New approach to the optimization of nuclear fuel cycle - application of the goal programming and the AHP

The front-end fuel cycle from mining to enrichment is in the maturity. Unlike the front-end fuel cycle, there are several pathways in the back-end fuel cycle. in this study five fuel cycle scenarios derived from a unique position in Korea of having a two-reactor programme of PWR and PHWR are proposed. In a selection of an optimal fuel cycle in a country, a number of attributes and factors that interact each other should be taken into account. Those factors to be considered in the study are categorized into two groups, one is tangible factor and the other is intangible factor. The major factors consist of minimizing fuel cycle cost, maximizing resource utilization, minimizing environmental impact and satisfying domestic and international politics. The long-term consequences of any decision for the back-end fuel cycle requires some sophisticated decision making tools. In this paper the Goal Programming method in combination with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied in the decision making process. The Goal Programming is a very useful decision making tool to solve complex and multi-objective problems. The AHP, a method of solving complex decision problems with multiple attributes or objectives shows the strength in measuring the preferences of the attributes. In the study, the AHP is used for quantification of the intangible factors of which the evaluation is done by a team of nuclear experts. A model for fuel cycle selection is established in accordance with the logic of the Goal Programming. Also an interactive computer program is developed to obtain a solution for the most optimal fuel cycle in Korea