The NEA organised 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 brought 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 was 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 was hosted by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) in Bologna, Italy. The activity also had strong links to the NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy.
The technical content of the training sessions was based on the Light Water Reactor (LWR) Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling (UAM) benchmark. It followed the specifications of the benchmark for selected benchmark exercises from the three phases of the benchmark. The scope was 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 included practical exercises with state-of-the-art reactor simulation packages, which were provided by the NEA Data Bank and RSICC.
The course featured lectures by NCSU staff members, as well as internationally renowned experts from the WPRS and its expert groups. The SINUS training sessions took place in a hybrid format.
SINUS provided 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 received a certificate of completion of the course.
The SINUS consisted of remote and in-person trainings.
The remote training included 20 hours of online lectures and practical exercises (approximately 4 hours per day per session). The practical exercises were based on examples taken from the Benchmark for LWR-UAM of WPRS, andfocused 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 also featured homework assignments and computer projects for participant teams to be completed and presented during the in-person sessions.
Five virtual training sessions:
| Topic | Speaker | Institution | |
| Neutronics | Status & trends in modelling and uncertainty estimation in reactor physics simulations | Kostadin Ivanov/Maria Avramova | NCSU |
| Quantification and propagation of uncertainties in neutronics simulations | Oscar Cabellos de Francisco | UPM | |
| Introduction to SCALE | Ugur Mertyurek | ORNL | |
| Neutronics exercises: Stand alone staidly state assembly (UAM Phase I, Exercise 2) | Pascal Rouxelin | NCSU | |
| Fuel modelling | Modelling of fuel behaviour with uncertainty quantification and propagation (R&D) | Antoine Boulore | CEA |
| Modelling of fuel behaviour with uncertainty quantification and propagation (Industry perspective) | Radan Sedlacek, Frank Froemel |
Framatome GmbH | |
| Fuel modelling exercises: Fuel rod steady state and time-dependent (UAM Phase II, Exercise 1) | Gregory Delipei | NCSU | |
| Thermal hydraulics | Status & trends in thermal hydraulics modelling and associated uncertainty quantification and propagation | Alessandro Petruzzi | NINE |
| Propagation of thermal-hydraulics uncertainties in core thermal-hydraulics calculations | Maria Avramova and Diana Cuervo Gomez | NSCU UPM |
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| Thermal-hydraulics exercises with CTF: UAM Phase II, Exercise 3 | Agustin Abarca | NCSU | |
| Time dependent neutronics | Uncertainty quantification and propagation in time dependent neutronics - kinetics | Evgeny Ivanov | IRSN |
| Uncertainty quantification and propagation in time dependent neutronics - depletion | Mathieu Hursin | PSI | |
| Other uncertainty-related tasks: Data assimilation and target accuracy assessment in neutronics simulations | Nuria Garcia Herranz | UPM | |
| Exercises on time dependent neutronics: Assembly depletion (UAM Phase II, Exercise 2a) and mini core kinetics (UAM Phase II , Exercise 2b) | Pascal Rouxelin | NCSU | |
| Multiphysics | Status & trends in multiphysics modelling and asociated uncertainties | Jason Hou | NCSU |
| Propagation of uncertainties in multi-physics simulations | Yann Perin and Alexander Aures | GRS | |
| Multiphysics excercises with NEM, CTF and CTFFuel: Core steady state and transient (Phase III, Exercise 1) | Agustin Abarca and Pascal Rouxelin, Gregory DELIPEI | NCSU | |
The NEA organised the in-person training of the International School on Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Systems (SINUS) on 22-23 May 2023. Held in Bologna, Italy, this in-person session was hosted by the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), with the support of Newcleo, and a ENEN# Group Mobility Support fund by the European Union covered the travel costs of 20 participants.
The course was 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:
The training material development was co-ordinated by the NCSU. The ENEA hosted the in-person event, and the ENEN# Group Mobility Support fund by the European Union covered the travel costs of 20 participants. The SINUS cocktail reception in Bologna was hosted by newcleo. RSICC and the NEA Data Bank supported the distribution of the required software.
MyNEA SharePoint Page (access only for lecturers and trainees)
WPRS Secretariat: Oliver BUSS
wprs@oecd-nea.org
