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At least 199 records · Page 11

In silico evaluation of a targeted metaproteomics strategy for broad screening of cellulolytic enzyme capacities in anaerobic microbiome bioreactors

Microbial-driven solubilization of lignocellulosic material is a natural mechanism that is exploited in anaerobic digesters (ADs) to produce biogas and other valuable bioproducts. Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) are the main enzymes that bacterial and archaeal populations use to break down complex polysaccharides in these reactors. Methodologies for rapidly screening the physical presence and types of GHs can provide information about their functional activities as well as the taxonomical diversity within AD systems but are largely unavailable. Targeted proteomic methods could potentially be used to provide snapshots of the GHs expressed by microbial consortia in ADs, giving valuable insights into the functional lignocellulolytic degradation diversity of a community. Such observations would be essential to evaluate the hydrolytic performance of a reactor or potential issues with it.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Verification of a fully implicit particle-in-cell method for the <!--${MathJax: TeX-AMS-MML_HTMLorMML}--> v &#x2225; -formalism of electromagnetic gyrokinetics in the XGC code

A fully implicit particle-in-cell method for handling the v ∥ -formalism of electromagnetic gyrokinetics has been implemented in XGC. By choosing the v ∥ -formalism, here we avoid introducing the nonphysical skin terms in Ampère's law, which are responsible for the well-known “cancellation problem” in the p ∥ -formalism. The v ∥ -formalism, however, is known to suffer from a numerical instability when explicit time integration schemes are used due to the appearance of a time derivative in the particle equations of motion from the inductive component of the electric field. Here, using the conventional δf scheme, we demonstrate that our implicitly discretized algorithm can provide numerically stable simulation results with accurate dispersive properties. We verify the algorithm using a test case for shear Alfvén wave propagation in addition to a case demonstrating the ion temperature gradient-kinetic ballooning mode (ITG-KBM) transition. The ITG-KBM transition case is compared to results obtained from other δf gyrokinetic codes/schemes, whose verification has already been archived in the literature.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Test facility for fission chamber assemblies - 239

The Institution -Project Center ITER- with participation of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI are developing the neutron diagnostics -Divertor Neutron Flux Monitor- (DNFM) for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). This diagnostics shall ensure measurement of the total neutron yield and ITER fusion power. Assemblies of fission chambers (FC) with different fissile materials and sensitivities are planned to be used for the neutron flux measurement. Study of fission chambers characteristics and acceptance testing of the diagnostic system will be carried out at the testing facility of the neutronic laboratory of the 'TRINITI' Institute. The facility includes: compact powerful neutron generator with the power, control and monitoring system; remote handling system for FCs positioning and movement; novel three channels data acquisition and processing system. Each acquisition channel contains some measuring circuits with signal processing. This set of circuits provides neutron flux measurement in the range of at least 10 decades for each single FC. Data acquisition and processing system features are: signal digitizing with sample rate up to 125 MHz; real time data processing with computation and data update cycle from 0.1 ms. This paper examines the structure, composition and specification of the test facility. Application software, hardware solutions and the results of fission chambers prototypes tests are discussed. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Tersoff Benchmarking of Be-C-H Interatomic Potential

To demonstrate prolonged fusion power in ITERs (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactors), the selection of appropriate plasma facing materials (PFMs) is a vital issue that requires the use of interatomic potentials to simulate the plasma interactions with the PFMs. So it is no surprise that the use of computer codes such as LAMMPS to perform studies in order to determine proper PFMs is necessary based on the complexity of such studies. In recent Tokamak advancements, beryllium was chosen as a first wall material due to its low Z (lower energy loss due to plasma contamination), its low tritium inventory and its oxygen gettering quality. With its high melting point and ability to withstand high heat fluxes, beryllium makes a fine choice for a PFM. In this work, Be-C-H (beryllium-carbon-hydrogen) bonds were investigated in a LAMMPS Tersoff simulation, where the interatomic potentials for Be-C-H were converted to LAMMPS Tersoff format, and were validated by calculating the cohesive energy (E{sub coh}), lattice constant (a), and atomic volume (V{sub 0}) for comparison to Density Functional Theory (DFT), Analytical Bond-Order Potentials (ABOP) and experiment potentials. This benchmark serves as the validation of performing Be-C-H bombardment simulations using LAMMPS.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

