Description of mathematical models and computer programs

The paper gives a description of mathematical models and computer programs for analysing possible strategies for spent fuel management, with emphasis on economic analysis. The computer programs developed, describe the material flows, facility construction schedules, capital investment schedules and operating costs for the facilities used in managing the spent fuel. The computer programs use a combination of simulation and optimization procedures for the economic analyses. Many of the fuel cycle steps (such as spent fuel discharges, storage at the reactor, and transport to the RFCC) are described in physical and economic terms through simulation modeling, while others (such as reprocessing plant size and commissioning schedules, interim storage facility commissioning schedules etc.) are subjected to economic optimization procedures to determine the approximate lowest-cost plans from among the available feasible alternatives