In-core fuel management using genetic algorithms

The vast majority of nuclear reactors are operated in cycles, i.e. they must be periodically refueled due to fuel depletion. The refueling outage is a complicated and expensive procedure that usually necessitates halting the reactor and opening the core pressure vessel. The fuel depletion is not homogeneously distributed throughout the core and usually most depleted fuel assemblies are replaced during refueling. The fresh fuel assemblies, together with the remaining depleted fuel assemblies, are rearranged to form a new core configuration (loading pattern). The new core configuration must maximize the energy production until the subsequent refueling outage (long cycle) while still satisfying all safety limitations and operational constraints. The problem of in-core fuel loading pattern optimization is of great importance for electricity utilities, and the successful application of modern evolutionary algorithms for solving such problems is only just beginning