PSA 2025 DPRA for Cyber Optimization

Cyberattacks can have many different attack paths, durations, and goals. There are also many different mitigation options involving hardware, software, and/or humans. Evaluating defense options should include quantitative evaluation of overall effectiveness to make cost and risk-informed decisions. Typical cyberattack modeling methods only provide a qualitative evaluation and have difficulty with time dependent scenarios. The main areas of cybersecurity are confidentiality, integrity, and availability. For companies with cyber-physical systems such as advanced nuclear reactors, cyber-related integrity is a requirement set by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. But companies are also concerned about availability or reliability as a business case. As cyber threats are evolving to a business-for-hire structure, more attacks focus on disrupting business success and reliability, causing financial and economic stability risk. Companies want reliability analysis while optimizing cost, which requires more than safety modeling methods. Dynamic-state-based and Markov-based modeling provides a method for better cyber scenario modeling with timing and conditional features not found in other numerical evaluation methods. EMRALD (Event Modeling Risk Assessment using Lined Diagrams) is a dynamic risk analysis modeling and simulation tool and has features that reduce modeling issues such as state-base explosion found in Markov-based tools. It has been used to model different time-dependent events including plant behavior and operator procedures. As a general modeling tool, EMRALD can also be used to model cyberattack scenarios with varying mitigation options and quantify effectiveness, producing numerical data for risk-informed decisions. This paper uses EMRALD to demonstrate that dynamic risk analysis can be used for cyber threat modeling to provide insights for design decision-making and optimize defense strategies.

97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Consistent spatial expansion functions on hexagonal surfaces for use in radiation transport methods

Some of the radiation transport solvers that are based on expansion function methods in hexagonal geometry generally use projection techniques that transform the spatial dependence of the angular flux in hexagonal geometry to Cartesian geometry by mapping and then expanding in terms of expansion functions (e.g., Legendre polynomials). However, this approach usually requires a relatively higherorder expansion in space for accurate representation of the spatial distribution of the flux. To overcome this limitation, a set of consistent spatial expansion functions have been developed in hexagonal geometry in this paper. These functions satisfy the orthogonality condition on hexagonal surfaces and guarantee the conservation of currents after expansion regardless of the truncation order. The latter is an important property for preservation of neutron balance. The new spatial expansion method has been implemented into the coarse mesh radiation transport (COMET) code and tested in both the single assembly and the full core Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) benchmark problems. The eigenvalues and assembly-averaged and stripe-wise fission density distributions predicted by the new method with 2nd order spatial expansion functions were found to exhibit similar accuracy as those computed by the current mapping method with 4th order spatial expansion functions. This indicates that the angular fluxes in AHTRs can be predominantly represented by a low order expansion if the new spatial expansion functions are used. As a result, to maintain the same accuracy, the computational efficiency of COMET is improved significantly (2–5 times) by using the new spatial expansion method.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Uses of Sensitivity/Uncertainty Techniques for Critical Experiment Design [Slides]

This presentation discusses the programming languages TSUNAMI and TSAR. It also provides a review of experimental designs using sensitivity analysis in regard to 7uPCX fuel design, fission product experiment analysis, MIRTE, and temperature dependent experiments at the Sandia Pulsed Reactor Facility (SPRF).

