The NEA will organise the first International School on Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Systems (SINUS) on the topic of Reactor single- and multi-physics simulations based on Light Water Reactor (LWR) Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling (UAM) benchmark. Targeting students and young professionals in the nuclear sector, the course will bring together the next generation of experts with the expert community from the NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues and Uncertainty Analysis of Reactor Systems (WPRS).
The event is jointly developed by North Carolina State University (NSCU) , the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the NEA WPRS. The in-person part will be hosted by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) in Bologna, Italy. The activity has also strong links to the NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy.
The technical content of the training sessions is based on the Light Water Reactor (LWR) Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling (UAM) benchmark. It follows the specifications of the benchmark for selected benchmark exercises from the three phases of the benchmark. The scope is on quantifying and propagating relevant significant uncertainties through different single physics and multi-physics modeling and simulation of nuclear reactor cores using the Pressurised Water Reactor test cases.
The trainings will include practical exercises with state-of-the-art reactor simulation packages, which will be provided by the NEA Data Bank and RSICC.
The course will feature lectures by NCSU staff members, as well as internationally renowned experts from the WPRS and its expert groups. The SINUS training sessions will take place in a hybrid format.
SINUS will provide an opportunity to develop a multinational network with fellow participants and international experts, and to learn more about this challenging and innovative subject. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion of the course.
The SINUS will consist of remote and in-person trainings.
The remote training will include 20 hours of online lectures and practical exercises (approximately 4 hours per day per session). The practical exercises will be based on examples taken from the Benchmark for LWR-UAM of WPRS, and will focus on quantifying and propagating relevant significant uncertainties through different single physics and multi-physics modelling and simulation of nuclear reactor cores using the PWR test cases. The course will also feature homework assignments and computer projects for participant teams to be completed and presented during the in-person sessions.
Five virtual training sessions are envisioned as follows:
The NEA has been granted the ENEN2plus (ENEN#) Group Mobility Support to fund participants’ travel costs. The ENEN# Mobility Action concerns the in-person activities during the week of the WPRS Benchmarks Workshop in Bologna, Italy, on 22-23 May 2023.
In-person sessions will include participants’ presentations on their findings from computer projects and experts’ comments and discussions.
Interested participants are invited attend the LWR-UAM benchmark workshop sessions during the week of the WPRS Benchmarks Workshop 2023.
The course is open to advanced Master’s students, PhD students, or young professionals with a Master’s or PhD degrees in nuclear engineering, reactor physics, nuclear physics, and related disciplines. Participants should have:
Participants will be selected based on eligibility and excellence, considering geographical, and gender balance aspects. The selection process will be based on applicants’ motivation letters and educational track records. The proposed committee for selecting participants will include seven high-level experts in the field of reactor physics: the Chair of WPRS, the Chairs of the NEA Expert Group on Reactor Multiphysics (EGMUP), the Chair of the local WPRS Benchmark Workshop organising committee of ENEA, and the Head of the NEA Division for Nuclear Science and Education. The selection process will be supported by the NEA Secretariat.
We ask each applicant to provide a motivation letter including a summary of the participant's educational track records.
The training material development is co-ordinated by the NCSU. The ENEA will host the in-person event, and the ENEN# Group Mobility Support fund by the European Union will cover the travel costs of 20 participants. The SINUS cocktail reception in Bologna will be hosted by newcleo. RSICC and the NEA Data Bank support the distribution of the required software.
WPRS Secretariat: Oliver BUSS
wprs@oecd-nea.org
