Optimal Operation Problem of the Cooling Chain System in A Nuclear Power Plant with Thermal and Hydraulic Constraints

The cooling chain system of a nuclear power plant is a highly intricate system, aiming to efficiently dissipate residual heat from the nuclear power plant. Discrepancies between the capacity of the cooling chain system and the actual cooling demands can significantly impact energy efficiency. This issue is particularly pronounced during winter. In this study, we present a novel dynamic model for a two-port heat exchanger that describes the heat transfer processes within the system. Besides, we develop a nonlinear programming model and employ an interior point method to solve the optimal operation problem of the cooling chain system, aiming to reduce operational costs while ensuring the temperature within nominal range. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by simulation results.