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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Code Coverage Status of the ARC Code DASSH-F

The Argonne Reactor Code (ARC) software system supports users in their fast reactor design goals by providing neutronic, thermal-hydraulic, and structural analysis capabilities. DASSH-F serves as a steady state thermal hydraulic capability within the ARC system and replaces the SE2-ANL software that preceded it. This document identifies the set of test problems used to assess the code coverage for DASSH-F. The goal is to document what parts of the existing DASSH-F code are touched by the set of test problems and which are not. Because the verification work remains to be done on DASSH-F, one can assume that most of these issues will be resolved as part of that work. The code coverage analysis of DASSH-F was performed with the Code Coverage Tool of the Intel Fortran compiler which requires modifications to the compilation of DASSH-F. The code coverage tables are given for each submodule of DASSH-F. Because DASSH-F links to modules in DIF3D, some details on coverage changes to the DIF3D linked files is provided. As will be seen, most of the uncovered parts/files can be ignored because they are either for error message and debugging output or obviously not needed by DASSH-F today. Seven features of the DASSH-F code were identified to not be covered by the existing testing suite and thus additional verification test problems are suggested to fully cover these sections.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

10 Boron-film-based gas detectors at ESS

The development of detectors for the European Spallation Source is an important parallel element to the effort put into the design and construction of the neutron source and instruments. The 10Boron-film-based detector developments that started over a decade ago as basic detector concepts have now reached technical maturity after intense prototyping work and numerous testing campaigns. Several of the ESS beamlines that will soon enter the commissioning phase started welcoming the detector systems built with the 10 B-film converter technology. The real-size demonstrators evolved in the last 2–3 years into a diverse suite of gas proportional counters for use in diffraction, reflectometry and small-angle scattering studies in spite of the operational complexity posed by the requirements for large-area coverage, low material budget and robustness for operation in the high-flux and high-radiation environment of ESS. The detectors are now being shipped to ESS or undergoing the last performance and calibration tests before being handed over to the instrument teams for installation in the host beamlines. A common feature of these detector systems is the very large number of readout channels that they are instrumented with in order to fulfill the demanding requirements for sensitivity, spatial resolution and count-rate capability. Across all of the detector types that will operate at ESS, the integration, testing and commissioning of the read-out technologies and software tools for data reduction, calibration and analysis are the focus of the detector and integration teams. These will yield a wealth of knowledge about their operation as well as initial results on the in-situ performance, a very important asset to ensure rapid commissioning of the detectors when neutrons from the ESS source become available. In this paper we will give an overview of the 10 B-film-based detector technologies included in the ESS detector suite that are currently facing the transition from the production phase to installation and integration with the other beamline components, which comes with its own specific challenges of both organizational and technical nature.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2016

Draco,Version 6.x.x

Draco is an object-oriented component library geared towards numerically intensive, radiation (particle) transport applications built for parallel computing hardware. It consists of semi-independent packages and a robust build system. The packages in Draco provide a set of components that can be used by multiple clients to build transport codes. The build system can also be extracted for use in clients. Software includes smart pointers, Design-by-Contract assertions, unit test framework, wrapped MPI functions, a file parser, unstructured mesh data structures, a random number generator, root finders and an angular quadrature component.

Thompson, Kelly↗
DOE OSTI2016

Pre-commercial Demonstration of Direct Non-iterative State Estimator for Operational Use of Synchrophasor Management Systems

