MOOSE Applications
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NUCLEAR ENERGY NUCLEAR ENERGY Continued from previous page • Bighorn: The physics contained in Bighorn (led by Richard Martineau) will simulate the mass and energy transport of reac- tor systems coolant. The project will help advance INL’s MOOSE (Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation INL’s Advanced Test Reac- Environ ment) enables tor (ATR) modeling and advanced simulation tools to simulation to the forefront be devel oped in a fraction of of computational methods the time previously required. for nuclear reactor design/ For more information analysis. Its applications could include light water reactors, Next Generation Joseph Campbell Nuclear Plant concepts and (208) 526-7785 The Grizzly code models degradation that can build up after years of sodium-cooled fast reactors. use in reactor pressure vessels and other components. [email protected] • Condor: This module (led by Argonne National Laboratory) is a proposed fort will build Condor using interface — and proven A U.S. Department of Energy high-temperature supercon- the MOOSE framework. scalability properties — is National Laboratory ductivity simulation tool. MOOSE, with its multi- an ideal platform for this The Argonne SciDAC (Sci- physics coupling capabili- pressing computational sci- entific Discovery through ties, adaptive mesh refine- ence problem. Advanced Computing) ef- ment and mesh generator • RAVEN: The RAVEN soft- ware tool (led by Cristian Rabiti) will provide a user interface for RELAP-7, the newest version of INL’s Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program, INL’s premier reactor safety and systems analysis tool. The RAVEN software tool also MOOSE Simulation Environment will use RELAP-7 to per- Fostering a herd of modeling applications form Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization. odeling and Oriented Simulation Environ- predict the behavior of fuels • Pronghorn: This applica- simulation has now ment) now makes modeling and materials under operating tion, which rapidly approxi- become standard and simulation more ac- and accident conditions. mates simplified physics, Mpractice in nearly every cessible to a broad array of Scientists who don’t have in- was originally developed for branch of science. Building a scientists. MOOSE enables simulation of the gas-cooled depth knowledge of computer Derek Gaston, who led development of MOOSE, is useful simulation capability simulation tools to be devel- science can now develop receiving national recognition. The INL computational pebble-bed Very High Innovation of Energy The has traditionally been a daunt- oped in a fraction of the time Temperature Reactor con- an application that they can mathematician was one of 96 recipients of the 2012 Presi- ing task because it required previously required. The tool “plug and play” into the dential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers cept. It has now been used a team of software develop- has revolutionized predictive to conduct simulations of MOOSE simulation platform. — the highest honor the U.S. government bestows on ers working for years with modeling, especially in the In essence, MOOSE solves early career science and engineering professionals. Gas- thermal fluids and neutron- scientists to describe a given field of nuclear engineering ics for both pebble-bed and the mathematical equations ton leads the Computational Frameworks Group for INL’s phenomenon. — allowing nuclear fuels and embodied by the model. Fuels Modeling and Simulation Department. prismatic gas-cooled reac- materials scientists to develop tors and light water reactors. Idaho National Laboratory’s MOOSE (Multiphysics Object numerous applications that Continued next page 08-GA50044-40 R5-13 NUCLEAR ENERGY NUCLEAR ENERGY by 28 domestic and foreign and Hai Huang) enables laboratories, universities and researchers to simulate the companies — a user commu- physics of these processes nity that’s growing monthly. with fine resolution while This success illustrates how also modeling an entire exceptional expertise and stra- geothermal reservoir. FAL- tegic partnerships converge CON is currently licensed at INL, the nation’s nuclear to research entities in the energy laboratory. U.S., Australia and New Listed here are some ex- Zealand. amples of how MOOSE • RattleSNake: This radiation and the herd are addressing “SN transport” applica- numerous research questions tion (led by Yaqi Wang) (Capitalization practices vary could be used to design and by application, and all-caps study new nuclear fuels does not necessarily imply an with enhanced accident acronym). tolerance. The code models • BISON, MARMOT: BI- the behavior of neutrons SON (led by Richard Wil- in nuclear fuel and reac- liamson) is a thermo-me- tor cores, including INL’s chanical code that models Advanced Test Reactor. A nuclear fuel performance better understanding of this neutron transport physics The MOOSE development Continued from previous page tions describing phenomena at the engineering scale. team includes, from left, MARMOT (led by Michael can sharpen understanding (EPRI) models and supports build up after years of use The BISON code models in nuclear physics (BISON, nuclear fuel performance at Derek Gaston and Cody Tonks) models microscopic of factors that impact en- the Department of Energy’s in reactor pressure vessels Permann. Mike Tonks, right, Such a tool means scientists MARMOT), geology (FAL- the engineering scale. fuel changes during irradia- ergy generation and mate- Consortium for Advanced and other components. The led development of the fuel seeking a new simulation CON), chemistry (RAT) performance code MARMOT. tion. MOOSE can couple rial damage. Simulation of Light Water code is being developed capability don’t need to and engineering (RAVEN, the two applications to cre- • PEREGRINE: This Reactors (CASL) Innova- jointly with Oak Ridge Na- recruit a team of compu- Pronghorn). ate a powerful multiscale, offshoot of BISON was tion Hub. It was developed tional Lab and EPRI. Data tational experts versed in, The herd members are in parallel, 2D and 3D fuel designed specifically to in collaboration with EPRI, from Grizzly could help for example, parallel code various stages of develop- simulation capability that is model light water reactor Anatech Corp. and CASL. nuclear power plant owners development. Researchers ment ranging from recently truly predictive. This capa- fuel performance. It incor- • Grizzly: The code (de- understand the sources of can focus their efforts on the obtaining preliminary results bility was demonstrated by porates proprietary Electric veloped by Ben Spencer) change in safety margins mathematical models for their to being nationally recognized simulating the behavior of a Power Research Institute models degradation that can and inform decisions on field, and MOOSE does the as state-of-the-art. MOOSE highly resolved full-length component replacement and rest. The simplicity has bred and its herd of applications discrete-pellet fuel rod. The repair. a herd of modeling applica- are currently licensed for use The RattleS ake code models behavior of neutrons in nuclear fuel capability also was used N • RAT: The ReActive Trans- and reactor cores. to study the effects of a port code (developed by Lu- manufacturing fuel defect anjing Guo and Hai Huang) known as a “Missing Pellet can be used to study carbon Surface” — the first time dioxide sequestration or such behavior has been environmental remediation analyzed in 3D over the full of chemical spills. It solves life of a fuel rod. The MARMOT code models reactive transport problems microscopic changes in nuclear • FALCON: Enhanced Geo- in the earth’s subsurface to fuel during irradiation. thermal Systems require describe physical processes detailed understanding of fluid flow, solute trans- of subsurface processes, port, biogeochemical reac- primarily rock permeability. tions and media-solution The FALCON computer interactions. modeling code (developed by Robert Podgorney Continued next page.