CASL

Research & Development

Virtual Reactor Integration (VRI)

Bridging the gap between research and engineering

Objectives and Strategies

  • VRI will deliver a suite of robust, verified, and usable tools within a common multi-physics environment for the design and analysis of nuclear reactor cores, with quantified uncertainties
  • Agile software development processes and partner strengths in large-scale code development are key to meeting VRI challenges

Requirements Drivers

  • VRI is the conduit between targeted research and engineering analysis
    • Guided by current and future simulation and workflow requirements developed with Advanced Modeling Applications (AMA)
    • Collaboration with Validation and Uncertainty Quantification (VUQ) on improved tools and methodologies for quantification of uncertainties
    • Research, development, and Integration of advanced capabilities with the Materials Performance and Optimization (MPO), Thermal Hydraulics Methods (THM), and Radiation Transport Methods (RTM) focus areas

Outcomes and Impact

  • VRI will deliver the environment described above, portions of which will be openly-available
  • VRI success will be measured by
    • Use of Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) by industry partners in understanding and mitigating key issues
    • Downloads of the open portion(s) of VERA
  • VRI success will improve industry analysis, bringing coupled, high-fidelity simulation into nuclear engineering workflows