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DOE OSTI2024

An Investigation of LES Wall Modeling for Rayleigh–Bénard Convection via Interpretable and Physics-Aware Feedforward Neural Networks with DNS

Abstract The traditional approach of using the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) to model near-surface processes in large-eddy simulations (LESs) can lead to significant errors in natural convection. In this study, we propose an alternative approach based on feedforward neural networks (FNNs) trained on output from direct numerical simulation (DNS). To evaluate the performance, we conduct both a priori and a posteriori tests. In the a priori (offline) tests, we compare the statistics of the surface shear stress and heat flux, computed from filtered DNS input variables, to the stress and flux obtained from the filtered DNS. Additionally, we investigate the importance of various input features using the Shapley additive explanations value and the conditional average of the filter grid cells. In the a posteriori (online) tests, we implement the trained models in the System for Atmospheric Modeling (SAM) LES and compare the LES-generated surface shear stress and heat flux with those in the DNS. Our findings reveal that vertical velocity, a traditionally overlooked flow quantity, is one of the most important input features for determining the wall fluxes. Increasing the number of input features improves the a priori test results but does not always improve the model performance in the a posteriori tests because of the differences in input variables between the LES and DNS. Last, we show that physics-aware FNN models trained with logarithmic and scaled parameters can well extrapolate to more intense convection scenarios than in the training dataset, whereas those trained with primitive flow quantities cannot. Significance Statement The traditional near-surface turbulence model, based on a shear-dominated boundary layer flow, does not represent near-surface turbulence in natural convection. Using a feedforward neural network (FNN), we can construct a more accurate model that better represents the near-surface turbulence in various flows and reveals previously overlooked controlling factors and process interactions. Our study shows that the FNN-generated models outperform the traditional model and highlight the importance of the near-surface vertical velocity. Furthermore, the physics-aware FNN models exhibit the potential to extrapolate to convective flows of various intensities beyond the range of the training dataset, suggesting their broader applicability for more accurate modeling of near-surface turbulence.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Sockeye Code Validation Against UNIST Heat Pipe - Poster - Internship 2025

Sockeye is an engineering level code being developed under the MOOSE framework for modeling heat pipes. A heat pipe is a sealed tube with a wick structure filled with a working fluid that transfers heat efficiently and passively via phase change of the working fluid. Heat applied to the evaporator end creates a pressure gradient which causes vapor to migrate to the condenser end where the vapor deposits its energy and condenses. Capillary force generated by the wick structure then draws the liquid back to the evaporator. A validation study was performed to compare the Sockeye code against data produced at the Ulsan National Institute of Standards and Technology for a slightly overfilled sodium heat pipe. The heat pipe was operated under natural convection cooling and a decreasing inactive length was observed. The experiment was modeled in Sockeye using the condenser pool model, the front non-condensable gas (NCG) model, and the mixture NCG model separately to reproduce the inactive length phenomenon. Also, a new capability was implemented in MOOSE to allow for conjugate heat transfer from the condenser based on the Churchill-Chu correlation for natural convection. The condenser pool model showed an increasing inactive length, demonstrating that the behavior was likely not caused by a pool of excess liquid. The front NCG model was able to show good agreement with the experiment, but it suffered convergence issues at the front. Finally, the mixture NCG model gave good results when the axial mesh was sufficiently refined. This work culminated in additions to the Sockeye documentation and a contribution to a journal article that will be published later. This poster is a summary of my work which I can take back to my university for presentation.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Thermovelocimetric characterization of liquid metal convection in a rotating slender cylinder

Rotating turbulent convection occurs ubiquitously in natural convective systems encompassing planetary cores, oceans and atmospheres, as well as in many industrial applications. While the global heat and mass transfer of water-like rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection is well-documented, the dynamics in low-Prandtl-number liquid metals remain less understood. In this study, we experimentally investigate rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection in liquid gallium (Prandtl number Pr ≈ 0.027) within a slender cylinder (diameter-to-height aspect ratio Γ = D/H =1/2) using novel thermovelocimetric diagnostic techniques that integrate simultaneous multi-point thermometry and ultrasonic Doppler velocity measurements. Our results reveal the formation of a stable, global-scale azimuthal wavenumber m = 2 quadrupolar vortex at low supercriticality. We propose that enhanced wall modes facilitated by the slender cylinder geometry interact with the bulk flow to create these large-scale axialized vortices. Furthermore, our findings imply a distinct scaling behavior for the wall-mode precession frequency in liquid metals, extending previous results obtained for moderate-Pr fluids. In conclusion, this provides new insights into wall-bulk coupling mechanisms of low-Pr rotating convective turbulence.

