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DOE OSTI2023

Fission Product Transport in TRISO Particles and Pebbles

This document demonstrates completion of the goals described in the technical narrative of the FOA project titled: ”Modeling and Simulation Development Pathways to Accelerating KP-FHR Licensing” regarding fission product transport in the Kairos-proposed fuel pebble by INL and Kairos Power. Showcased in this report are code developments and simulations in BISON that extend the state of the art in computation and understanding of fission product transport in a TRISO fuel particle and pebble. These enhancements lay the foundation for making predictions of fission product transport that can be used as input in the fuel licensing process. This was achieved by installing existing fuel material models originally used in PARFUME, developing a new failure probability method that is efficient and multi-dimensional, employing material homogenization, and expanding verification and validation simulations to demonstrate the efficacy of the work. All this work is leveraged to spotlight the main deliverable; a three-dimensional model and corresponding demonstration simulation of a pebble, which will serve as the starting point for models used to predict fission product release.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRS2000

Formal Analysis of the Remote Agent Before and After Flight

This paper describes two separate efforts that used the SPIN model checker to verify deep space autonomy flight software. The first effort occurred at the beginning of a spiral development process and found five concurrency errors early in the design cycle that the developers acknowledge would not have been found through testing. This effort required a substantial manual modeling effort involving both abstraction and translation from the prototype LISP code to the PROMELA language used by SPIN. This experience and others led to research to address the gap between formal method tools and the development cycle used by software developers. The Java PathFinder tool which directly translates from Java to PROMELA was developed as part of this research, as well as automatic abstraction tools. In 1999 the flight software flew on a space mission, and a deadlock occurred in a sibling subsystem to the one which was the focus of the first verification effort. A second quick-response "cleanroom" verification effort found the concurrency error in a short amount of time. The error was isomorphic to one of the concurrency errors found during the first verification effort. The paper demonstrates that formal methods tools can find concurrency errors that indeed lead to loss of spacecraft functions, even for the complex software required for autonomy. Second, it describes progress in automatic translation and abstraction that eventually will enable formal methods tools to be inserted directly into the aerospace software development cycle.

Havelund, Klaus↗

NASA NTRS2018

A Benchmark Example for Delamination Propagation Predictions Based on the Single Leg Bending Specimen Under Quasi-Static and Fatigue Loading

Benchmark examples based on Single Leg Bending (SLB) specimens with equal and unequal bending arm thicknesses were used to assess the performance of delamination prediction capabilities in finite element codes. First, the development of the quasi-static benchmark cases using the Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) is discussed in detail. Second, based on the quasi-static benchmark results, additional benchmark cases to assess delamination propagation under fatigue loading are created. Third, the application is demonstrated for the commercial finite element code Abaqus Standard 2018. The benchmark cases are compared to results obtained from VCCT-based, automated quasi-static propagation analysis. A comparison with results from automated fatigue propagation analysis was not performed at this point since the current version of Abaqus does not include this capability under variable mixed-mode conditions. In general, good agreement between the results obtained from the quasi-static propagation analysis and the benchmark results were achieved. Overall, the benchmarking procedure proved valuable for analysis verification.

Krueger, Ronald↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Benchmark Example for Delamination Propagation Predictions Based on the Single Leg Bending Specimen under Quasi-static and Fatigue Loading

Ronald Krueger↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Eigenvalue Sensitivity Computations for Linear Stability Theory

To realize the drag reduction benefit of boundary-layer transition control strategies, it is crucial to integrate transition prediction into the vehicle design through an optimization process. The integration of transition prediction based on linear stability analysis into adjoint d design optimization requires coupling an adjoint enabled computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver with an adjoint enabled linear stability code. In particular, the boundary-layer transition location is often predicted using the N-factor method based on linear stability theory (LST). Thus, sensitivity of the linear-stability eigenvalues constitute an essential building block for optimizing the laminar flow performance. The present paper describes an implementation of LST eigenvalue sensitivity analysis that can be easily coupled with a CFD solver. Specifically, we describe a discrete adjoint formulation for the transition location prediction based on the N-factor method. The verification of this formulation is carried out by comparing the adjoint-based sensitivity of the local growth rate of a given instability mode with respect to the disturbance frequency, and the adjoint-based sensitivity of the transition location with respect to spanwise wavenumber with those sensitivities computed using a finite-difference approximation. Finally, the adjoint LST formulation is applied to flat-plate boundary-layer flows at transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic conditions, to determine the behavior and sensitivities of the transition location with respect to a range of disturbance spanwise wavenumbers.

