Optimization studies of fuel loading pattern for a typical Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) using particle swarm method

► Development of a 3D multi group computer model for pressurized water reactor (PWR). ► Particle swarm optimization method is used in the model for finding the optimum fuel loading pattern. ► A typical PWR core is analyzed using this computer model for two cycles. ► The results are not very sensitive to either number of particles or iterations used. ► A number of experiments have to be performed to arrive at the best global fitness. A three dimensional multi-energy group computer model PRISHA, which solves the neutron diffusion equations using finite difference method is developed for Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). This computer code can find an optimum loading of a group of fresh fuel assemblies along with fuel assemblies of different exposures. The successive line over relaxation (SLOR) method is used to solve neutron diffusion equations. After validation of this part of computer code against an IAEA – PWR benchmark problem with 177 fuel assemblies in the core, particle swarm optimization (PSO) method is incorporated in the code for finding the optimum fuel loading pattern. A typical PWR core with 157 fuel assemblies, where 289 fuel pins are arranged in 17 × 17 rectangular arrays in a fuel assembly, was analyzed using this computer model for two cycles using PSO method. Different numbers of particles and iterations were used in PSO method. The results are found to be not very sensitive to either the number of particles or the number of iterations used in PSO method for considered case. However, a number of experiments have to be performed to arrive at the best global fitness parameter. Reasonably low power peaking factors were obtained for both the cycles.