Optimal Operational Strategy in Nuclear Fuel Management

Digital computer methods are suggested to solve typical utility problems associated with nuclear fuel management, such as

1. design or long-term planning: fuel enrichment, batch size selection, fuel reinsertions, planned exposure stretch-out
2. operation or short-term planning: unplanned stretch-out, advanced/postponed refueling or power reductions during the cycle to overcome high peak load periods.

The goal is to minimize the total kWh cost, taking into account the fuel assembly purchase price, the resale value of the recovered products, the replacement energy cost, interest charges, and savings arising from exposure stretch-out. Dynamic programming based on the Bellman principle has been applied to achieve optimization. The economic prospects appear quite promising: a saving of up to $500 000/year may be achieved for a 800-MW(e) nuclear power plant.