Boundary Layer Transition↗

DOE OSTI2020

An Energy Calculator for Simple Commercial Buildings

According to the EIA, simple commercial buildings account for 97% of total commercial building stock. However, most simple commercial buildings for example small- to mid-sized offices, retail, schools and warehouses do not benefit from the data-driven decision-making capabilities of whole-building energy modeling. The high cost of custom modeling limits the use of energy modeling of simple buildings for new construction or retrofit measures. Lack of tools providing helpful information on interactive savings estimates creates difficulties in meeting aggressive decarbonization and energy efficiency goals for simple building designers and utility program managers. This paper reviews a beta phase Simple Building Calculator with the ability to generate relatively accurate and interactive modeling results based on a limited but robust set of inputs. It can evaluate whole-building or single measure savings in new or existing buildings, compare measure package choices, or provide simplified performance modeling for energy codes and utility incentives. The tool combines physical (annual whole building prototype simulation) and statistical modeling techniques to predict annual energy performance. It supports a variety of building characteristics for envelope, HVAC, and lighting with parameters ranging from vintage to max tech configurations, as well as support for single-zone and simple multi-zone HVAC systems. The Simple Building Calculator was designed to provide immediate feedback for otherwise computationally intensive tasks like measure comparison, development of multiple measure package combinations, or verification that measures meet efficiency targets—all with the goal of providing a tool for quick annual energy simulation of simple commercial buildings.

Hart, Reid↗

NASA NTRS1982

Radiative transfer model for heterogeneous 3-D scenes

A general mathematical framework for simulating processes in heterogeneous 3-D scenes is presented. Specifically, a model was designed and coded for application to radiative transfers in vegetative scenes. The model is unique in that it predicts (1) the directional spectral reflectance factors as a function of the sensor's azimuth and zenith angles and the sensor's position above the canopy, (2) the spectral absorption as a function of location within the scene, and (3) the directional spectral radiance as a function of the sensor's location within the scene. The model was shown to follow known physical principles of radiative transfer. Initial verification of the model as applied to a soybean row crop showed that the simulated directional reflectance data corresponded relatively well in gross trends to the measured data. However, the model can be greatly improved by incorporating more sophisticated and realistic anisotropic scattering algorithms

Kimes, D. S.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Advancements in NEAMS Tool Capabilities for Multiphysics Simulation of Fast Reactor Core Bowing and Identification of Validation Test Data

Under the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Program, an integrated multiphysics approach is being developed to model the core bowing phenomena important to liquid metal-cooled fast reactors. Core bowing is an important passive safety mechanism in liquid metal-cooled fast reactors and involves Multiphysics effects including radiation transport, fluid flow, heat transfer, and mechanical response to temperature and flux gradients. This report summarizes recent progress on developing a multiphysics, MOOSE-based workflow to predict core bowing and associated reactivity feedback. Last year, thermal fluids and mechanics were coupled on a multi-assembly benchmark problem based on ABR-1000 design. This year, the reactor physics code Griffin was assessed for readiness of core bowing calculations. Preliminary integration of Griffin’s ring-heterogeneous model with thermal fluids and thermal mechanics solvers was performed. Specifically, thermal-mechanics and reactor physics were coupled for single- and multi-assembly problems, and reactor physics and subchannel methods were coupled for a single assembly model. Finally, the workflow of all three physics was preliminarily demonstrated on a single assembly model. Caveats and future development needed have been identified. To supplement the multiphysics demonstration, verification and assessment efforts of thermos-mechanical capabilities for modeling thermo-mechanical core bowing behavior were continued by analyzing IAEA Verification Problem 5 which includes radiation swelling and creep. Additionally, a small core reactor physics benchmark defined by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was performed to assess neutronics models for estimating reactivity feedback. Finally, Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) validation test data for core bowing phenomena has been identified and summarized, with a recommended path forward for validation once this capability is mature.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS2012

