Title: Multi-objective optimisation of the fuel element plate of an Egyptian research reactor using genetic algorithms

Authors: Wesam Zakaria Ibrahim, Mohamed El-sayed Wahed

Addresses: Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt. ' Mathematics Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

Abstract: The Second Egyptian Research Nuclear Reactor, ET-RR-2, went critical on 27 November 1997. The National Center of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control has the responsibility of evaluating and assessing the safety of this reactor. The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to the optimisation of the Fuel Element (FE) plate. For an efficient search through the solution space, we use a Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA), which allows us to identify a set of Pareto optimal solutions that provides the decision maker with the complete spectrum of optimal solutions with respect to the various targets. The aim of this paper is to propose a new approach for optimising the FE plate in the Second Egyptian Research Nuclear Reactor. The FE plate is designed with a view to improve reliability and lifetime, and it is one of the most important elements during the shutdown. In this paper, we present a conceptual design approach for the FE plate, in conjunction with a genetic algorithm to obtain a fuel plate that maximises the fitness value to optimise the safety design of the fuel plate.

Keywords: genetic algorithms; GAs; nondominated sorting; fuel element plates; Egypt; research reactors; nuclear reactor; nuclear energy; nuclear power; multi-objective optimisation; nuclear safety; conceptual design; fuel plate design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2008.020538

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2008 Vol.4 No.2, pp.165 - 177

Published online: 29 Sep 2008 *

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