Magnetohydrodynamics↗

DOE OSTI2025

Influence of Reservoir Convection on Heat Extraction with Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems

Over the past few years, advancements in closed-loop geothermal systems (CLGS), also called advanced geothermal systems (AGS), have sparked a renewed interest in these types of designs. CLGS have certain advantages over traditional and enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), including not requiring in-situ reservoir permeability, conservation of the circulating fluid, and allowing for different fluids, including working fluids directly driving a turbine at the surface. CLGS may be attractive in environments where water resources are limited, rock contaminants must be avoided, and stimulation treatments are not available (e.g., due to regulatory or technical reasons). Despite these advantages, CLGS have some challenges, including limited surface area for heat transfer and requiring long wellbores and laterals to obtain multi-MW output in conduction-only reservoirs. CLGS have been investigated in conduction-only systems. In this paper, we explore the impact of both forced and natural convection on the levels of heat extraction with a CLGS deployed in a hot wet rock reservoir. We bound potential benefits of convection by investigating liquid reservoirs over a range of natural and forced convective coefficients. Additionally, we investigate the effects of permeability, porosity, and geothermal temperature gradient in the reservoir on CLGS outputs. Reservoir simulations indicate that reservoir permeabilities of at least ~100 mD are required for natural convection to increase the heat output with respect to a conduction-only scenario. The impact increases with increasing reservoir temperature. When subject to a forced convection flow field, Darcy velocities of at least 10-7 m/s are required to obtain an increase in heat output.

advanced geothermal systems↗

DOE OSTI2026

Flow dynamics and heat transfer in simplified battery energy storage systems with heated battery modules

Large-scale energy storage systems (ESSs) composed of batteries show promise in addressing current energy challenges, but dissipation of generated heat is important. Here, this paper focuses on buoyant convective flows in simplified ESS battery racks. Natural convection is not generally the primary cooling strategy but can be important in abnormal scenarios where there is module overheat or potentially thermal runaway. We use computational fluid dynamics to investigate the flow dynamics and heat transfer mechanisms in a simplified parameterized rack design. Despite its simplicity, this configuration produces many of the relevant features expected in real ESSs without details of module geometry or hardware, allowing broad conclusions independent of manufacture-specific designs. We start by providing visualizations of the flowfield and measurements of entrainment, heat flux, and pressure. To characterize the dependence on the system parameters, we develop an integral-scale analysis of the average temperature equation to highlight the dominant source terms. We use results from this analysis to derive a steady network model composed of simple algebraic expressions to provide first-order predictions of entrainment through the rack. The network model leads to a linear scaling of the Reynolds number based on convective mass flux with respect to the Grashof number based on the heat source. We deduce empirical relationships that relate the heat exchanged between modules using a surface-averaged Nusselt number as a function of the local Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers. Lastly, we investigate how space between the modules and rack in the spanwise direction creates flow bypass, resulting in different flow pathways.

Battery thermal management↗

DOE OSTI2025

Uncertainty estimation of bifurcated solutions in the Rayleigh–Bénard problem for advanced nuclear reactors applications

