Optimization analysis of HTR-PM600 fresh fuel transport container under multiple impact loading conditions

Abstract

Reliable transportation of Spherical Fuel Element (SFE) is vital for the stable operation of a High-Temperature Reactor (HTR) power plant. As a solution, Tsinghua University has developed the HTR-PM600 transport container, for transporting the inner storage canister and the SFEs. However, the cost of fabrication and transportation has been a major obstacle for the implementation of it. Thus, one of the most feasible methods is to make a lightweight design. Accordingly, this present study aims to investigate and optimize the lightweight and safety performance of the HTR-PM600 transport container under multiple impact loading conditions. In this study, the parametric study is conducted to reveals the effect of the thickness of HTR-PM600 transport container components under multiple impact loading conditions. On the basis, the ε-Constraint method coupled with the Taguchi method is utilized to explore the optimal design of HTR-PM600 transport container for multi-objective optimization for lightweight and safety performance, which is verified through a comparison between the initial and optimal design. The optimal design presents a superior safety performance and a 15.7% improvement on lightweight under multiple impact loading conditions.