Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.2
3.0
Journals
Energies
Special Issues
Advanced Multi-physics Modelling and Simulation for Nuclear Technology
energies-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Energies Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Advanced Multi-physics Modelling and Simulation for Nuclear Technology

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B4: Nuclear Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025 | Viewed by 2641

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rosa Lo Frano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Interests: nuclear energy; nuclear technology; safety design; long-term operation; ageing; fusion/fission plants; external event
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rodrigue Largenton

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
EDF R&D Lab Les Renardières Av. des Renardières, 77250 Écuelles, France
Interests: nuclear energy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The modelling and simulation (M&S) of nuclear systems, with their complex geometry, coupling of various and different physics and scales, and increased safety and economic requirements, represent one of the key challenges for safer design development and operation in nuclear power plants (NPPs).

The design of a new reactor, whether fission or fusion, requires the development of new and better approaches to properly address the key issues of safe design and its optimization and understanding and enhance material behaviour predictions and understanding. We must also consider the issues that long-term operation and ageing will pose.

Efficient and/or new multiscale/multiphysics modelling and high-performance computing and simulation tools are seen as necessary to predict the complex nuclear system behaviour, accounting for the synergy between mechanical, thermal, chemical, and radioactive conditions during steady-state operation and transients, and gain insights into physical systems in ways that are not possible with traditional approaches alone. Because these tools are flexible and may combine experimental and in-line operational data, they can be applied the to analysis and optimization of the performance and reliability of existing and advanced nuclear power plants.

The proposed Special Issue will provide a platform for the discussion of formalisms, methodologies, and M&S tools related to nuclear reactors and related technologies.

Submissions on the following topics are welcome:

  1. Multiscale/multiphysics M&S of fission and fusion nuclear systems;
  2. Design by analysis and safety analysis of NPPs (including SMRs);
  3. Material ageing and LTO assessments;
  4. Computational fluid dynamics and applications;
  5. Deterministic, Monte Carlo, and hybrid methods in reactor physics analyses;
  6. Uncertainty analysis, validation and verification, and optimization;
  7. High-performance computing and reduced-order modelling;
  8. Artificial intelligence applications in nuclear energy;
  9. Other applications related to the advanced modelling and simulation of nuclear reactors.

Papers that review and implement robust methodologies for assessing SSC fitness for service and identify the most critical elements of the systems that may lesser (or impair) plant safety margins are also welcome.

The Editors encourage submissions of original research articles, short communications, and review articles that cover the above-mentioned topics.

Finally, the proposed Special Issue will also bridge research and educational programs, as well as engineering practices, in all disciplines related to nuclear technology.

Dr. Rosa Lo Frano
Dr. Rodrigue Largenton
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • HPC
  • simulation modelling
  • high-performance modeling
  • artificial intelligence fusion/fission
  • plants technology
  • multiscale and multiphysics
  • ageing
  • safety
  • design
  • validation & verification

