Optimization of Control Rod Programming and Loading Pattern in Multiregion Nuclear Reactor by the Method of Approximation Programming

A nonlinear programming technique was applied to a one-dimensional multiregion slab reactor to optimize control rod programming and fuel loading pattern simultaneously. Original equations and constraints which were continuous in space and time were discretized and further linearized to use linear programming repeatedly. Numerical results were confirmed by the previously developed two-region burnup space theory. Furthermore, the more quantitative evaluation of burnup optimization and the determination of more realistic control rod programming became possible by the increased degree of control freedom.