Material Model Evaluation of a Composite Honeycomb Energy Absorber

A study was conducted to evaluate four different material models in predicting the dynamic crushing response of solid-element-based models of a composite honeycomb energy absorber, designated the Deployable Energy Absorber (DEA). Dynamic crush tests of three DEA components were simulated using the nonlinear, explicit transient dynamic code, LS-DYNA . In addition, a full-scale crash test of an MD-500 helicopter, retrofitted with DEA blocks, was simulated. The four material models used to represent the DEA included: *MAT_CRUSHABLE_FOAM (Mat 63), *MAT_HONEYCOMB (Mat 26), *MAT_SIMPLIFIED_RUBBER/FOAM (Mat 181), and *MAT_TRANSVERSELY_ANISOTROPIC_CRUSHABLE_FOAM (Mat 142). Test-analysis calibration metrics included simple percentage error comparisons of initial peak acceleration, sustained crush stress, and peak compaction acceleration of the DEA components. In addition, the Roadside Safety Verification and Validation Program (RSVVP) was used to assess similarities and differences between the experimental and analytical curves for the full-scale crash test.

Jackson, Karen E.↗

DOE OSTI2022

A finite-volume scheme for modeling compressible magnetohydrodynamic flows at low Mach numbers in stellar interiors

Fully compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations are a fundamental tool for investigating the role of dynamo amplification in the generation of magnetic fields in deep convective layers of stars. The flows that arise in such environments are characterized by low (sonic) Mach numbers ($\mathscr{M}$ son ≲ 10 –2 ). In these regimes, conventional MHD codes typically show excessive dissipation and tend to be inefficient as the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) constraint on the time step becomes too strict. In this work we present a new method for efficiently simulating MHD flows at low Mach numbers in a space-dependent gravitational potential while still retaining all effects of compressibility. The proposed scheme is implemented in the finite-volume SEVEN-LEAGUE HYDRO (SLH) code, and it makes use of a low-Mach version of the five-wave Harten–Lax–van Leer discontinuities (HLLD) solver to reduce numerical dissipation, an implicit–explicit time discretization technique based on Strang splitting to overcome the overly strict CFL constraint, and a well-balancing method that dramatically reduces the magnitude of spatial discretization errors in strongly stratified setups. The solenoidal constraint on the magnetic field is enforced by using a constrained transport method on a staggered grid. We carry out five verification tests, including the simulation of a small-scale dynamo in a star-like environment at $\mathscr{M}$ son ~ 10 –3 . We demonstrate that the proposed scheme can be used to accurately simulate compressible MHD flows in regimes of low Mach numbers and strongly stratified setups even with moderately coarse grids.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Verification of neoclassical toroidal viscosity induced by energetic particles

The thermal particles contributed neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) have been successfully developed and explored by many impressive works such as the study by Shaing et al. [Phys. Plasmas 10, 1443 (2003)] and Zhu et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 225002 (2006)]. In this work, the scope of the NTV study is extended to explore the contribution of energetic particles (EPs) through both theory and experiments. In theory, the existence of the NTV torque due to the precessional drift resonance of trapped EPs is identified based on the equivalence between the NTV torque and the perturbed drift kinetic energy [J. Park, Phys. Plasmas 18, 110702 (2011)]. Toroidal modeling with the Magneto Resistive Spectrum - drift Kinetic code [Y. Liu, Phys. Plasmas 15, 112503 (2008)], based on this equivalence, indicates that trapped EPs can contribute a significant amount of the NTV torque. Meanwhile, this work also focuses on developing the dedicated DIII-D experiments in the presence of the n = 2 external magnetic perturbation to verify the EP induced NTV (EP-NTV) by measuring the change of the NTV torque while varying the angle and the voltage of the neutral beam injection. However, the developed experiments have been unable to create conditions necessary to clearly demonstrate the presence of EP-NTV. The main challenge is separating the resonant and non-resonant momentum transport responses in the plasma. Finally, the experience, gained from this study, can help the further exploration of EP-NTV in the future experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1993

Integrated design of the CSI evolutionary structure: A verification of the design methodology