The objective of this project was to demonstrate functionality and performance of a Direct Non-iterative State Estimator (DNSE) integrated with NYPA’s Energy Management System (EMS) and with enhanced Real Time Dynamics Monitoring System (RTDMS) synchrophasor platform from Electric Power Group (EPG). DNSE is designed to overcome a major obstacle to operational use of Synchro-Phasor Management Systems (SPMS) by providing to synchrophasor management systems (SPMS) applications a consistent and a complete synchrophasor data foundation in the same way that a traditional EMS State Estimator (SE) provides to EMS applications. Specifically, DNSE is designed to use synchrophasor measurements collected by a central PDC, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) measurements, and Energy Management System (EMS) network model, to obtain the complete state of the utility’s operating model at rates that are close to the synchrophasor data rates. In this way, the system is comprehensive in that it does not only cover the part of the network that is “visible” via synchrophasors, but also the part that is only “visible” through the SCADA measurements. Visualization needs associated with the use of DNSE results are fulfilled through suitably enhanced Real Time Dynamics Monitoring System (RTDMS), with the enhancements implemented by EPG. This project had the following goals in mind: To advance the deployment of commercial grade DNSE software application that relies on synchrophasor and SCADA data ; Apply DNSE at other utilities, to address a generic and fundamental need for “clean” operational data for synchrophasor applications; Provide means for “live” estimated data access by control system operators; Enhance potential for situational awareness through full system operational model coverage; Sub-second execution rate of the Direct Non-iterative State Estimator, eventually at a near-phasor data rate execution speed, i.e. < 0.1 sec. Anticipated benefits from this projects are: Enhanced reliability and improvements in the economic efficiency of bulk power system planning and operations; Providing “clean” data to other synchrophasor applications; Enhancement of situational awareness by providing the full operational model updated at near synchrophasor rate; A production-grade software tool that incorporate synchrophasor and SCADA data; Provides a basis for development of next generation monitoring and control applications, based on both SCADA and PMU data. Quanta Technology (QT) team worked in collaboration with Electric Power Group (EPG) whose team has enhanced its commercial Real Time Dynamics Monitoring System (RTDMS) to accommodate the requirements posed by DNSE application. EPG also provided its ePDC and Model-less Data Conditioning (PDVC) software for integration with DNSE+. QT developed the system requirements for DNSE; developed system architecture and defined interfaces between internal DNSE components. The core DNSE algorithm with all surrounding interfaces was named DNSE+. Since the DNSE development was done in a simulated system environment, QT used its PMU simulator that was enhanced during this project for development and factory acceptance testing (FAT). SCADA data in this stage was simulated by commercial PSS/e software. The output of DNSE are estimates of System states in C37.118-2 format, sent to RTDMS for further processing and display. As the number of these states is large, it was necessary to expand the C37.111-2 standard to accommodate large data sets. This enhancement was implemented in RTDMS. The demonstration of pre-production DNSE technology was done at NYPA using streaming field data from NYPA PMUs and from its RTUs through their SCADA system. NYPA provided ICCP interface as well as Common Information Model (CIM). The relevance of the DNSE+ application is that it provides state estimation of the power system based on hybrid set of data, consisting of both available PMU data and SCADA measurements. As this is a direct, non-iterative method of calculation of the system states, if does not suffer from convergence issues which is potential problem for conventional state estimators. Also, it can take any available PMU measurements, so it does not need to have a high percentage of PMU coverage needed in the case of Linear State Estimator. As the DNSE calculates synchrophasors of the system states (both phase and absolute value) as sub-second rate, this application can provide a basis for development of next generation of applications based both on SCADA and PMU data.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

PV Validation Hub

The Validation Hub will be a clearinghouse for the transfer of novel algorithms and software from the PV research community to industry. Potential algorithms tested in the Hub could include the estimation of various PV loss factors and the detection of various operational issues. The primary function of the Hub will be for developers to submit executable code which will run on hosted data sets. Developers will receive private reports on the accuracy and performance (e.g., run-time) of the submitted algorithms, and public high level summaries will be hosted. These summaries will indicate the organization who submitted the algorithm (e.g., links to GitHub pages, documentation websites, etc.), high-level accuracy metrics, and standardized performance metrics. These results will be stored in a publicly available database, accessible through the Hub, with the ability for users to sort and filter the results. In short, the Hub will be presented to public users as a collection of interactive leaderboards, organized around specific analysis tasks pertinent to the PV data science community. These tasks include things such as the estimation of various PV loss factors and the detection of various operational issues. We will present progress on the development of this hub, including preliminary results of comparative validation of PV data science algorithms and progress towards building the platform itself.