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Development of Critical Experiments to Provide Validation Data for Multiphysics Coupling Methods (Final Report)

Computational simulation has become one of the most important tools in the modern toolbox for nuclear reactor design. Reactor simulations, like the reactors themselves, involve multiple physical processes including neutronics, fluid flow and heat transfer (thermal-hydraulics), thermo-mechanics, fuel behavior, chemistry, and balance of plant. Each process can affect the behavior of the others, and advanced computational tools have been developed that couple separate physics models together to simulate the feedback effects. The objective of this work is to generate experimental data to support the validation of multi-physics reactor codes. It specifically targets the SHARP toolset from the NEAMS Reactor Product Line, but it is intended to be useful in any set of coded that couples thermal-hydraulics with neutronics simulations. The project takes advantage of the inherent flexibility of the RPI Reactor Critical Facility (RCF), a low power open-pool research reactor. The standard configuration of the RCF is used to explore the effects of moderator temperature on neutronic behavior and reactivity. Because the low power of the reactor generates no appreciable temperature change in the moderator, the moderator temperature is artificially changed with two 18 kW electric immersion heaters. The temperature feedback effects can be observed by recording the change in the reactor power as the reactor goes from a supercritical state, to critical, to a subcritical state. To expand the temperature range and temperature rate of change that can be investigated, an experimental apparatus consisting of a heated water loop was designed and installed in the RCF. In this setup, water from a heated reservoir tank is pumped through a pipe placed through the center of the reactor core. The water in the reservoir can be heated to around 70 °C and pumped through the system. The pump has a variable flow rate and electronic control, so a number of scenarios can be developed. A slug of water can be pushed through the system to generate a reasonably fast change in reactivity. The pump speed can be increased or decreased over the course of a measurement, or even oscillated at different periods, to observe the response of the reactor. To complement the experimental data generated by the RCF, a set of computational models have been developed. They are intended to illustrate the usefulness of the experimental data generated in validating coupled multi-physics simulations. A model previously constructed in MCNP has been used in conjunction with safety analysis at the RCF for many years and was modified to support the design of the heated water loop experiment. This model was translated into Serpent 2, a similar Monte Carlo code, which provided the added advantage of being able to produce collapsed cross-section data files for use in the deterministic neutron transport codes that are part of the SHARP toolset. A complete reconstruction of the RCF model, both with and without the heated fluid loop experiment, were necessary for use with the SHARP codes, PROTEUS (neutronics) and Nek5000 (thermal hydraulics), as these require an unstructured mesh format to operate. The computational requirements for fully coupled three dimensional simulations are significant, and challenges to full implementation and comparison with RCF experiments remain. A wide variety of experiments have been conducted for eventual benchmarking and validation of multi-physics reactor codes. A complete database of detailed time- and temperature-dependent measurements have been generated and stored. Several examples of the experimental results are presented here, with refinement and analysis of experiments ongoing. While these experiments still only address a finite range of operating conditions, in particular being limited to water in the sub-boiling regime, they represent a unique (to date) look at the feedback between temperature and neutronic behavior suited for validation of the coupling routines in multi-physics codes. It is hoped that these will be the foundation of future benchmarks that will provide confidence in the tools that will be used to develop the next generation of nuclear reactor systems.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Creation Synthetic Data to Train a Digital Twin to Predict Reactor Operations

Understanding techniques to strengthen the nuclear safeguards regime is crucial in preventing nuclear proliferation due to recent advancements in the nuclear energy industry such as Generation IV reactors and microreactors. Prior to the construction of a nuclear power plant, it is necessary to understand the proliferation potential of the plant's reactor. Digital twins serve as a unique solution to recognizing reactor behavior indicative of nuclear proliferation. A digital twin is defined as a virtual model that works in unison to represent a physical asset, with a transference of data between the virtual and physical assets [1]. This work serves as validation for training a digital twin on synthetic data fabricated via means of Serpent reactor physics and point kinetics equations simulations. In this case this work is based on parameters of Idaho State University's AGN-201 reactor. The synthetic data can then be utilized to train machine learning models in the future to further investigate the utility of these methods. The accuracy of the predicted data is measured against real operational data to verify the reliability of the synthetic data creation methods and decide whether these methods should be used in the future to inform inspectors of a reactor's proliferation potential.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Analysis of Neutron Spectrum and Control Rod Worth Measurements in Several ZPPR-15 Loadings

