Adjoint-based mesh optimization method: The development and application for nuclear fuel analysis

Seongmin Son, Jeong Ik Lee

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

A suitable global optimization method for optimizing mesh distribution for the safety analysis of a nuclear power plant is proposed. The proposed method uses adjoint based optimization method. The developed method is applied to a nuclear fuel representing the average core. Coolant temperature is given as boundary condition of the problem. In-house 1D Finite Differential Method (FDM) solver while neglecting the axial conduction is used to obtain numerical solutions. Control variables for optimization was fuel radial and axial node distributions. The fuel radial node optimization is first performed to match the Fuel Centerline Temperature (FCT) with fine meshing’s result as much as possible. Also, the fuel axial node optimization was followed to match closely with the Peak Cladding Temperature (PCT) of the fine meshing’s result. With no surprise, the optimized mesh system provides good agreement with the fine mesh’s results. The optimized mesh system performs superior than the same number of uniformly meshed system. The generality of the optimized mesh was observed. The optimized mesh still performs well with different conditions such as change of volumetric heat generation or coolant temperature. The authors applied the optimized mesh distribution to existing nuclear system analysis code MARS-KS. A large pressurized water reactor APR-1400 cold leg guillotine break (LBLOCA) scenario was analyzed with different mesh systems. From the view point of blowdown peak of both PCT and FCT and reflood quench front, the authors confirmed that the optimized mesh system can give closer result with the fine mesh systems than the uniformly distributed mesh system.

Original languageEnglish
StatePublished - 2017
Event17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH 2017 - Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
Duration: 3 Sep 20178 Sep 2017

Conference

Conference17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH 2017
Country/TerritoryChina
CityXi'an, Shaanxi
Period3/09/178/09/17

Keywords

  • Adjoint method
  • FCT
  • LBLOCA
  • MARS-KS
  • Mesh distribution
  • PCT

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Adjoint-based mesh optimization method: The development and application for nuclear fuel analysis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this