algorithm↗
DOE OSTI2024

UN-SiC TRISO Post Irradiation Examination Developmental Work

As part of efforts to strengthen INL?s post irradiation analysis capabilities with non-Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuels, two developmental activities were conducted. The first activity was to determine how best to analyze uranium nitride TRISO fuel kernels using electron probe microanalysis, while the second activity focused on developing a method to deconsolidate TRISO fuel particles that have been encased in a silicon carbide matrix. Because these two activities were unrelated, they have been presented separately in this report. Initial EPMA analyses showed nitrogen contents that far exceeded the concentration expected for UN--a line compound. Further examination showed that current literature values for the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) for the N ka X-ray absorbed by U ranged from approximately 1600 to 9500, with most values tending toward 9500. Measuring UN with five different progressively increasing accelerating voltages followed by using the modeling program xMAC suggests the actual MAC is approximately 2115. Additional MAC modifications were required to produce reasonable analytical results. Because of the inaccuracies of necessary MAC coefficients, UN analysis via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is likely to produce inaccurate results. This is because SEM software does not typically allow the user to alter MACs. Tests have been performed to examine the feasibility of an electrochemical technique to liberate irradiated TRISO fuel from a SiC matrix without damaging the outer pyrolytic carbon layer of the fuel particle. The method is performed by electrochemically exposing the SiC to magnesium metal forming Mg2Si and C. Following exposure, the small SiC samples showed slight mass increases with no evidence of conversion to Mg2Si and C nor obvious degradation of the SiC samples.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Heuristic Evaluation Methods Applied to a Predictive Maintenance Chatbot

The need for an accessible iterative approach for evaluating prospective artificial intelligence (AI)/ML based technologies in the nuclear industry is needed, given the nature of algorithms and rapid advancements. This paper explores existing heuristic design principles for user-centered design and evaluates them based on their relevancy and usefulness for evaluating AI/ ML based technologies. Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have developed a machine learning software application called VIsualization for PrEdictive maintenance Recommendation (VIPER), which is used to help users understand and engage with the tool to learn more about work orders, data used, predictive maintenance, and machine learning (ML) algorithms. Early user research studies used to access VIPER’s technology readiness level have occurred; however, there is room for further improvement of the software through heuristic evaluations along with other methods and user testing. This work describes the applicability of heuristic evaluation methods and cognitive walkthroughs to help ensure human readiness for prospective AI/ ML based applications, using VIPER as a candidate use case. This work supports industry in ensuring that prospective AI/ML based technologies are usable and useful for plant personnel at nuclear power plants, ultimately leading to their safe, reliable, and efficient use.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Heuristic Evaluation Methods Applied to a Predictive Maintenance Chatbot

The need for an accessible iterative approach for evaluating prospective artificial intelligence (AI)/ML based technologies in the nuclear industry is needed, given the nature of algorithms and rapid advancements. This paper explores existing heuristic design principles for user-centered design and evaluates them based on their relevancy and usefulness for evaluating AI/ ML based technologies. Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have developed a machine learning software application called VIsualization for PrEdictive maintenance Recommendation (VIPER), which is used to help users understand and engage with the tool to learn more about work orders, data used, predictive maintenance, and machine learning (ML) algorithms. Early user research studies used to access VIPER?s technology readiness level have occurred; however, there is room for further improvement of the software through heuristic evaluations along with other methods and user testing. This work describes the applicability of heuristic evaluation methods and cognitive walkthroughs to help ensure human readiness for prospective AI/ ML based applications, using VIPER as a candidate use case. This work supports industry in ensuring that prospective AI/ML based technologies are usable and useful for plant personnel at nuclear power plants, ultimately leading to their safe, reliable, and efficient use. PowerPoint for conference that was reviewed in PRS and LRS PRS/CON-25-05379 and INL/CON-25-82946

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Advanced Transmission Technologies – GETs and HPCs Session 2: Advanced Power Flow Control and Transmission Topology Optimization

The INL TADA GETs Cohort Session 2, held on November 7, 2025, conducted in collaboration with ScottMadden, focused on two core Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs): Advanced Power Flow Control (APFC) and Transmission Topology Optimization (TTO). These technologies are pivotal in enhancing grid flexibility, reliability, and cybersecurity resilience. APFC, particularly through modular FACTS devices like Modular Static Synchronous Series Compensators (M-SSSCs), enables dynamic voltage injection to reroute power flows. The session highlighted the deployment benefits of APFC, such as rapid installation, minimal civil works, and re-deployability. Regulatory drivers like FERC Order 2023 mandate the inclusion of Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) in interconnection studies. Case studies from Central Hudson, CAISO, and National Grid (UK) demonstrated APFC’s effectiveness in congestion relief and cost savings. The session also addressed cybersecurity concerns, including firmware vulnerabilities, SCADA integration risks, and supply chain dependencies. Participants engaged in interactive exercises to rank cybersecurity and supply chain risks, emphasizing the need for robust digital assurance strategies. TTO involves software-based reconfiguration of transmission networks to optimize power flow without new infrastructure. The session showcased its operational value, with examples from SPP, PJM, and MISO showing significant congestion cost reductions. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities were discussed, particularly in API security and software supply chains, referencing incidents like SolarWinds and attacks on Danish utilities. Digital assurance exercises explored worst-case scenarios, attack paths, and mitigation responsibilities between vendors and utilities. Reliability challenges such as algorithm stability, vendor dependency, and operator trust were also examined. Cross-cutting themes emphasized the importance of digital assurance tools, including Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) and hardware-in-loop testing. Human performance, training, and operational confidence were identified as critical enablers of technology adoption. The session concluded with a preview of Session 3, which will focus on High Performance Conductors (HPCs) and risk-based cybersecurity tools. Session 2 of 3.

