Yurko, Gregg Swindlehurst, Hongbin Zhang, Haihua Zhao, Paul D Bayless This information was prepared as an 152https://lwrs.inl.gov/RiskInformed Safety Margin Characterization/Forms/AllItems.aspxpdfFalsepdf



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reactor core config.png

This graphic is an example of reactor core configuration. The project goal is to find the most optical configuration to improve fuel performance and reactor safety, and ultimately save costs due to reduction of new fuel volume.​​