One of the main objectives of the Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI) program is to develop and evaluate integrated controls-structures design methodology for flexible space structures. Thus far, integrated design methodologies for a class of flexible spacecraft, which require fine attitude pointing and vibration suppression with no payload articulation, have been extensively investigated. Various integrated design optimization approaches, such as single-objective optimization, and multi-objective optimization, have been implemented with an array of different objectives and constraints involving performance and cost measures such as total mass, actuator mass, steady-state pointing performance, transient performance, control power, and many more. These studies have been performed using an integrated design software tool (CSI-DESIGN CODE) which is under development by the CSI-ADM team at the NASA Langley Research Center. To date, all of these studies, irrespective of the type of integrated optimization posed or objectives and constraints used, have indicated that integrated controls-structures design results in an overall spacecraft design which is considerably superior to designs obtained through a conventional sequential approach. Consequently, it is believed that validation of some of these results through fabrication and testing of a structure which is designed through an integrated design approach is warranted. The objective of this paper is to present and discuss the efforts that have been taken thus far for the validation of the integrated design methodology.

Maghami, Peiman G.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Technical Justifications for Liquid Hydrogen Exposure Distances

The previous separation distances in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Hydrogen Technologies Code (NFPA 2, 2020 Edition) for bulk liquid hydrogen systems lack a well-documented basis and can be onerous. This report describes the technical justifications for revisions of the bulk liquid hydrogen storage setback distances in NFPA 2, 2023 Edition. Distances are calculated based on a leak area that is 5% of the nominal pipe flow area. Models from the open source HyRAM+ toolkit are used to justify the leak size as well as calculate consequence-based separation distances from that leak size. Validation and verification of the numerical models is provided, as well as justification for the harm criteria used for the determination of the setback distances for each exposure type. This report also reviews mitigations that could result in setback distance reduction. The resulting updates to the liquid hydrogen separation distances are well-documented, retrievable, repeatable, revisable, independently verified, and use experimental results to verify the models.

08 HYDROGEN↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Towards Formalization of Advanced Linear Algebra with Applications to Dynamical Systems using PVS

Linear Algebra is essential for numerous aerospace problems of interest. Formal reasoning about hybrid systems that contain variables modeled by differential equations rely on concepts from Linear Algebra such as eigenvalues, matrix decompositions, and matrix valued functions. For example, the long-term dynamics of a system of differential equations depend on the stability/instability of its equilibrium points, which often reduces to an eigenvalue problem. This talk will embark on a quest to formalize theorems and results about eigenvalues and eigenvectors using PVS. We shall start our journey with 2 x 2 complex matrices, where we will apply our PVS code to a simple example of a dynamical system. Since it can be difficult or impossible to give simple expressions of eigenvalues for larger matrices (i.e. 5 x 5 or higher), we then move towards specifying the power method for verified computation of eigenvalue approximations in PVS. This effort requires development of multivariate complex arithmetic. At the end of the day, having such additions to the PVS NASA libraries will help move towards the use of formal methods to verify concepts of control theory and system level verification.

Linear Algebra↗

NASA NTRS1994

An analysis code for the Rapid Engineering Estimation of Momentum and Energy Losses (REMEL)

Nonideal behavior has traditionally been modeled by defining efficiency (a comparison between actual and isentropic processes), and subsequent specification by empirical or heuristic methods. With the increasing complexity of aeropropulsion system designs, the reliability of these more traditional methods is uncertain. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental methods can provide this information but are expensive in terms of human resources, cost, and time. This report discusses an alternative to empirical and CFD methods by applying classical analytical techniques and a simplified flow model to provide rapid engineering estimates of these losses based on steady, quasi-one-dimensional governing equations including viscous and heat transfer terms (estimated by Reynold's analogy). A preliminary verification of REMEL has been compared with full Navier-Stokes (FNS) and CFD boundary layer computations for several high-speed inlet and forebody designs. Current methods compare quite well with more complex method results and solutions compare very well with simple degenerate and asymptotic results such as Fanno flow, isentropic variable area flow, and a newly developed, combined variable area duct with friction flow solution. These solution comparisons may offer an alternative to transitional and CFD-intense methods for the rapid estimation of viscous and heat transfer losses in aeropropulsion systems.