Multiphysics models of nuclear reactors frequently comprise nonlinear systems of equations. The nonlinear nature of these models could lead to solution bifurcations, where a small change in a certain parameter, e.g., the thermophysical properties of the coolant, can lead to a sudden change in the system’s behavior. At the point in parameter space where this happens, called a critical point, the Jacobian matrix of the model’s nonlinear operator becomes singular potentially permitting multiple solutions to coexist. In this paper, we perform uncertainty estimation (UE) in a parameter range that includes bifurcated solutions within the context of Rayleigh–Bénard problem. We perform this analysis assuming uncertain temperature difference, and tilt angle for the iterative solution algorithm with a unit Prandtl number (Pr = 1). Also, we perform this analysis under uncertain thermophysical properties for both FLiBe molten salt and liquid sodium as working fluid. We deploy two approaches to compute statistical moments for the resulting distributions of selected flow-field variables. The first approach is the blind computation of the mean and the standard deviation without any consideration of solution bifurcation, while the second approach utilizes k-means clustering to cluster each branch’s solutions together and compute separate statistical moments for each branch. The statistical distributions are obtained by perturbing the selected parameters about nominal values that correspond to a solution on one of the valid branches, and that solution is used as initial guess for the iterative solution algorithm. We found that perturbation of any parameter when its nominal value is close to its critical point always leads to branch jumping, i.e., the iterations converge to a solution on a branch different from the branch of the initial guess. This produces a statistical ensemble comprised of fundamentally different solutions leading to wrong mean values and uncertainty estimates, whereas clustering provides an efficient way to deal with this type of computation. This work is important for developing Gen IV nuclear systems because many of these systems rely on natural convection for cooling especially in accident conditions.

97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Insight into pseudo-film-boiling in supercritical water under simplified interfacial conditions

The focus of this paper is the physics of supercritical water film boiling through the simulation of natural convection of supercritical water in a rectangular cavity. It has been widely believed that above a fluid's critical point, only one phase exists. However, recent research has indicated the existence of distinct gas-like and liquid-like regions separated by the Widom line, which is the locus of the maxima of the specific heat. Along the Widom line, density decreases sixfold, viscosity drops by a factor of two, while specific heat spikes by an order of magnitude. These variations, specifically in density and viscosity, produce a thick pseudo-interface and flow dynamics behavior akin to film-boiling, denoted here as pseudo-two-phase flow dynamics. When the cavity is heated from the bottom, a pseudo-film of gas-like fluid is formed at the heated wall, and the flow complexity evolves, characterized by the formation of multiple vortices. Results demonstrate the ability of modern conjugate heat transfer computational fluid dynamics to capture the pseudo two-phase regime, with the formation of a pseudo-film at the heated wall. Further, the boiling curve is studied, showing an increase in heat flux with an increase in the temperature differential between the wall and the pseudo-critical temperature. Furthermore, results also show a previously uncharacterized instability, where the convection cells in the cavity oscillate and can flip directions under certain conditions.

Computational fluid dynamics↗

DOE OSTI2021

Thermal Model for Horizontal In-Water and In-Air Mini-Plate Experiments in the Advanced Test Reactor

Mini-Plate (MP) irradiation tests are a fueled experiment designed for irradiation in multiple test locations in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). MP experiments are considered a non-instrumented drop-in test where small aluminum-clad fuel plate samples are cooled directly by the ATR Primary Coolant System (PCS) water. These fueled experiments contain aluminum-clad fuel mini plates consisting of monolithic U-10Mo. Previous thermal analyses have been documented concerning oxide growth[1] and thermal safety margin[2] for the MP-2 experiment. A thermal analysis has been performed on the MP-2 experiment using a new technique for calculating the necessary time after the experiment has been irradiated and reactor shutdown necessary to not exceed the 95% lower bound blister threshold temperature for the fuel in a horizontal in air configuration. A horizontal in water model has also been analyzed and will be discussed. After the experiment is irradiated in the ATR, it is necessary to calculate the fuel meat temperatures at 12 hours after shutdown. This is done to assure that at the 12 hour mark, if this experiment is removed from the reactor and accidentally dropped onto the working tray and is in the most severe geometrical configuration of horizontal (minimum heat transfer) that fission products will not be released. The blister threshold temperature is considered this safety limit. The horizontal in air analysis is also performed considering that the experiment is horizontal in a drained canal and filled with air and natural convection heat transfer with air on the outside. The initial mini-plate testing campaign known as MP-1 [3] has been irradiated and its purpose was to form the base fuel specimens fabricated by various processes so that a single process can be down-selected for qualification. MP-2 will then serve to populate a comprehensive fuel performance data set for the down-selected fabrication process. The MP-2 experiment will be irradiated in several locations of the ATR as shown in Figure 1. The fuel plate thickness and geometry is identical to the MP-1 experiment [3], with the only variable being the fuel meat thickness. This model of the B-12 position is treated as encompassing the I-21, I-24, and B-9 positions since it has more fuel and higher total heat than the other positions. Since the blister threshold temperature is a function of fission density, a series of fission densities is calculated for the B-12 position to cover the other three positions. The B 12 position specifically uses fuel meat that is 0.016 in thick by 3.25 in long and 0.75 in tall. The total plate thickness is 0.050 in. Aluminum cladding forms the barrier between the PCS and the fuel meat. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate this new technique developed to calculate the necessary decay time after shutdown for a series of fission densities using the ABAQUS [4] finite element and heat transfer code.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Experimental investigation of Multi-Mode heat transfer to a Free-Falling dilute particle cloud in a heated vertical tube

