Optimal Design of a Reflected-Core Nuclear Reactor

Optimal results are presented for the design of a reflected-core spherical reactor. Complete model development is given. The result is a highly nonlinear system with 2 equality and 13 inequality constraints. Substantial savings in core and reflector materials are indicated; from this, investigation for similar savings in more complex models of present-day reactors (cylindrical core, multigroup theory) is suggested. Because of the model complexity and nonlinearity, a special direct-search algorithm based on the Flexible Tolerance Search was developed, reference [1].