台灣核電廠採購新燃料時，由台電公司提出週期能量需求，再由廠家對台電提出燃料價格及所需燃料組合，對燃料的選擇模式國內並無法得知其詳情。進行新燃料採購時一次以三個週期循環為準，因週期長度的不同在新燃料的根數、濃縮度及可燃毒物棒根數選擇上會有變化。為驗證燃料組合設計的可行性，需作多週期燃料循環設計。本研究使用粒子群演算法搭配區域搜尋法，自動化搜尋多週期燃料組合及爐心燃料佈局。
挑選燃料時，首先考慮各週期的能量需求，大致估計週期新燃料濃縮度及可燃毒物根數範圍。由程式挑選之組合填入固定爐心佈局進行計算，針對重要參數，包括：週期末硼酸水溶液濃度、緩和劑溫度係數及熱通道因子進行分析，取得適當燃料組合後，利用爐心佈局自動化程式得到可行爐心燃料佈局。
本研究之程式以C語言編寫，使用三維節點爐心模擬程式SIMULATE-3作為計算爐心狀態工具。以馬鞍山核電廠一號機第18至22週期作為研究對象，研究結果顯示各週期挑選的燃料組合，大致符合安全限值。部份週期熱通道因子略高，使用燃料束旋轉後應可令其滿足。

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