The UK nuclear R&D programme on digital nuclear reactor design - modelling, simulation, and virtual engineering

Bruno Merk, Dennis Allen, Mark Bankhead, Andy Bowen, Dave Bowman, Simon De Haas, Jefri Draup, Lynn Dwyer, Matt Eaton, Erwan Galenne, Chris Jackson, Chi Kin Lai, Andrew Levers, Ben Lindley, Dzianis Litskevich, Luke Mason, Geoff Parks, Edoardo Patelli, Eann Patterson, Aiden PeakmanEugene Shwageraus, Andy Smethurst, Paul Smith, Adrian Toland, Konstantin Vikhorev

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution book

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has recently launched a national R&D programme with a work package on Digital Reactor Design. It consists of development of a Nuclear Virtual Engineering Capability within an integrated Modelling and Simulation Programme. A key challenge of nuclear reactor modelling and simulation is system complexity, which arises from a wide range of important multi-physics phenomena appearing across multiple length scales requiring a multi scale and multi methodological approach. In a final stage an integrated nuclear digital environment (INDE) is envisaged providing a link between modelling and simulation data and real world data across the whole nuclear lifecycle. For the demonstration of the capabilities 'Challenge problems/Use cases' will be defined to target future capability developments on the path to the future integrated nuclear digital environment (INDE). PWR and AGR simulation cases have already been specified. The AGR case considers the through-life structural performance of graphite bricks in a stepwise multi-scale, multi-physics approach to support reactor operations and lifetime extension. The PWR case is based on core multi-physics modelling of a control rod ejection accident. Additional use cases to demonstrate the advanced visualization tools of the virtual engineering centre are currently under development.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInternational Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2018
Subtitle of host publicationICAPP 2018 : Charlotte, NC, 8-11 April 2018
Place of PublicationIllinois
PublisherAmerican Nuclear Society
Pages1085-1090
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9780894487552
Publication statusPublished - 8 Apr 2018
Event2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP 2018 - Charlotte, United States
Duration: 8 Apr 201811 Apr 2018

Conference

Conference2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityCharlotte
Period8/04/1811/04/18

Keywords

  • nuclear energy
  • modelling and simulation
  • nuclear reactor design

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