MBase: The Molecular Basis of Advanced Nuclear Fuel Separations
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Earth Science and Engineering
Abstract
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Organisations
Publications
A.G. Buchan (Author)
(2011)
Dynamics and heat Transfer Characteristics of the Water Boiler Reactor: SUPO
Buchan A
(2016)
An efficient space-angle subgrid scale discretisation of the neutron transport equation
in Annals of Nuclear Energy
Buchan A
(2014)
The immersed body supermeshing method for modelling reactor physics problems with complex internal structures
in Annals of Nuclear Energy
Buchan A
(2013)
Simulated spatially dependent transient kinetics analysis of the Oak Ridge Y12 plant criticality excursion
in Progress in Nuclear Energy
Buchan A
(2012)
Simulated transient dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of the water boiler nuclear reactor - SUPO - with cooling coil heat extraction
in Annals of Nuclear Energy
C.M. Cooling (Author)
(2013)
Point Kinetics Models of the Medical Isotope Production Reactor
Cooling C
(2017)
A Point Kinetics Model of the Medical Isotope Production Reactor Including the Effects of Boiling
in Nuclear Science and Engineering
Cooling C
(2013)
The application of polynomial chaos methods to a point kinetics model of MIPR: An Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor
in Nuclear Engineering and Design
Dargaville S
(2015)
Solving the Boltzmann transport equation with multigrid and adaptive space/angle discretisations
in Annals of Nuclear Energy
Goffin M
(2015)
Goal-based angular adaptivity applied to a wavelet-based discretisation of the neutral particle transport equation
in Journal of Computational Physics
| Description | The key theme of this 15 man-month project (which benefitted from other parallel research projects) was to develop numerical 'multiphysics technologies to model the behaviour of super-critical fissile solutions capable of self-heating to boiling temperatures. The models developed though this project enabled the simulation of both the neutronics and multiphase flows of these solutions together with their heat transfer with external heat extraction systems. It had been hoped originally to maintain contacts with the French Valduc defence site but a management change made this impossible. So we have made use of our contacts in the United States. The key finding and outcomes include: 1) The first full reconstruction of the US Y12 laboratory criticality accident, demonstrating a capability of accurate predictions by demonstrating agreement with the available data for the event. 2) The first detailed modelling of the historic US Los Alamos lab SUPO reactor, a fissile solution reactor with heat extraction systems, for which modelling heat transfer characteristics (using a detailed 2D/3D coupled model) agreed well with experimental data. Such a capability is vital as this reactor can be viewed as a prime benchmark for future designs of solution reactors. These are candidates for medical isotope production of which the US MIPS design has been an example. 3) A new modelling capability of current PWR designs, allowing us to study the safety of a reactor during unintended scenarios including control rod ejection and increased localised cooling/heating. |
| Exploitation Route | The neutronic-multiphase simulator has already attracted attention from the Japanese Atomic Energy Authority, and it is intended that we contribute to their next meeting on the predictions of nuclear fuel solutions - which is to be held next year. This is in addition to the Y12 national Lab who have shown much interest in the project's outcomes and have encouraged the use of the model for studying criticality accidents involving fissile solutions. The immersed body and heat exchange simulation technology has already been used to model conceptual designs of medical isotope production systems (MIPS) which involve fissile solutions with heat extraction coils. There is immediate potential that this technology can be adapted for use in industry for the modelling solid fuel reactors. It enables the fine detail resolution of heat exchange between fuel pins and coolants, and this allows for the simulation of unintended operations (e.g. cold slugs of coolant water entering the reactor or local control rod ejection) and the assessment of local effects, such as increased heating, on the solid fuel pins. The modelling technologies are now forming the foundations for the simulation of severe nuclear accident scenarios, and this has led to new collaborations with IRSN, in France, on investigating the effects of fuel pin melting and core melting events. For non-nuclear applications the multi-phase flow with heat transfer modelling has the potential to simulate and aid the design of large scale fluidized bed coal furnaces, an application that has already attracted the interest of industry. The research developed under the MBASE project has already been exploited through its use in the modelling of conceptual designs of medical isotope production system (MIPS) reactors. Its unique modelling capabilities has led to the Babcock & Wilcox company, based in the US, funding several years of post doctoral positions and EngDoc students. The MBASE project has helped leverage and underpin the technologies required to model and analyse such a design of a reactor. We are not aware of any other technology that is capable of achieving such detailed modelling capability. In addition the technologies developed are valuable in the context of nuclear criticality safety both globally and in the UK, as evidenced by our earlier simulation of the Japanese JCO plant criticality accident. Our work on criticality accident modelling, which has involved a number of elements of the MBASE project, has now linked in with industry and academia across the world including Japan (JAEA) the US (Y12) and France (IRSN) and the UK. Indeed our first steps in developing this technology and the relevant international links were funded by the (now) ONR. |
| Sectors | Energy Environment |
| Description | Collaboration with Babcock & Wilcox: modelling of medical isotope reactors |
