Advancing Thermal-Hydraulic Modeling Capabilities for Molten Salt Reactors in Pronghorn
This is an M2 report for the NEAMS program. This work focuses on advancing the modeling and simulation capabilities for Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) within Pronghorn, addressing key thermal-hydraulic challenges that must be addressed for the safe and efficient operation of these advanced reactors. This report summarizes the development and validation of the following new […]
Development of a Computational Framework for Multiphysics Multiphase Species Tracking using NEAMS Tools
This report implements a high-fidelity multiphysics modeling framework using the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program tools to track isotopic species in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), with a specific focus on the 91-depletion chain within the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE). The model integrates neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, depletion, and thermochemistry to simulate the production, […]
Progress on coarse-mesh solidification modeling through an upscaling physics-based data-driven calibration
This research explores a fine-to-coarse mesh upscaling strategy for modeling solidification under turbulent flow conditions, with a specific focus on molten salt flows relevant to Generation-IV nuclear reactors. We propose modifications to the baseline solidification enthalpy–porosity coarse-mesh model employing a physics-informed approach that requires calibration from a high-resolution model. A data-driven approach is employed to […]
Development of Segregated Thermal-Hydraulics Solvers in MOOSE
The simulation of fluid flows is an essential part of the design and analysis of nuclear systems. Algorithms able to simulate flows at different fidelity levels are available in the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) and MOOSE-based applications such as Pronghorn \cite{novak2018pronghorn}, Pronghorn-Subchannel, RELAP-7, and SAM. Currently, significant effort is being invested in the development […]
Government Sector Activities to Reduce Thermal-Spectrum Molten Salt Breeder Reactor Investment Risk
Thermal-Spectrum Molten Salt Breeder Reactors (TS-MSBRs) have long been recognized as having high potential for clean, safe, large-scale, cost-effective energy production for the foreseeable future. U.S. government support for TS-MSBR development was stopped half a century ago in the belief that they were too technically difficult. Technology progression over the past several decades as well […]
Validation of MOOSE’s subchannel module using the AREVA FCTF heated bundle benchmark
The SubChannel Module, referred to as SCM henceforward in this document, is a subchannel code within the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) developed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). SCM, is able to model flow through liquid-metal cooled, wire-wrapped fuel pin sub-assemblies, ordered in a triangular lattice. This work extends the existing validation done for […]
Computational multiphysics modeling of radioactive aerosol deposition in diverse human respiratory tract geometries
The evaluation of aerosol exposure relies on generic mathematical models that assume uniform particle deposition profiles over the human respiratory tract and do not account for subject-specific characteristics. Here we introduce a hybrid-automated computational workflow that generates personalized particle deposition profiles in 3D reconstructed human airways from computed tomography scans using Computational Fluid and Particle […]
Development of Segregated Thermal-Hydraulics Solvers in MOOSE
The simulation of fluid flows is an essential part of the design and analysis of nuclear systems. Algorithms able to simulate flows at different fidelity levels are available in the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) and MOOSE-based applications such as Pronghorn \cite{novak2018pronghorn}, Pronghorn-Subchannel, RELAP-7, and SAM. Currently, significant effort is being invested in the development […]
Continued performance improvement and integration of MOOSE’s thermal-hydraulics capabilities
This work introduces performance, robustness and workflow improvements to Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE)-based thermal-hydraulics solvers. It presents work related to the acceleration of segregated fluid dynamics algorithms, which show approximately a factor of 10 speedup compared to the preceding implementation. Additionally, we discuss approaches to use advanced, Schurr complement-based, field split preconditioners for monolithic […]
Path Toward a Breeding, Proliferation-Resistant, Thermal-Spectrum Molten Salt Reactor
Liquid-fueled, thermal-spectrum molten salt breeder reactors (TS-MSBRs) offer the potential for affordable, safe, inexhaustible energy with minimal potential for nuclear material misuse and without significant actinide waste generation. Realizing the full set of TS-MSBR capabilities is only now becoming possible with the advent of advanced fuel-salt processing techniques, improved materials, and a more detailed understanding […]