Sequential optimal control of the nuclear fuel reload mechanism

Abstract

The BN-800 reactor overload system is designed to overload fuel assemblies and consists of a set of nodes that provide guidance for the reload mechanism at given coordinates, grabbing, lifting, lowering and rotating assemblies. On the throat of the BN-800 reactor there are three rotary plugs, the smaller of which is located inside the middle one and the middle one inside the large one. On a smaller tube placed the capture mechanism of the fuel assembly. The plugs, which are the reactor cover, perform the role of thermal and biological protection, as well as, guide the reload mechanism to the given coordinates of the core in order to capture the fuel assembly and move it to the required zone with the given coordinates. In this paper, we will consider the problem of minimal-time cast a gripper located on a smaller traffic jam to a given fuel assembly, assuming that the traffic jams will turn in series and at each moment only one traffic jam can be turned. The solution of such a task will contribute to the reduction of the stopping time of the power unit for carrying out operations on refueling. For this problem, a mathematical model was constructed to describe the movement of three connected plugs. Based on that, an algorithm for constructing optimal control was proposed considering given assumptions. © 2019 Author(s).