Reliability-based robust design optimization of gap size of annular nuclear fuels using kriging and inverse distance weighting methods

ABSTRACT

In this study, the design optimization of the gap size of annular nuclear fuels used in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) was performed. For this, thermoelastic–plasticity–creep (TEPC) analysis of PWR annular fuels was carried out using an in-house code to investigate the performance of nuclear fuels. Surrogate models based on the kriging and inverse distance weighting models were generated using computational performance data based on optimal Latin hypercube design. Using these surrogate models, the gap size of PWR annular fuel was deterministically optimized using the micro-genetic algorithm to improve the heat transfer efficiency and maintain a lower level of stress. Reliability-based design optimization and reliability-based robust design optimization were conducted to satisfy target reliability and secure the robustness of the PWRs’ performance. The optimal gap size was validated through TEPC analysis and the optimum solutions were compared according to the approximate method and reliability index.

KEYWORDS:

• Pressurized water reactor (PWR)
• annular nuclear fuel
• thermoelastic–plasticity–creep (TEPC)
• inverse distance weighting (IDW)
• reliability-based robust design optimization (RBRDO)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research is supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning [grant number 2017R1A2B4009606]; and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE) of the Republic of Korea [grant number 20163030024420].