RELIABILITY BASED OPTIMIZATION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION OF FRONTLINE SYSTEMS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS USING MULTI-OBJECTIVE APPROACH

Abstract

Technical Specifications define the limiting conditions of operation, maintenance and surveillance test requirements for the various Nuclear Power plant systems in order to meet the safety requirements to fulfill regulatory criteria. These specifications impact even the economics of the plant. The regulatory approach addresses only the safety criteria, while the plant operators would like to balance the cost criteria too. The attempt to optimize both the conflicting requirements presents a case to use Multi-objective optimization. Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) mimic natural evolutionary principles to constitute search and optimization procedures. Genetic algorithms are a particular class of EA's that use techniques inspired by evolutionary biology such as inheritance, mutation, natural selection and recombination (or cross-over). In this paper we have used the plant insights obtained through a detailed Probabilistic Safety Assessment with the Genetic Algorithm approach for Multi-objective optimization of Surveillance test intervals. The optimization of Technical Specifications of three front line systems is performed using the Genetic Algorithm Approach. The selection of these systems is based on their importance to the mitigation of possible accident sequences which are significant to potential core damage of the nuclear power plant.