Abstract: The present invention, in one aspect, is a method for identifying an optimum core loading arrangement. The method generally has an initialization phase and a running, or search, phase. In the initialization phase, an initial core loading arrangement is identified based on the relative reactivity levels of the bundles to be loaded and the reactor core locations. Once the initial core loading arrangement is identified, such arrangement is then optimized, within the defined constraints, in the running phase. More specifically, in the running phase, each core location is analyzed to determine whether such core location reactivity level can be changed from the initial reactivity level to either satisfy a constraint or optimize cycle energy, or both.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying the maximum adverse impact of a mislocated nuclear fuel bundle placement in an nuclear core loading arrangement is presented. The method generally has an initialization phase and a "swap" case evaluation, or "search," phase. In the initialization phase, base conditions for a selected core loading arrangement are determined and parameters for exploring the mislocated fuel bundle loading error problem are set up. In the search phase, the core loading arrangement design space is explored for many combinations of mislocated fuel bundle pairs in order to find a mislocated fuel bundle pair that yields the most limiting core state. A computer system is used to execute specific program routines that simulate the operating conditions of a reactor having mislocation errors involving fuel bundle pairs in a core loading arrangement.