Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Using new strategies to produce enriched uranium from natural uranium for research reactors fuel

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

S.L. Mirmohammadi
S.J. Safdari
M.H. Mallah

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.Box: 11365-8486, Tehran – Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2024.1535.2002
Abstract
This paper aims to produce uranium with 20% enrichment for research reactor fuel directly from natural uranium with waste xw≤0.3% through a cascade. This purpose has utilized five strategies, including single-optimized tapered, square, 2-section squared-off, 3-section squared-off, and 4-section squared-off cascades. To design and optimize the cascades, five software codes, "STC-PSOA," "SQC-PSOA," "2SQC-PSOA," "3SQC-PSOA," and "4SQC-PSOA," have been developed, with the PSO optimization algorithm employed for optimization. In the first strategy, it is not possible to achieve uranium with a 20% enrichment level using one arrangement and one step. The maximum product enrichment level attainable is 3.73%. However, in the other four strategies, uranium with a 20% enrichment level can be produced in two separation steps with a single arrangement. Notably, when employing the strategy of using 4-section squared-off cascades, the product production is 11.1%, 3.1%, and 1.0% higher compared to square, 2-section, and 3-section squared-off cascades, respectively.

Highlights

  1. Glaser A. About the enrichment limit for research reactor conversion: Why 20%?. International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (hereinafter referred to as RERTR conference), Boston. 2005.

 

  1. Azizov T.E, Smirnov A.Y, Sulaberidze G.A, Mustafin A.R. Optimization of a system of square cascades for efficient concentration of intermediate isotopes. J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 2020;1696(1):012010.

 

  1. Benedict M, Pigford T.H, Levi H.W. Nuclear chemical engineering, 2nd edition. ed., McGraw-Hill Education, New York, 1981.

 

  1. Borisevich V.D, Yan J, Smirnov A.Y, Bonarev A.K, Zeng S, Sulaberidze G.A, Jiang D. Cascade design for isotopically modified molybdenum as an alternative to zirconium alloys. Chemical Engineering Research and Design. 2017;128:257-264.

 

  1. Cohen K. The Theory of Isotope Separation as Applied to the Large-scale Production of U235. McGraw-Hill. 1951.

 

  1. Mirmohammadi S.L, Ezazi F, Safdari J, Mallah M.H. Comparison of the performance of optimal square, symmetric and asymmetric tapered cascades for production of enriched uranium for power reactors. Annals of Nuclear Energy.2023;186:109761.

 

  1. Mirmohammadi S, Safdari J, Mallah M, Ezazi F. The design and optimization of square cascades by PSOA and GOA to provide fresh fuel for a nuclear power reactor. Separation Science and Technology. 2023;1-19.

 

  1. Mirmohammadi S.L, Safdari J, Mallah M.H. Using optimal squared-off cascades instead of optimal square cascades to produce enriched uranium required for fresh fuel in the equilibrium cycle in power reactors. Annals of Nuclear Energy. 2023;192:109987.

 

  1. Ezazi F, Imani M, Safdari J, Mallah M.H, Mirmohammadi S.L. An application of nature-inspired paradigms in the overall optimization of square and squared-off cascades to separate a middle isotope of tellurium. Ann. Nucl. Energy. 2022;171:109033.

 

  1. Ezazi F, Mallah M.H, Safdari J, Mirmohammadi S.L. Performance comparison of the optimized k-section squared-off cascades for enrichment of 124Te using two meta-heuristic paradigms. Prog. Nucl. Energy. 2022;145:104105.

 

  1. Safdari J, Norouzi A, Tumari R. Using a real coded PSO algorithm in the design of a multi-component countercurrent cascade. Sep. Sci. Technol. 2017;52(18):2855-2862.

 

  1. Eberhart R, Kennedy J. A new optimizer using particle swarm theory. MHS'95. Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Micro Machine and Human Science. 1995;39-43.

 

  1. Mirjalili S, Gandomi A.H, Mirjalili S.Z, Saremi S, Faris H, Mirjalili S.M. Salp Swarm Algorithm: A bio-inspired optimizer for engineering design problems. Advances in Engineering Software. 2017;114:163-191.

 

  1. Feng Y, Deb S, Wang G.-G, Alavi A.H. Monarch butterfly optimization: a comprehensive review. Expert Systems with Applications. 2021;168:114418.

 

  1. Rao R.V, Savsani V.J, Vakharia D. Teaching–learning-based optimization: a novel method for constrained mechanical design optimization problems. Computer-Aided Design. 2011;43(3):303-315.

 

  1. Yang X.-S. Firefly algorithm, Levy flights and global optimization. Research and development in intelligent systems XXVI: Incorporating applications and innovations in intelligent systems XVII. Springer. 2010;209-218.

 

  1. Karaboga D, Basturk B. A powerful and efficient algorithm for numerical function optimization: artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm. Journal of Global Optimization. 2007;39:459-471.

 

  1. Kohli M, Arora S. Chaotic grey wolf optimization algorithm for constrained optimization problems. Journal of Computational Design and Engineering. 2018;5(4):458-472.

 

  1. Mirjalili S, Lewis A. The whale optimization algorithm. Advances in Engineering Software. 2016;95:51-67.

 

  1. Norouzi A, Minuchehr A, Zolfaghari A, Hagighattalab A. Parameters optimization of a counter-current cascade based on using a real coded genetic algorithm. Separation Science and Technology. 2011;46(14):2223-2230.