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

23 pages, 7618 KiB  
Article
Validation and Application of CFD Methodology for Core Inlet Flow Distribution in APR1000 Reactor
by Sung Man Son, Won Man Park, Dae Kyung Choi and Choengryul Choi
Energies 2025, 18(3), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030512 - 23 Jan 2025
Viewed by 412
Abstract
The core inlet flow distribution in the APR1000 reactor is critical for ensuring the reactors safety and efficient operation by maintaining uniform coolant flow across fuel assemblies. Previous studies, though insightful, faced challenges in fully replicating reactor-scale flow conditions due to technical and [...] Read more.
The core inlet flow distribution in the APR1000 reactor is critical for ensuring the reactors safety and efficient operation by maintaining uniform coolant flow across fuel assemblies. Previous studies, though insightful, faced challenges in fully replicating reactor-scale flow conditions due to technical and economic constraints associated with scaled-down experimental models and the limited numerical validation methodologies. This study addresses these limitations by developing and validating a robust computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology to accurately analyze the core inlet flow distribution. A 1/5 scaled-down experimental model adhering to similarity laws was employed for validation. CFD analyses using ANSYS Fluent and CFX, combined with turbulence model evaluations and grid sensitivity studies, demonstrated that the SST and RNG k-ε turbulence models provided the most accurate predictions, with a high correlation to previous experimental data. Full-scale simulations revealed uniform coolant distribution at the core inlet, with peripheral assemblies exhibiting higher flow rates, consistent with previous experimental observations. Quantitative metrics such as the coefficient of variation (COV), relative error (RD), and root mean square error (RMSE) confirmed the superior performance of the SST model in CFX, achieving a COV of 7.993% (experimental COV: 5.694%) and an RD of 0.047. This methodology not only validates the CFD approach but also highlights its applicability to reactor design optimization and safety assessment. The findings of this study provide critical guidelines for analyzing complex thermal-fluid systems in nuclear reactor designs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-physics Modelling and Simulation for Nuclear Technology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 8426 KiB  
Article
Investigation on MELCOR Code Capabilities for the Simulation of Lithium–Lead Chemical Interactions for Fusion Safety Applications
by Francesco Galleni, Vittorio Cossu, Marigrazia Moscardini and Nicola Forgione
Energies 2025, 18(3), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030462 - 21 Jan 2025
Viewed by 344
Abstract
In the WCLL-BB liquid blanket concept, among the postulated accidental scenarios to be investigated regarding the PbLi system, a loss of liquid metal is one of the most crucial for safety purposes. As a consequence of this loss, chemical reactions might occur between [...] Read more.
In the WCLL-BB liquid blanket concept, among the postulated accidental scenarios to be investigated regarding the PbLi system, a loss of liquid metal is one of the most crucial for safety purposes. As a consequence of this loss, chemical reactions might occur between lithium, air, and water. These reactions may lead to significant increases in temperature and pressure and to the formation of hydrogen inside the building; the evaluation of the impact of these events is essential to define future safety guidelines. Using MELCOR for fusion (v.1.8.6.), a first approach for investigating an out-vessel loss of PbLi was presented in this work. The temperature and pressure trends were investigated through the default MELCOR package for lithium air chemical reactions; however, this package works only with pure lithium. Therefore, a new model of the reaction was developed in this work using MELCOR Control Functions, which allows the simulation of the chemical reactions using PbLi as working fluid, in order to investigate a more realistic scenario. The results from different approaches were compared, and the limits of the code were outlined. It was found that the final pressure and temperature in the tokamak building might reach critical values at the end of the transient, if the energy released by the chemical reaction was entirely considered; however, it is important to note that, due to the assumptions and simplifications adopted, the results were very conservative in terms of temperature and pressure reached in the system, and further investigations were suggested in this work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-physics Modelling and Simulation for Nuclear Technology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2012 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Backfill Gas Pressure on the Thermal Response of a Dry Cask for Spent Nuclear Fuel
by Michela Angelucci, Salvatore A. Cancemi, Rosa Lo Frano and Sandro Paci
Energies 2025, 18(2), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18020274 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 461
Abstract
Dry systems are being employed worldwide as interim storage for Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF). Despite not being designed as permanent repositories, the safe storage of SNF must still be ensured. In this framework, few experimental campaigns have been conducted in the past. However, [...] Read more.
Dry systems are being employed worldwide as interim storage for Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF). Despite not being designed as permanent repositories, the safe storage of SNF must still be ensured. In this framework, few experimental campaigns have been conducted in the past. However, their limited number has led to the necessity to exploit numerical simulations for the thermal characterization of the system. Since the majority of the degradation mechanisms are temperature-dependent, conducting a thermal analysis of a dry cask is essential to assess the integrity of the system itself, and of the SNF stored within it. In this regard, both heat production and heat removal mechanisms have to be taken into account. On this basis, the present paper addresses the variation in the system heat removal capacity when considering different backfill gas pressures. In particular, the analysis, carried out with the MELCOR code, investigates the thermal response of the ventilated, concrete-based HI-STORM 100S cask, currently employed for spent fuel elements of Light Water Reactors (LWRs), when imposing different initial pressures for the helium backfill gas. Results are reported primarily in terms of maximum temperature of the fuel cladding, which is the variable under regulatory surveillance. In addition, the adherence to the maximum design pressure for the canister is verified by evaluating the helium pressure as the steady state is reached. The analysis seems to suggest that the safe operation of the HI-STORM 100S cask is guaranteed only for a limited range of the initial helium pressure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-physics Modelling and Simulation for Nuclear Technology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 4568 KiB  
Article
Neutronics Analysis on High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Pebble Bed Reactors by Coupling Monte Carlo Method and Discrete Element Method
by Kashminder S. Mehta, Braden Goddard and Zeyun Wu
Energies 2024, 17(20), 5188; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17205188 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 807
Abstract
The High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Pebble Bed Reactor (HTG-PBR) is notable in the advanced reactor realm for its online refueling capabilities and inherent safety features. However, the multiphysics coupling nature of HTG-PBR, involving neutronic analysis, pebble flow movement, and thermo-fluid dynamics, creates significant challenges for [...] Read more.
The High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Pebble Bed Reactor (HTG-PBR) is notable in the advanced reactor realm for its online refueling capabilities and inherent safety features. However, the multiphysics coupling nature of HTG-PBR, involving neutronic analysis, pebble flow movement, and thermo-fluid dynamics, creates significant challenges for its development, optimization, and safety analysis. This study focuses on the high-fidelity neutronic modelling and analysis of HTG-PBR with an emphasis on achieving an equilibrium state of the reactor for long-term operations. Computational approaches are developed to perform high-fidelity neutronics analysis by coupling the superior modelling capacities of the Monte Carlo Method (MCM) and Discrete Element Method (DEM). The MCM-based code OpenMC and the DEM-based code LIGGGHTS are employed to simulate the neutron transport and pebble movement phenomena in the reactor, respectively. To improve the computational efficiency to expedite the equilibrium core search process, the reactor core is discretized by grouping pebbles in axial and radial directions with the incorporation of the pebble position information from DEM simulations. The OpenMC model is modified to integrate fuel circulation and fresh fuel loading. All of these measures ultimately contribute to a successful generation of an equilibrium core for HTG-PBR. For demonstration, X-energy’s Xe-100 reactor—a 165 MW thermal power HTG-PBR—is used as the model reactor in this study. Starting with a reactor core loaded with all fresh pebbles, the equilibrium core search process indicates the continuous loading of fresh fuel is required to sustain the reactor operation after 1000 days of fuel depletion with depleted fuel circulation. Additionally, the model predicts 213 fresh pebbles are needed to add to the top layer of the reactor to ensure the keff does not reduce below the assumed reactivity limit of 1.01. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-physics Modelling and Simulation for Nuclear Technology)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop