Research & Development
Thermal Hydraulics Methods (THM)
Delivers thermal-hydraulic simuulation tools to Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA)
Objectives and Strategies
- Deliver next-generation T-H simulation tools to VERA, interfaced with the latest Validation and Uncertainty Quantification (VUQ) technologies, and accommodating tight coupling with other physics
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Deliver non-proprietary, scalable, verified and validated CFD tools
- Interface Tracking Methods (ITM): Generate microscale simulation results for CFD closure models
- Experiments: Provide validation data for CFD/ITM and fundamental understanding development
Requirements Drivers
- Advances in THM needed to attain the mesh and physics fidelity required for detailed investigation of nuclear engineering problems
- Key requirements:
- Scalable implicit algorithms for turbulent multiphase flow, from microscale through component length scales
- Ability to quickly mesh and analyze complex geometries
- Subgrid models that are focused on developing engineering solutions
Outcomes and Impact
- VERA will have the following CFD capabilities:
- Single and multiphase models
- Subgrid models, tuned to PWRs
- Coupled with and targeted towards specific reactor physics
- Use the capabilities developed to gain new insight into nuclear engineering challenges
- Position 3-D CFD capability for predictive departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) and loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) simulations