 

  1. Zeng S.H.I, Ying C. A Robust and Efficient Calculation Procedure for Determining Concentration Distribution of Multicomponent Mixtures. Sep. Sci. Technol. 2000;35(4):613-622.

 

  1. Borisevich V, Borshchevskiy M, Zeng S, Jiang D. On ideal and optimum cascades of gas centrifuges with variable overall separation factors. Chemical Engineering Science. 2014;116:465-472.

Keywords

Optimized tapered cascades
Optimized square cascades
Optimized squared-off cascades
Fuel of research reactors
Particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO)
  1. Glaser A. About the enrichment limit for research reactor conversion: Why 20%?. International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (hereinafter referred to as RERTR conference), Boston. 2005.

 

  1. Azizov T.E, Smirnov A.Y, Sulaberidze G.A, Mustafin A.R. Optimization of a system of square cascades for efficient concentration of intermediate isotopes. J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 2020;1696(1):012010.

 

  1. Benedict M, Pigford T.H, Levi H.W. Nuclear chemical engineering, 2nd edition. ed., McGraw-Hill Education, New York, 1981.

 

  1. Borisevich V.D, Yan J, Smirnov A.Y, Bonarev A.K, Zeng S, Sulaberidze G.A, Jiang D. Cascade design for isotopically modified molybdenum as an alternative to zirconium alloys. Chemical Engineering Research and Design. 2017;128:257-264.

 

  1. Cohen K. The Theory of Isotope Separation as Applied to the Large-scale Production of U235. McGraw-Hill. 1951.

 

  1. Mirmohammadi S.L, Ezazi F, Safdari J, Mallah M.H. Comparison of the performance of optimal square, symmetric and asymmetric tapered cascades for production of enriched uranium for power reactors. Annals of Nuclear Energy.2023;186:109761.

 

  1. Mirmohammadi S, Safdari J, Mallah M, Ezazi F. The design and optimization of square cascades by PSOA and GOA to provide fresh fuel for a nuclear power reactor. Separation Science and Technology. 2023;1-19.

 

  1. Mirmohammadi S.L, Safdari J, Mallah M.H. Using optimal squared-off cascades instead of optimal square cascades to produce enriched uranium required for fresh fuel in the equilibrium cycle in power reactors. Annals of Nuclear Energy. 2023;192:109987.

 

  1. Ezazi F, Imani M, Safdari J, Mallah M.H, Mirmohammadi S.L. An application of nature-inspired paradigms in the overall optimization of square and squared-off cascades to separate a middle isotope of tellurium. Ann. Nucl. Energy. 2022;171:109033.

 

  1. Ezazi F, Mallah M.H, Safdari J, Mirmohammadi S.L. Performance comparison of the optimized k-section squared-off cascades for enrichment of 124Te using two meta-heuristic paradigms. Prog. Nucl. Energy. 2022;145:104105.

 

  1. Safdari J, Norouzi A, Tumari R. Using a real coded PSO algorithm in the design of a multi-component countercurrent cascade. Sep. Sci. Technol. 2017;52(18):2855-2862.

 

  1. Eberhart R, Kennedy J. A new optimizer using particle swarm theory. MHS'95. Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Micro Machine and Human Science. 1995;39-43.

 

  1. Mirjalili S, Gandomi A.H, Mirjalili S.Z, Saremi S, Faris H, Mirjalili S.M. Salp Swarm Algorithm: A bio-inspired optimizer for engineering design problems. Advances in Engineering Software. 2017;114:163-191.

 

  1. Feng Y, Deb S, Wang G.-G, Alavi A.H. Monarch butterfly optimization: a comprehensive review. Expert Systems with Applications. 2021;168:114418.

 

  1. Rao R.V, Savsani V.J, Vakharia D. Teaching–learning-based optimization: a novel method for constrained mechanical design optimization problems. Computer-Aided Design. 2011;43(3):303-315.

 

  1. Yang X.-S. Firefly algorithm, Levy flights and global optimization. Research and development in intelligent systems XXVI: Incorporating applications and innovations in intelligent systems XVII. Springer. 2010;209-218.

 

  1. Karaboga D, Basturk B. A powerful and efficient algorithm for numerical function optimization: artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm. Journal of Global Optimization. 2007;39:459-471.

 

  1. Kohli M, Arora S. Chaotic grey wolf optimization algorithm for constrained optimization problems. Journal of Computational Design and Engineering. 2018;5(4):458-472.

 

  1. Mirjalili S, Lewis A. The whale optimization algorithm. Advances in Engineering Software. 2016;95:51-67.

 

  1. Norouzi A, Minuchehr A, Zolfaghari A, Hagighattalab A. Parameters optimization of a counter-current cascade based on using a real coded genetic algorithm. Separation Science and Technology. 2011;46(14):2223-2230.

 

  1. Zeng S.H.I, Ying C. A Robust and Efficient Calculation Procedure for Determining Concentration Distribution of Multicomponent Mixtures. Sep. Sci. Technol. 2000;35(4):613-622.

 

  1. Borisevich V, Borshchevskiy M, Zeng S, Jiang D. On ideal and optimum cascades of gas centrifuges with variable overall separation factors. Chemical Engineering Science. 2014;116:465-472.

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