This paper discusses the analysis of neutron spectrum and control rod reactivity worth measurements with deterministic and Monte Carlo methods. Deterministic results are obtained with 3D reactor models generated with the BuildZPRModel tools developed at ANL. The Monte Carlo simulations are performed with MCNP6 and are based on 3D models that include all geometric details ('as built' models). This study also shows the application of the cross section processing options recently implemented in BuildZPRModel that are based on the leakage and TWODANT method to take better into account the coupling effects among the different reactor zones.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Autonomous anomaly detection of proliferation in the AGN-201 nuclear reactor digital twin

The expansion of global nuclear power necessitates advanced methods for analyzing proliferation indicators. This study introduces a novel application of the Isolation Forest Machine Learning (IFML) algorithm within a digital twin (DT) of the AGN-201 nuclear reactor to autonomously detect anomalies. Leveraging real-time operational data from the AGN-201 DT, the IFML algorithm identifies outliers without prior data labeling and operates as a lightweight, complementary approach to traditional physics-based anomaly detection methods for nuclear safeguards. In a simulated Red vs. Blue team exercise, the IFML algorithm successfully detected six significant unseen anomalies related to reactivity changes, achieving an accuracy of 99% for identifying operational deviationxs. These anomalies, caused by deliberate perturbations, were detected alongside known physics-based models, underscoring the potential of IFML to enhance real-time monitoring without displacing traditional methods. Further, this study highlights the applicability of IFML in nuclear environments by providing an additional, redundant layer of anomaly detection to improve safeguards and operational safety in complex systems.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Bayesian Analysis of TRISO Fuel: Quantifying Model Inadequacy, Incorporating Lower-Length-Scale Effects, and Developing Parallel Active Learning Capabilities

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program aims to develop predictive capabilities by applying computational methods to the analysis and design of advanced reactor and fuel-cycle systems. This program has been providing engineering-scale support for the continued development of BISON, a high-fidelity, high-resolution fuel performance tool. Fuel behavior in nuclear reactors is governed by a complex network of mechanisms that interact with various other physics aspects in the reactor system. Any model developed to represent fuel behavior will likely be idealized, resulting in uncertainties when comparing their predictions against the observed data. In Fiscal Year (FY)-23, we initiated the Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) work by using Bayesian methods to establish a level of model trustworthiness and further improve it, with a particular emphasis on TRI-Structural isOtropic (TRISO) nuclear fuel. This year, we further expanded on that UQ work by investigating an approach to quantifying model inadequacy and accounting for lower-length scale (LLS) effects in TRISO silver (Ag) release modeling. Furthermore, we are implementing parallel active learning capabilities to reduce the computational cost (i.e., required computational resources and elapsed time) of performing UQ. Specifically, we utilized The Kennedy O’Hagan framework for Bayesian uncertainty quantification (KOH) to account for model inadequacy in TRISO Ag release predictions made by BISON. The KOH framework represents an improvement over the standard Bayesian framework used in FY-23. Explicitly accounting for model inadequacy in the Bayesian framework helps establish the level of experimental noise uncertainty in the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) data. We compared the inverse UQ results obtained from both the standard Bayesian and KOH frameworks in light of the AGR-2/3/4 data, and also compared the predictive UQ results obtained from these two frameworks in light of the AGR-1 data. Next, we investigated the impact of considering LLS effects in the Ag release simulations. We developed an expanded database of LLS simulated effective diffusivities for Ag, covering a wide range of microstructures and temperatures. Using this database, we developed a framework for incorporating LLS effects into the engineering-scale Ag release UQ. We developed both parametric and non-parametric approaches for bridging the length scales. We then investigated the inverse UQ results in light of the AGR-2/3/4 data and the predictive UQ results in light of the AGR-1 data, and compared the LLS-informed approach and the Arrhenius equation, which does not include microstructure information. Finally, we discussed implementing parallel active learning capabilities in the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE)/BISON to reduce the computational cost (i.e., computational resources and elapsed time) of Bayesian UQ. For verification purposes, we first tested these new capabil ities on a species interaction problem. We then demonstrated them on the TRISO Ag release application, showing that parallel active learning capabilities can enhance the accuracy of UQ while also substantially reducing the computational cost in comparison to the reference methods developed in FY-23.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Highest fusion performance without harmful edge energy bursts in tokamak