24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2013

Molecular radiotherapy: The NUKFIT software for calculating the time-integrated activity coefficient

Purpose: Calculation of the time-integrated activity coefficient (residence time) is a crucial step in dosimetry for molecular radiotherapy. However, available software is deficient in that it is either not tailored for the use in molecular radiotherapy and/or does not include all required estimation methods. The aim of this work was therefore the development and programming of an algorithm which allows for an objective and reproducible determination of the time-integrated activity coefficient and its standard error.Methods: The algorithm includes the selection of a set of fitting functions from predefined sums of exponentials and the choice of an error model for the used data. To estimate the values of the adjustable parameters an objective function, depending on the data, the parameters of the error model, the fitting function and (if required and available) Bayesian information, is minimized. To increase reproducibility and user-friendliness the starting values are automatically determined using a combination of curve stripping and random search. Visual inspection, the coefficient of determination, the standard error of the fitted parameters, and the correlation matrix are provided to evaluate the quality of the fit. The functions which are most supported by the data are determined using the corrected Akaike information criterion. The time-integrated activity coefficient is estimated by analytically integrating the fitted functions. Its standard error is determined assuming Gaussian error propagation. The software was implemented using MATLAB.Results: To validate the proper implementation of the objective function and the fit functions, the results of NUKFIT and SAAM numerical, a commercially available software tool, were compared. The automatic search for starting values was successfully tested for reproducibility. The quality criteria applied in conjunction with the Akaike information criterion allowed the selection of suitable functions. Function fit parameters and their standard error estimated by using SAAM numerical and NUKFIT showed differences of <1%. The differences for the time-integrated activity coefficients were also <1% (standard error between 0.4% and 3%). In general, the application of the software is user-friendly and the results are mathematically correct and reproducible. An application of NUKFIT is presented for three different clinical examples.Conclusions: The software tool with its underlying methodology can be employed to objectively and reproducibly estimate the time integrated activity coefficient and its standard error for most time activity data in molecular radiotherapy.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Sensitivity Analysis of MFiX-PIC Parameters Using Nodeworks, PSUADE, and DAKOTA

The study presented in this report was aimed to demonstrate UQ analysis performed not only with Nodeworks, but also two other well-established UQ software tools from the U.S. DOE’s National Laboratories (PSUADE from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and DAKOTA from Sandia National Laboratory). It is important to emphasize that the motivation of this study was not to determine the best UQ software, but to verify if the global sensitivity analyses from the end-to-end workflow in Nodeworks are consistent with the results of other two UQ software. The components of Nodeworks from Python’s ecosystem have been tested as standalone libraries. However, an assessment study for the complete workflow targeting a specific UQ analysis has not been performed for Nodeworks. Hence, this study is expected to serve as an equivalent of solution verification for Nodeworks using other established UQ tools as reference solution. For this purpose, three distinct flow configurations (i.e., settling bed, bubbling fluidized, and circulating fluidized bed) have been used as representative multiphase flow problems of interest. The results of the systematic simulation campaigns performed in an earlier study using the particle-in-cell (PIC) approach in the Multiphase Flow with Interphase eXchanges (MFIX) suite of solvers (i.e., MFiX-PIC) was utilized. The same set of tabulated results was provided as input to the different UQ software for global sensitivity analysis. Results for the three cases indicate that based on the Sobol’ Sensitivity Indices method the order of importance ranking determined by Nodeworks for the Sobol’ Total Sensitivity Indices is consistent with PSUADE and DAKOTA in each case for the five model parameters considered. The input files for Nodeworks for the three cases are also shared through NETL’s Gitlab repository for the reader interested in reproducibility and further analysis (See Section 1.2).