Dechant, Lawrence J.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Automatic Generation of Guard-Stable Floating-Point Code

In floating-point programs, test instability occurs when the control flow of a conditional statement diverges from its ideal execution under real arithmetic. This phenomenon is caused by the presence of round-off errors in floating-point computations. Writing programs that correctly handle test instability often require expertise on finite precision computations and rounding errors. This paper presents a fully automatic tool chain that generates and formally verifies a test-stable floating-point C program from its functional specification in real arithmetic. The generated program is instrumented to soundly detect when unstable tests may occur and, in these cases, to issue a warning. The proposed approach combines the PRECiSA floating-point static analyzer, the Frama-C software verification suite, and the PVS theorem prover.

Floating-Point Arithmetic↗

DOE OSTI2018

A New Safeguards Technique for Spent Fuel Verification in Dry Storage by Using He-4 Detectors - 18262

It is demanded to find key issues and critical paths for verifying and monitoring a spent nuclear fuel cask or storage with a purpose of non-proliferation of nuclear weapon. However, unfortunately there are no reliable methods to verify the containment in a spent nuclear fuel cask or storage. Therefore, research and development (R and D) has been continuously required to develop new and alternative technologies for searching and verifying undeclared nuclear materials, activities, and facilities. Therefore, the present authors have developed a new safeguards technique of passively scanning a spent fuel cask or storage using pressurized He-4 scintillation neutron detectors. A new approach is to quickly verify content in a spent nuclear fuel cask or presence of all special nuclear materials in unknown packages by comparing experimental and computational results. For that, the present authors have developed a new algorithm and user-interface coupled ORIGEN-ARP and MCNP codes, and the prototype safeguards apparatus employing the array of He-4 fast neutron detectors has been designed, built, and tested. The feasibility test of this new apparatus has been performed with Cf-252 neutron sources and the laboratory scale model cask, minimized by a factor of ten compared to the actual dimension of a KN-21 cask. This technique has several advantages over current methods based on neutron and gamma detection; (1) incident neutron energy information is preserved, (2) disturbance of gamma-ray is excellently rejected (discriminated), and (3) much higher neutron counts and operational cost and space-effectiveness are expected since no moderator is required for fast neutrons. The final goal of this study will (1) conduct a prototype instrument and employ it to monitor a nuclear spent fuel cask or storage at a commercial nuclear power reactor facilities, (2) use spectral-specific measurement data to show proof of concept for measurable data successfully converted to quantifiable signatures, such as diversion/removal of fuel, and maintenance of fuel and cask integrity of fuel, and (3) develop a cask imaging capability. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2019

Simulation of Gas Production from Multilayered Hydrate-Bearing Media with Fully Coupled Flow, Thermal, Chemical and Geomechanical Processes Using TOUGH+Millstone. Part 2: Geomechanical Formulation and Numerical Coupling

The TOUGH+Millstone simulator has been developed for the analysis of coupled flow, thermal and geomechanical processes associated with the formation and/or dissociation of CH 4 hydrates in geological media. It is composed of two constituent codes: (a) a significantly enhanced version of the TOUGH+HYDRATE simulator, v2.0, that accounts for all known flow, physical, thermodynamic and chemical processes associated with the behavior of hydrate-bearing systems undergoing changes and includes the most recent advances in the description of the system properties, coupled seamlessly with (b) Millstone v1.0, a new code that addresses the conceptual, computational and mathematical shortcomings of earlier codes used to describe the geomechanical response of these systems. The capabilities of the TOUGH+Millstone code are demonstrated in the simulation and analysis of the system flow, thermal and geomechanical behavior during gas production from a realistic complex offshore hydrate deposit. In the second part of this series, we describe the Millstone geomechanical simulator. The hydrate-dependent, rate-based poromechanical formulation is presented and solved using a finite element discretization. A novel multimesh coupling scheme is introduced, wherein interpolators are automatically built to transfer data between the finite difference discretization of TOUGH+ and the finite element discretization of Millstone. We provide verification examples against analytic solutions for poroelasticity and a simplified demonstration problem for mechanically induced phase change in a hydrate sediment.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