The path of tokamak fusion and International thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) is maintaining high-performance plasma to produce sufficient fusion power. This effort is hindered by the transient energy burst arising from the instabilities at the boundary of plasmas. Conventional 3D magnetic perturbations used to suppress these instabilities often degrade fusion performance and increase the risk of other instabilities. This study presents an innovative 3D field optimization approach that leverages machine learning and real-time adaptability to overcome these challenges. Implemented in the DIII-D and KSTAR tokamaks, this method has consistently achieved reactor-relevant core confinement and the highest fusion performance without triggering damaging bursts. This is enabled by advances in the physics understanding of self-organized transport in the plasma edge and machine learning techniques to optimize the 3D field spectrum. The success of automated, real-time adaptive control of such complex systems paves the way for maximizing fusion efficiency in ITER and beyond while minimizing damage to device components.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Demonstrating Computational Equivalence Between Continuous and Discrete Adjoint Methods by Calculating Time-Dependent Adjoint Solutions with Neutron Diffusion Models

The continuous adjoint method and the discrete adjoint method are two alternative approaches used to calculate adjoint solutions for adjoint systems. The continuous adjoint method derives adjoint equations analytically from continuous forward equations and then solves the adjoint equations either analytically or numerically in a discretized form whereas the discrete adjoint method calculates the adjoint solutions directly from the discretized forward equations. With regard to the methodology development and calculation procedure, distinct differences are well recognized between the two methods. For certain reasons, both methods are exclusively preferred and commonly used by different computational communities, but limited studies clarify the connections between the two adjoint methods from either of the communities. Herein, this paper demonstrates the computational equivalence between the continuous and discrete adjoint methods by investigating time-dependent adjoint solutions to the two-group neutron diffusion model in nuclear reactor analysis problems using both methods. Adjoint solutions can be used to estimate system parameters for reactor safety analysis. Appropriate final state conditions for the adjoint systems are specified in both of the methods, and the conditions are clarified with proper physical explanations. With the help of an event-based case study on neutron diffusion models, the accuracy of the time-dependent adjoint fluxes obtained from both methods is verified, and the pros and cons of both adjoint methods are examined. More importantly, the computational equivalence of both methods is demonstrated when they are applied to multigroup neutron diffusion systems. The advantage of calculating time-dependent adjoint fluxes by directly solving time-dependent adjoint systems rather than taking steady-state approximations as in common practice is also demonstrated.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Combined Influence of Rotation and Scrape-Off Layer Drifts on Recycling Asymmetries in Tokamak Plasmas

Coupled 2D fluid-kinetic simulations of a DIII-D high confinement tokamak plasma show that plasma rotation coupled with drift effects near the plasma edge play a significant role in the creation of the observed poloidal distribution of neutrals. It is observed that including either drift or rotation effects enhances particle flux at the inner target in the case of ion 𝐵×∇𝐵 drift toward the 𝑋-point. However, the particle flux asymmetry is significantly higher with the combination of drifts and rotation than either effect alone. The heightened particle flux asymmetry allows for improved simulation of the strong in-out asymmetry of the Lyman-𝛼 brightness profiles measured in the experiment. Enhancement of radial transport of parallel momentum changes the upstream scrape-off layer flow pattern, increasing the fraction of deuterium flux that reaches the inboard divertor entrance while lowering that which arrives at the outboard. In conclusion, this Letter indicates that by combining drifts, rotation, and viscous coupling, existing boundary plasma models can achieve a satisfactory agreement with experimentally measured neutral asymmetries.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