| Organisation | Babcock & Wilcox |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The technologies developed under MBASE were naturally extended to the modelling and study of the dynamics of conceptual designs of medical isotope reactors involving critical fissile solutions. With collaboration with the Babcock & Wilcox company we were able to analyse a design of reactor that they were considering building for the purpose of producing these medical isotopes. |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | Collaboration with Y12 on investigating criticality accidents involving nuclear fuel soultions |
| Organisation | Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Department | Y-12 National Security Complex |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The MBASE project enabled us to work with the Y12 National Lab, based in the US, on predicting the dynamics of criticality accidents involving nuclear fuels. As part of this collaboration we were able to provide the most detailed modelling analysis yet on one of their own criticality accidents that occurred a number of decades ago. |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | Collaboration with the HMS Sultan: Neutronics-fluid flow modelling of Pressure Water Reactors |
| Organisation | HMS Sultan |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Through collaboration with HMS Sultan the outcome of the research developed under the MBASE program was extended to the modelling of coolant flows through PWR assemblies and their full cores. This investigation studied the effects of unintended reactor operations - including control rod ejections and localised cooling. |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | Collaboration with the University of South Carolina: Neutronics-fluid flow modelling of Pressure Water Reactors (PWRs) |
| Organisation | University of South Carolina |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Through collaboration with the University of South Carolina the outcome of the research developed under the MBASE program was extended to the modelling of coolant flows through PWR assemblies and their full cores. This investigation studied the effects of unintended reactor operations - including control rod ejections and localised cooling. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Collaborations with ONR |
| Organisation | US Navy |
| Department | US Office of Naval Research Global |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The work of MBASE has led to new collaborations with the ONR on severe accident modelling. The multiphase modelling elements of MBASE led to new investigations into the study of the integrity of structures of pressure water reactors under accident scenarios. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Severe nuclear accident modelling in collaboration with IRSN |
| Organisation | Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The multi-phase modelling components of MBASE has been re-applied to the modelling of sever accidents involving both localised fuel pin melt and full core melt and capture. This element has involved collaborations with the severe accident modelling group based within IRSN - Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety ? of France. |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | ASTRID seminar 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | seminar presentation to nuclaer industry and academia (international) covering elements of accident progression. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2017 |
| Description | Coupled Radiation Transport and Fluid Flow Simulations of Liquid & Solid Fuel Reactors |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | As an invited speaker, we presented the work conducted through the MBASE project to the University of South Carolina covering the modelling techniques used to model both liquid and solid fuel reactors. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | MODELLING IN NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Join the Nuclear Institute and The International Society of Multiphysics on 18 October 2017 in Manchester to explore the latest advances in mathematical modelling and simulation behaviour of nuclear materials, reactor safety and environmental effects as well as simulation advancements and deployment of techniques into nuclear science and engineering. Delegates will hear from leading authorities at the forefront of advancing innovation in Nuclear Materials, Reactor Safety and Environmental Modelling. This year's speakers include leading experts from National Nuclear Laboratory, University of Tokyo, Manchester University, Imperial College London, Energia Nucleare ed Energie Alternative (ENEA) and Bangor University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Modelling in Nuclear Science and Engineering, Manchester, Keynote speakers, organised by The Nuclear institute and The International Society of Multiphysics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Modelling in Nuclear Science and Engineering 18/10/2017, Manchester. Organised by: The Nuclear institute and The International Society of Multiphysics Keynote speakers: Christopher Pain, Andrew Buchan. Attendance: Liang Yang, Dimitrios Pavlidis |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | UK-Japan Civil Nuclear Network event, Osaka, Japan. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Second UK-Japan Civil Nuclear Network event, Osaka, Japan. Keynote speaker: Dr Andrew Buchan, Dr Dimitrios Pavlidis. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Visit to CUPB to increase collaboration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Conference/meeting to talk about the progress/update regarding the project as well as possible future collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Visit to partners in Beijin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Conference/meeting to present the collaboration UK/China regarding the join efforts towards geothermal energy. The conference was attended by Sinopec star, students and post-graduates from CUPB (Chinese University of Petroleum Beijing) and staff from CUPB. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |