ITERATIVE SOLUTION TO THE OPTIMAL POISON MANAGEMENT PROBLEM IN PRESSURIZED WATER-REACTORS

In this paper an iterative method based on a nonlinear programming algorithm for computing the optimal time and spatial dependence of neutron poisons in a multiregion pressurized water reactor (PWR) is presented, and results are obtained for a simple three-region model of an operating reactor. In this method, constraints on both the power peaking and on the quantities of poison material in each region of the reactor are explicitly included. Soluble boron, used for shim control in PWRs, is treated independently of other types of poisons present in the reactor.