The development of dilute particle heat exchangers and reactors for advanced energy systems requires an understanding of the multi-mode heat transfer from a heated wall to falling particles. This study presents experimental results of the overall heat transfer coefficient for a free-falling, dilute flow of particles with solid volume fraction from 0.0005 to 0.006 corresponding to feed rates from 3.7 kg s -1 m -2 to 44 kg s -1 m -2 in a vertical, heated tube containing quiescent air at atmospheric pressure. Tube wall temperatures are varied between 300°C to 900°C while keeping the particle inlet temperature constant. The experimental results show that the overall heat transfer coefficient is a strong function of particle feed rate and surface temperature. Good agreement was obtained with prior studies conducted at comparable temperatures but lower particle feed rates (< 4 kg m -2 s -1 ). The established correlations for particle-to-wall radiation and particle-to-gas convection were used to estimate the wall-to-gas convective contribution from the measured overall heat transfer coefficient. The experimental results indicated a 4 to 6 times improvement in the wall convection in the solid-gas mixture compared to that expected from natural convection in a single-phase gas. Furthermore, the data presented here are applicable to characterize heat transfer in dilute particle heat exchangers, furnaces, and solar receivers.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Three-Dimensional Convective–Stratiform Echo-Type Classification and Convectivity Retrieval from Radar Reflectivity

The Echo Classification from COnvectivity (ECCO) algorithm identifies convective and stratiform types of radar echo in three dimensions. It is based on the calculation of reflectivity texture—a combination of the intensity and the heterogeneity of the radar echoes on each horizontal plane in a 3D Cartesian volume. Reflectivity texture is translated into convectivity, which is designed to be a quantitative measure of the convective nature of each 3D radar grid point. It ranges from 0 (100% stratiform) to 1 (100% convective). By thresholding convectivity, a more traditional qualitative categorization is obtained, which classifies radar echoes as convective, mixed, or stratiform. In contrast to previous algorithms, these echo-type classifications are provided on the full 3D grid of the reflectivity field. The vertically resolved classifications, in combination with temperature data, allow for subclassifications into shallow, mid-, deep, and elevated convective features, and low, mid-, and high stratiform regions—again in three dimensions. The algorithm was validated using datasets collected over the U.S. Great Plains during the PECAN field campaign. An analysis of lightning counts shows ~90% of lightning occurring in regions classified as convective by ECCO. A statistical comparison of ECCO echo types with the well-established GPM radar precipitation-type categories show 84% (88%) of GPM stratiform (convective) echo being classified as stratiform (convective) or mixed by ECCO. ECCO was applied to radar grids for the continental United States, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Europe, illustrating its robustness and adaptability to different radar grid characteristics and climatic regions.

Radars/Radar observations↗

DOE OSTI2022

Parametric model-order-reduction development for unsteady convection

A time-averaged error indicator with POD- h Greedy is developed to drive parametric model order reduction (pMOR) for 2D unsteady natural convection in a high-aspect ratio slot parameterized with the Prandtl number, Rayleigh number, and slot angle with respect to the gravity. The error indicator is extended to accommodate the energy equation and Leray regularization. Despite being two-dimensional and laminar, the target flow regime presents several challenges: 1) there is a bifurcation in the angle parameter space; 2) the solution can be multivalued, even at steady state; and 3) the solution exhibits spatio-temporal chaos at several points in the parameter space. The authors explore several reduced-order models (ROMs) and demonstrate that Leray-regularized Galerkin ROMs provide a robust solution approach for this class of flows. They further demonstrate that error-indicated pMOR can efficiently predict several QOIs, such as mean flow, mean Nusselt number and mean turbulent kinetic energy, even in the presence of a bifurcation. Finally, they show that spatio-temporal chaos can lead to lack of reproducibility in both the full-order model and the reduced-order model and that the variance in the full-order model provides a lower bound on the pMOR error in these cases.

