Updates to the Generation of Physics Data Inputs for MAMMOTH Simulations of the Transient Reactor Test Facility - FY2016

Inter-Disciplinary Collaboration in Support of the Post-Standby TREAT Mission

“…Supported by the DOE Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program (NEAMS), the MOOSEbased MAMMOTH reactor physics application has already been adopted for use in the TREAT program and applied to an increasingly complicated set of TREAT simulations [12,13]. Ongoing work has focused on the development of cross section treatments to improve the efficiency and accuracy of TREAT calculations [14], along with development of a full-core model of the current core, for simulation of the last series of experiment calibrations, the M8-CAL series [15]. At the same time, the MAMMOTH team has been working to optimize strongly coupled thermal-hydraulic, neutronic and fuels performance calculations using RELAP-7 [16], Rattlesnake [17] and BISON [18] within MAMMOTH, to be able to simulate the physics of experiment configurations [19].The ultimate goal is to extend the capabilities of MAMMOTH to support the development, design and analysis of experiments, at all length scales, using appropriate simulations.…”

NEAMS-Funded University Research in Support of TREAT Modeling and Simulation, FY15

“…Cross sections used in this work were prepared primarily from SERPENT 2 using ENDF/B-VII.1 and are flux and volume weighted from full detail, 3D assembly models [26,27]. Based on previous High Temperature Reactor (HTR) studies, 26, 14, 11, and 8 group structures were evaluated [28].…”

“…Based on previous High Temperature Reactor (HTR) studies, 26, 14, 11, and 8 group structures were evaluated [28]. It was shown that the 26 group structure produced the lowest error while the 11 and 14 group structures gave similar errors [27]. Because of this, the 11 group structure was chosen for all simulations.…”

“…Due to previously studied strong fuel-reflector interface effects in graphite reactors [26], a spatial spectral analysis for fuel assemblies was conducted within SERPENT 2. It was shown that within the fuel, large variances in the flux occur near the reflector interfaces [27]. Because of these spectral effects, the fuel region was split into two regions, an 80.97cm central region surrounded by two 20cm interfacial regions.…”

Weighted delta-tracking in scattering media

“…The field is now seeking to solve full-core simulations, coupled multiphysics models, and other problems on the edge of our computational capability. One such use of multiphysics models that seeks to support development of advanced reactor fuels is for the restart of the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) at the Idaho National Lab (INL) [10].…”