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Standardized Analysis Process Using Digital Image Correlation to Calculate In Situ Cladding Strain from Modified Burst Tests for Fuel Performance Code Validation

Historical data collection on nuclear fuel cladding materials has focused on generating a statistically significant amount of data to assess the material and its failure behavior. Furthermore, data generated to support material model and failure criteria development were previously posttest evaluations, so a large number of tests was required to gain new understanding. A way to expedite this process is to develop techniques capable of generating large, high-fidelity data sets from a single test with lower uncertainty or quantified uncertainty. One such example of this approach is Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s use of modified burst tests (MBTs) to analyze the mechanical behavior and failure conditions of cladding during a simulated reactivity-initiated accident (RIA). Each test incorporates digital image correlation (DIC) analysis techniques that are used to assess the accumulated strain in situ, as well as eventual cladding failure. This work has been fruitful in defining strain-to-failure conditions for materials like silicon carbide (SiC) fiber–reinforced/SiC matrix composite tubes (SiC/SiC), iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloy tubes, and chromium-coated Zircaloy-4 tubes. However, there are numerous DIC software available, including open-source and proprietary software. The different DIC software use various algorithms to process images and calculate displacement values. Using these different software and algorithms can lead to varying results, and perhaps larger-than-expected uncertainties. In the present study, previously published MBT data encompassing a variety of test conditions were reanalyzed with two different DIC software to assess the variance in the calculated strain results. The data consisted of SiC/SiC, FeCrAl, and chromium-coated Zircaloy-4 tubes. Plots of the calculated strains during the transient revealed good agreement between the two DIC software. The average root-mean-square errors between the two software was 0.20% strain, which is slightly larger than a previously reported error value for these tests. In conclusion, this variance in results is low enough that this analysis method can be used for code validation.

Reactivity-initiated accident↗
DOE OSTI2020

SpackDev: Multi-Package Development with Spack

High Energy Physics (HEP) software environments often involve ~ hundreds of external packages and libraries, and similar numbers of experiment-specific, science-critical packages—many under continuous development. Managing coherent releases of the external software stack is challenging enough, but managing the highly-collaborative—and distributed—development of a large body of code against such a stack adds even more complexity and room for error. Spack is a popular Python-based package management tool with a specific focus on the needs of High Performance Computing (HPC) systems and system administrators whose strength is orchestrating the discrete download, build, testing, and installation of pre-packaged or tagged third-party software against similarly stable dependencies. As such it is becoming increasingly popular within HEP as that community makes increasing use of HPC facilities, and as efforts to develop future HPC systems utilize Spack to provide scientific software on those platforms. SpackDev is a system to facilitate the simultaneous development of interconnected sets of packages. Intended to handle packages without restriction to one internal build system, SpackDev is integrated with Spack as a command extension in order to leverage features such as dependency calculations and build system configuration, and is generally applicable outside HEP. We describe SpackDev’s features and development over the last two years, initial experience using SpackDev in the context of the LArSoft liquid argon detector toolkit, and work remaining before it can be considered a fully-functional multi-package build system for HEP experiments utilizing Spack.

Green, Chris↗
DOE OSTI2015

Diffusion of Designerly Finite Element Analysis

To address a variety of difficulties surrounding the use of finite element analysis (FEA) in product development at Sandia, this research explored a 'designerly' insertion of FEA into the design-build-test product development cycle. Designerly FEA is characterized by the use of simplified FEA models, designer-friendly FEA software, an FEA analyst embedded in the product design team, relative comparisons of design options, and a deliberate leveraging of routine prototype testing to collect model validation data. Two case study projects were used to explore the impact of this approach on the product development teams' thinking and perceptions of FEA. The case study data was collected using mixed methods and analyzed using a theory-building approach. The results were synthesized into a framework describing how the use of FEA to build confidence in a product design is related to the process by which product development teams gain or lose confidence in FEA itself. The implications may extend to other organizations that desire to increase the impact of simulation technologies in their product development process.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Status of the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 Safety Analysis Code

