Response surface methodology control rod position optimization of a pressurized water reactor core considering both high safety and low energy dissipation

Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is introduced to optimize the control rod positions in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) core. The widely used 3D-IAEA benchmark problem is selected as the typical PWR core and the neutron flux field is solved. Besides, some additional thermal parameters are assumed to obtain the temperature distribution. Then the total and local entropy production is calculated to evaluate the energy dissipation. Using RSM, three directions of optimization are taken, which aim to determine the minimum of power peak factor P_max, peak temperature T_max and total entropy production S_tot. These parameters reflect the safety and energy dissipation in the core. Finally, an optimization scheme was obtained, which reduced P_max, T_max and S_tot by 23%, 8.7% and 16%, respectively. The optimization results are satisfactory.