Verification of Optimal Control Strategy Search Using a Simplest 3-D PWR Xenon Oscillation Simulator

Power spatial oscillations due to the transient xenon spatial distribution are well known as xenon oscillation in large PWRs. When the reactor size becomes larger than the current design, then even radial oscillations can be also divergent. Even if the radial oscillation is convergent, when some control rods malfunction occurs, it is necessary to suppress the oscillation in as short time as possible. In such cases, optimal control strategy is required. Generally speaking the optimality search based on the modern control theory requires a lot of calculation for the evaluation of state variables. In the case of control rod malfunctions the xenon oscillation could be three dimensional. In such case, direct core calculations would be inevitable. From this point of view a very simple model, only four point reactor model, has been developed and verified. In this paper, an example of a procedure and the validity of the results for optimal control strategy search are presented by comparing it with the result by a three dimensional nuclear design code The simplest simulator can predict optimal strategy in less than 10 seconds on a PC. Thus it is recommended that a strategy generator, which is quick in analyzing and easy to use, might be installed in a monitoring system or in an operator guiding system. (author)