An automatic optimization method for nuclear piping layout and mechanical analysis

The piping system in the nuclear power plant is extremely complex. The traditional trial method for the optimization is time-consuming and experience-dependent. Moreover, it rarely obtains the layout with best mechanical property using the trial method. In order to improve the traditional method, an automatic optimization method is proposed in present work. The genetic algorithm is employed during the mechanical analysis of piping system. In this method, both the piping layout and the piping support can be optimized concurrently. Moreover, based on the optimization method, a piping optimization theory assistant tool (POTATO) is developed. Some optimization instances in the nuclear power plant is shown in this paper. Comparing with the layout from the trial method, the one from present automatic method have more mechanical margin. The stress ratios at all the conditions are less than the limitation. Meanwhile, the time cost in present method is less than the trial method. Thus, present method is more efficient than the traditional method, and is significant for the piping layout in nuclear engineering.