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DOE OSTI · 3223201

Improvements to MOOSE user workflow through polyhedral elements, automation, and concise physics syntax

Lindsay, Alexander D. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000269882123)·Giudicelli, Guillaume Louis [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)]·Permann, Cody J. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000153362863)·Li, Mengnan [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)]·Behne, Patrick [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000324480013)·Stogner, Roy Hulen [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)]·Hansel, Joshua E. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000167825275)
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Abstract

The MOOSE framework is a foundational capability used by the NEAMS program to create over 15 different simulation tools for advanced nuclear reactors. Due to MOOSE's broad use, improvements to the framework in support of modeling and simulation goals are critical to the program. Such improvements can take many forms, including optimization, improved user experience, streamlined application programming interfaces (APIs), parallelism, and new capabilities. The work described in this report was conducted in direct support of NEAMS tools and includes: addition of support for polyhedral elements, incorporation of mesh smoothers for mesh repair, integration of the Physics and ActionComponents systems, expansion of the Convergence system, and exploration of automated input file generation. These five areas of development are fundamental capabilities that will be leveraged by many NEAMS applications.

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97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTINGartificial intelligencemeshingMOOSEmultiphysics

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BibTeXRIS

Lindsay, Alexander D. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000269882123), Giudicelli, Guillaume Louis [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)], Permann, Cody J. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000153362863), Li, Mengnan [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)], Behne, Patrick [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000324480013), Stogner, Roy Hulen [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)], Hansel, Joshua E. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000167825275). 2025-06-30. Improvements to MOOSE user workflow through polyhedral elements, automation, and concise physics syntax. https://doi.org/10.2172/3223201

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DOE OSTI2026

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Engineering design of nuclear power plant (NPP) piping and equipment systems frequently bypasses crucial 2D system planning, instead moving straight to 3D modeling. This often leads to designs that exceed building envelope constraints, forcing expensive and time-consuming redesigns. When 2D modeling is employed, it typically involves labor-intensive manual workflows that convert 2D drawings into 3D models, resulting in inefficiencies and errors across design iterations. These workflows further suffer from poor software interoperability and dependence on proprietary software ecosystems, thereby contributing to schedule delays and cost overruns. This paper presents Alchemy, an autonomous framework that transforms 2D system definitions into Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)-compliant 3D building information models (BIMs) for expediting nuclear facility design at the conceptual preliminary phase. Using a model-based approach, the framework treats the 2D system diagram as the central reference model employed to automatically generate all subsequent outputs, ensuring consistency between the system definition and the resulting physical design. A web-based interface enables engineers to define hierarchical system topologies including associated equipment, geometric properties, and connectivity requirements. A two-phase equipment layout optimization algorithm automatically computes collision-free spatial configurations within predefined building envelopes. An artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted pipe routing module then generates orthogonal, collision-free routing paths, allowing the user to select either an A* search-based method or an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO)-based method. All outputs are authored natively in IFC format, relying on open-source technologies and standardized formats in order to ensure extensibility and eliminate proprietary software dependencies. The proposed framework is validated on two representative pressurized-water reactor (PWR)-based case studies, for which it autonomously generates IFC-compliant 3D models in minutes, drastically reducing workflows that typically require hours of manual effort. The generated model demonstrates topologically correct equipment placement, physically plausible spatial relationships, and collision-free pipe routing consistent with known PWR loop configurations. This work represents a foundational step toward digital engineering for nuclear facility preliminary design, with future ongoing development targeting design code compliance and expanded system complexity.

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