Practicality of and Benefits from the Applications of Optimal Control to Pressurized Water Reactor Maneuvers

Optimal control techniques can be classified into four categories: heuristic, variational, dynamic programming, and functional analysis. The heuristic method is an intuitive or “common sense” approach. The others rely on developing system models and mathematically defining a “performance index.” Some heuristic methods have been applied to operating reactors to date. Excessive fuel rod failure, unscheduled power cutbacks, inability to follow the load demand, excessive borated waste water generation, and operator inefficiency are some of the operational problems encountered today that could be at least partially ameliorated with more sophisticated optimal control techniques. To improve the effectiveness of optimal control methods, once they are implemented, certain changes in the control system design and operation are recommended. In-core detector analysis times need to be significantly reduced. A fuel failure monitor/predictor should be implemented. Control rod bank insertion programming and soluble boron control system design may be reconsidered. Improved flexibility in core-averaged temperature control is recommended. Finally, to accommodate the fast and accurate simulation of the plant and the incorporation of the optimal control programs, the plant computer system needs to be considerably upgraded.