leray regularization↗

DOE OSTI2026

HTGR Multiphysics Application Drivers FY26 Updates

This report summarizes FY26 progress under the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program's high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) application driver work, covering a wide range of activities such as code validation and multi-physics code assessment. 1) A detailed SAM model of the High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) was developed using a unique-block grouping approach, with an extended parallel thermal network method to capture block-to-block conduction and radiation heat transfer, and applied to steady-state simulations of the HTTR 30~MW and 9~MW cases. 2) In another activity, SAM's newly implemented multi-component gas flow model was validated against the Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) argon ingress experiment, correctly capturing the density-driven suppression and thermal recovery of natural circulation observed when argon is introduced into the air-cooled Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS) loop. 3) For the OECD/NEA High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) benchmark, we co-led the international benchmark activities as well as the OECD/NEA final benchmark report to be released at the end of this year. 4) Finally, the coupled Griffin-SAM modeling capability for pebble-bed HTGRs was advanced by verifying the Griffin neutronics solution against Serpent Monte Carlo for a realistic non-uniform temperature distribution, resolving several deficiencies in the SAM-to-Griffin temperature transfer scheme, and enabling distinct fuel kernel, moderator, and coolant temperatures for cross section feedback. These new features were demonstrated in a PBR load-following transient.

Lee, Alvin↗

DOE OSTI2022

3D Hydrodynamics of Pre-supernova Outbursts in Convective Red Supergiant Envelopes

Eruptive mass loss likely produces the energetic outbursts observed from some massive stars before they become core-collapse supernovae (SNe). The resulting dense circumstellar medium may also cause the subsequent SNe to be observed as Type IIn events. The leading hypothesis of the cause of these outbursts is the response of the envelope of the red supergiant (RSG) progenitor to energy deposition in the months to years prior to collapse. Early theoretical studies of this phenomenon were limited to 1D, leaving the 3D convective RSG structure unaddressed. Using FLASH's hydrodynamic capabilities, we explore the 3D outcomes by constructing convective RSG envelope models and depositing energies less than the envelope binding energies on timescales shorter than the envelope dynamical time deep within them. We confirm the 1D prediction of an outward-moving acoustic pulse steepening into a shock, unbinding the outermost parts of the envelope. However, we find that the initial 2–4 km s -1 convective motions seed the intrinsic convective instability associated with the high-entropy material deep in the envelope, enabling gas from deep within the envelope to escape and increasing the amount of ejected mass compared to an initially "quiescent" envelope. The 3D models reveal a rich density structure, with column densities varying by ≈10× along different lines of sight. Our work highlights that the 3D convective nature of RSG envelopes impacts our ability to reliably predict the outburst dynamics, the amount, and the spatial distribution of the ejected mass associated with deep energy deposition.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