SAS4A/SASSYS-1 is a simulation tool used to perform deterministic analysis of anticipated events as well as design basis and beyond design basis accidents for advanced reactors. This report summarizes the current status of SAS4A/SASSYS-1, including the implementation of software quality assurance procedures for configuration management, new licenses, current users, and a gap assessment of the test suite. The existing copyright has been extended for an additional five years, which was essential so that Argonne can continue developing, distributing, and supporting the software for both domestic use and international collaborations. SAS4A/SASSYS-1 Version 5.2 was completed in March 2017 and released to users in May. The importance of SAS4A/SASSYS-1 maintenance reflects its relevance to a number of U.S. Department of Energy programs as well as domestic and international collaborations. External collaborations have also produced improvements in the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 code, and these are noted in this report. SAS4A/SASSYS-1 has a growing user base that continues to strengthen the promotion of advanced non-LWR reactor concepts. Additional users will help solidify DOE’s leadership role in fast reactor safety both domestically and in international collaborations.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A Complex-Geometry Validation Experiment for Advanced Neutron Transport Codes

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has initiated a focused effort to upgrade legacy computational reactor physics software tools and protocols used for support of core fuel management and experiment management in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and its companion critical facility (ATRC) at the INL.. This will be accomplished through the introduction of modern high-fidelity computational software and protocols, with appropriate new Verification and Validation (V&V) protocols, over the next 12-18 months. Stochastic and deterministic transport theory based reactor physics codes and nuclear data packages that support this effort include MCNP5[1], SCALE/KENO6[2], HELIOS[3], SCALE/NEWT[2], and ATTILA[4]. Furthermore, a capability for sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification based on the TSUNAMI[5] system has also been implemented. Finally, we are also evaluating the Serpent[6] and MC21[7] codes, as additional verification tools in the near term as well as for possible applications to full three-dimensional Monte Carlo based fuel management modeling in the longer term. On the experimental side, several new benchmark-quality code validation measurements based on neutron activation spectrometry have been conducted using the ATRC. Results for the first four experiments, focused on neutron spectrum measurements within the Northwest Large In-Pile Tube (NW LIPT) and in the core fuel elements surrounding the NW LIPT and the diametrically opposite Southeast IPT have been reported [8,9]. A fifth, very recent, experiment focused on detailed measurements of the element-to-element core power distribution is summarized here and examples of the use of the measured data for validation of corresponding MCNP5, HELIOS, NEWT, and Serpent computational models using modern least-square adjustment methods are provided.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2015

SPR Hydrostatic Column Model Verification and Validation.

A Hydrostatic Column Model (HCM) was developed to help differentiate between normal "tight" well behavior and small-leak behavior under nitrogen for testing the pressure integrity of crude oil storage wells at the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This effort was motivated by steady, yet distinct, pressure behavior of a series of Big Hill caverns that have been placed under nitrogen for extended period of time. This report describes the HCM model, its functional requirements, the model structure and the verification and validation process. Different modes of operation are also described, which illustrate how the software can be used to model extended nitrogen monitoring and Mechanical Integrity Tests by predicting wellhead pressures along with nitrogen interface movements. Model verification has shown that the program runs correctly and it is implemented as intended. The cavern BH101 long term nitrogen test was used to validate the model which showed very good agreement with measured data. This supports the claim that the model is, in fact, capturing the relevant physical phenomena and can be used to make accurate predictions of both wellhead pressure and interface movements.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structural Analysis Approach for the Defense Programs Package 3 (DPP-3)

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is the design authority for a new Type B hazardous materials transportation package designated as the Defense Programs Package 3 (DPP-3) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The DPP-3 has been developed using similar materials and fabrication methods employed in previous U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), DOE, and NNSA certified packages. The DPP-3 design criteria are derived from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), NNSA guidance and NRC regulatory guides in order to safely and securely transport a variety of payloads. Final regulatory approval by the NNSA will require physical testing to demonstrate that the containment vessel (CV) remains leaktight after enduring the entire regulatory testing sequence prescribed in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 71 (10 CFR 71). In order to gain confidence that the DPP-3 will remain leaktight after testing, the DPP-3 has been structurally analyzed using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software LS-DYNA. The FEA analyses serve two general purposes: first, they aid in design and development of the package, and second, they advise as to which drop orientations are expected to cause the most damage during regulatory testing. This paper will discuss how the design criteria are incorporated into analytical techniques needed to evaluate the FEA structural simulation results for 10 CFR 71 conditions to give confidence the DPP-3 testing campaign will be successful.

Sakalaukus Jr., Peter J.↗