PPPL Laboratory Directed Research and Development (Project Final Reports, FY2018 - FY2020)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a collaborative national center for fusion energy science, basic sciences, and advanced technology. The Laboratory has three major missions: (1) to develop the scientific knowledge and advanced engineering to enable fusion to power the U.S. and the world; (2) to advance the science of nanoscale fabrication for technologies of tomorrow; and (3) to further the development of the scientific understanding of the plasma universe from laboratory to astrophysical scales. PPPL’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program supports and encourages creativity and innovation and contributes to its long-term viability. New scientific and technical research areas emerge and are nurtured through the program. Furthermore, new capabilities are developed to enable the Laboratory to meet its and DOE’s missions. The program is used to systematically diversify the Laboratory’s programs and mission. In the last few years, the program has started projects in nanomaterial synthesis, microelectronics, advanced x-ray spectroscopy, high-energy-density physics, superconducting magnet technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence, 3D magnetic fields to optimize fusion plasmas, integration of permanent magnets with simple high-field magnets to reduce the cost of producing complex 3D magnetic fields, advanced computational methods for predictive understanding and control of fusion plasma, development of quantum computing algorithms for plasma physics, liquid metal plasma-facing components for fusion reactors, virtual engineering, and plasma-based space propulsion. The program is also the vehicle to recruit and train talented scientists and engineers with the new skills needed to perform the Laboratory’s mission. Many of the new hires through the program go on to become world-class scientists and engineers in their fields. This report provides descriptions and accomplishments of those LDRD projects that were completed during fiscal years 2018 through 2020.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Monte Carlo Analyses of the FOEHN Experiment

The FOEHN critical experiment, which has been carried out at Cadarache (France) in the reactor EOLE in the early 70s, was designed to verify RHF design analyses. This study focuses on the impact of the FOEHN experiment uncertainties on the calculation of the energy deposition. The latter has been obtained by the Monte Carlo codes Serpent and MCNP. In the calculation of the energy deposition, the first code relies on KERMA factors whereas the latter code relies on Q-values. The two Monte Carlo codes share the same geometry and material specifications. In addition to the design and experiment parameters uncertainties, nuclear data also impacts the calculation of the energy deposition. In this study, the MCNP simulations use three different nuclear data library sets: ENDF/B versions VII.0, VII.1, and VIII.0. Finally, the ksens card of MCNP, using perturbation theory, has been used to identify the cross sections and isotopes with largest impact on the effective multiplication factor. By showing that the use of different software and computational methodologies and design parameters uncertainties do not significantly impact the core power distribution, this work demonstrate the appropriateness of the tools and methods employed for the conversion of involute-plate reactors.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

On Xenon Fission Product Poisoning

We all appreciate the special role Xenon-135 plays in reactor transients. Unless there is sufficient reactivity override, on shutdown a conventional reactor cannot immediately restart because of the buildup of strongly absorbing Xenon from Iodine decay and the absence of neutron flux to continue its elimination. We are also aware of how the flux imbalance in a large reactor core gives rise to Xenon induced power precession around the core in unpredictable ways. In addition, with regard to computational methods, we lack readily accessible numerical algorithms enabling reliable characterization of Xenon oscillations with simple models to explain this fundamentally important phenomenon. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the classroom. In this presentation, we first consider a new 12-element comprehensive decay to model Xenon and its corresponding numerical implementation and verification to establish a predictive model of Xenon buildup in a constant flux. We then follow with a reduced self-consistent flux model in an infinite reactor- a model not found in textbooks. This presentation should appeal to those interested in developing high order numerical methods for reactor transients.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