FY24 Report on Water NSTF Testing: Lower Tank Inlet Piping Configuration

The following report serves as a summary of the accomplishments and testing results by the Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) experimental program over the past 12-month period. A major activity included reconfiguration of the chimney piping geometry which altered the discharge position into the tank from the original 50% tank height to a new lower position at a 10.9% tank height. This modification increases the volume of available coolant thus extending long-term operating capacity, however also results in a decreased liquid driving head which has the potential to reduce the natural circulation efficiency and decrease overall performance. Examination of the tradeoffs for these two configurations is an area of interest for RCCS designers and drove planned test activities this year. Ten matrix tests were performed in FY24, totaling 195 hours of heated operations and 12.9 MWh of electrical heating throughout the year, with eight classified as Accepted per NQA-1 and two classified as Trending. Testing prior to the facility reconfiguration examined the facility response to throttling at the tank inlet, demonstrating increased sensitivity of flow instabilities to throttling within the two-phase region when compared to throttling at the lower sensitivity single-phase inlet region. Testing after the chimney reconfiguration began with a baseline test at conditions of 80% inventory fill and prototypic thermal power input of 2.1 MW t . In addition to establishing a reference for nominal system behavior and performance, repeat testing with multiple subsequent runs demonstrated strong repeatability between tests performed at the same conditions in this new configuration. These tests also examined if influences would occur to system behavior with installation of new higher-resolution instrumentation within the upper chimney. In this critical region where boiling and flashing phenomena dominate, the test results provided confidence that the new instrumentation does not uncharacteristically influence the observed behaviors. An inventory parametric series was then initiated to examine system behavior with the new chimney configuration at six varying initial inventory levels, ranging from high 80% to low 20% fill. Two-phase oscillations with similar peak and mean flow rates were observed when comparing to the previous mid tank configuration. Generally, similar system response trends with inventory were also observed, such as two phase oscillations suppressing as inventories were lowered. However, in one absolute inventory comparison at the highest fill of 80%, flow oscillations saw a gradual growth over the 4 hours of two-phase operation in the new lower tank inlet configuration, opposite of the gradual dampening observed in the mid tank inlet configuration. This can be attributed to, in part, a greater hydrostatic head pressure above the two-phase discharge region where the boiling front is developed. Furthermore, the change resulted in greater sensitivity to liquid degassing phenomena during single-phase heating, causing loop instabilities to form which trigged moderate flow degradation during the period approaching saturation and boiling conditions. This behavior had been observed previously under some conditions but was a common occurrence in recent testing with the newer lower tank inlet configuration. Initial observations from these first data sets suggest an overall larger window of stability for the mid tank inlet configuration compared to the lower tank inlet. Lastly, the lowest inventory fill test was repeated over an extended testing window to examine depletion behavior. Natural circulation flow and effective heat removal performance were observed during most of the testing period; only after the tank became fully drained (0% fill) did flow stagnate and violent geysering events occur. This early observation confirms one relative advantage over the mid tank inlet configuration, which stagnated under comparable conditions at ~20% inventory remaining in the tank.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

Effect of inlet throttling on thermohydraulic instability in a large scale water-based RCCS: An experimental study

The objective of the present experimental study is to investigate the effect of inlet throttling on the thermohydraulic stability of a large scale water-based Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS). The test was performed using the water-based Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) at Argonne, which represented a ½ axial scale and 12.5° sector slice of the full scale Framatome 625 MW t SC-HTGR RCCS concept. A two-phase steady state was first established through direct condensate refill, followed by increased inlet throttling over 10 stages, corresponding to a loss coefficient K over the range of 0.05–653. With the inlet throttling gradually increased, the system experienced a unique transition process between stabilization and destabilization. Through a stability analysis, three instability mechanisms were identified in the present test, including a compound mechanism due to both natural circulation oscillations (NCOs) and density wave oscillations (DWOs), Type-II DWOs, and geysering.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Report on Year-3 of Water NSTF Matrix Testing: Two-Phase Parametric Test Series

The Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) is large scale test facility constructed at Argonne National Laboratory to generate NQA-1 qualified validation data for passive decay heat removal systems in advanced reactor concepts. With support from the Department of Energy (DOE) offices of Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) and Advanced Reactors Regulatory Development (RD), this facility reflects key features of a ½ scale, water-based, Reactor Cavity Cooling System (RCCS) and is intended to study the behavior, bound performance, and ultimately guide design decisions for passive decay heat removal systems. Since the facility also retains all aspects common to a fundamental boiling water thermosiphon, the generated experimental data sets are well poised to advance the understanding of fundamental natural circulation boiling and two-phase flow phenomena.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2022

FY22 Progress on Computational Modeling of the Water-Based NSTF

This report summarizes the system-level modeling effort by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) of the Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF) in FY22. As an extension of the effort from FY21, this year’s work focuses primarily on the two-phase modeling of the NSTF using RELAP5-3D, particularly with the inclusion of the cavity model. The results from simulations were used to compare against experimental data for benchmarking purposes of the RELAP5 deck. Additionally, RELAP5 was used as a predictive tool to guide planned test operations and identify expected system behaviors. In the first part of this report, details are provided of the cavity omitted model where heat flux is applied directly as a boundary condition to the risers. The general trend predicted by the RELAP5 model matches that from the experimental data when a single-phase natural circulation flow is first established, followed by an oscillatory two-phase period and finally a stable two-phase flow. However, the onset of oscillations is predicted early by the model due to the smaller thermal mixing region in the tank. However, by expanding the simulated thermal mixing region in the tank, the onset of oscillations predicted by the model is able to match that from the experiment. These oscillations where studied in depth and are deduced to be flashing-induced instability. The model was then modified to simulate an accident scenario case where a representative heat load based on the full-scale Framatome’s 625 MW t SC-HTGR was applied directly to the riser channels. The simulated initial and boundary conditions were identical to those performed experimentally, facilitating direct comparisons between the predicted and experimental results. It was determined that the results showed some discrepancies remain, likely due to the overprediction of vapor generation rate by the computer model. In the second part of this report, the cavity model is re-introduced where it is observed that the RELAP5 prediction is now able to capture the major trends of the observed flow commonly observed during two-phase conditions. However, the onset of oscillations is once again predicted early by the model, possibly caused by the underprediction of heat loss from the heater and cavity. This is likely due to the omission of support structures in the cavity that can act as additional pathways for heat to escape to the environment. To overcome the underprediction of heat loss, part of the insulation surrounding the cavity side panels and the back of the heaters are removed to allow heat to escape directly to the environment, which then improves the RELAP5 prediction. Parametric studies are also performed to investigate the effects of heater power, tank inventory level, and tank gas space pressure on flow behaviors, also in direct comparison to conditions tested experimentally. User option-61 in the RELAP5-3D input deck, which changes the heat transfer coefficient correlations used for calculating the vapor generation, is also investigated where it is found that by enabling the option, the overall duration of oscillations is increased and matches that from the experiment better. The RELAP5 model is further benchmarked with a header inlet- throttling case where it is observed that the prediction from the model fails to capture some major features observed in the experiment. By using a modified loss coefficient curve for the valve, the accuracy of the prediction is improved where most of the major features observed in the experiment are predicted by the model. Lastly, the model is benchmarked with an inventory depletion scenario where it is observed that despite the modeling limitation of RELAP5, the prediction shows good agreement with the experimental data where major trends and features are captured by the model. Future work will see continued development of the current RELAP5-3D input deck of the NSTF to both improve the accuracy of the model’s predictive capability and continuing serving the experimental program. The mutually beneficial relationship between analysis and experimental efforts has become integral to the parent NSTF program, and the greater objective to fully understand and accurately predict the heat removal performance of a full scale RCCS concept.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Modeling Flow and Particle Deposition in a Spent Nuclear Fuel Assembly

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) simulation of aerosol-laden natural convective flow and particle deposition in a spent fuel storage canister with 37 assemblies is currently computationally prohibitive. PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) assemblies have up to 289 pins or tubes with several spacer grids to align the pins. Spacer grids with mixing vanes induce swirling during operation to increase heat transfer. Each spacer grid contains hundreds of small structures such as retaining clips, channel walls, and openings. The largest canisters store 37 PWR assemblies thus, there are numerous pins, tubes, and spacer grids for which the flow region between and around these structures needs to be determined along with the movement and deposition of aerosol particles. Because of the complicated geometry, modeling the intricate flow even for just one assembly is currently impractical. Nonetheless, we are developing techniques for a practical model to assess the natural aerosol particle deposition process in a canister in the event that a release occurs from one or more fuel pins. In the previous work it was demonstrated that CFD can model the flow through a PWR spacer grid with mixing vanes, including particle deposition, in a reasonable amount of time on a personal computer. In this work, the analysis is extended to include the bypass region between an assembly and the canister basket walls. It is shown that the flow velocity in the bypass region is about three times that of the interstitial region between the pins. The lengths before and after the spacer grid are also extended to determine when the flow becomes fully developed. In addition, the approach of computationally “stitching together” segments of an assembly is demonstrated with the plan to ultimately model a full assembly. The fraction of particles that are deposited in a segment with a spacer grid is determined as a function of particle size and flow velocity.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