September 2015

September 28, 2015January 11, 2019

INL’s Advanced Modeling & Simulation Capabilities for Nuclear Applications

SPEAKER:

RICHARD MARTINEAU, PH.D.

DIRECTOR OF NS&T M&S

DATE/TIME:

MON, 09/28/2015 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

***247 CORY HALL***

Fall 2015 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

**PLEASE NOTE TIME AND LOCATION CHANGE FOR THIS TALK**

The Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) represents a novel approach toward nuclear reactor simulation. MOOSE is an HPC development and runtime framework that utilizes a modular approach, allowing scientists and engineers to rapidly create new fully coupled, multiphysics applications. At INL and other institutions, a number of different physics simulation capabilities have been developed based on the MOOSE framework in support of nuclear applications for DOE programs, such as NEAMS, CASL, LWRS, etc. Recent MOOSE framework developments have enabled the efficient combination of multiple, independently developed applications with the goal of achieving massive, multiscale calculations. These developments, which include both a flexible execution strategy and a sophisticated data exchange facility, allow MOOSE-based applications to run concurrently while exchanging data, a process we have termed "multi-coupling". Here, this multi-coupling procedure will be demonstrated for several reactor centric physics to display the algorithmic capability in MOOSE to preform multiphysics simulations of LWRs.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Richard Martineau (INL) began employment at the INL in July of 1989. He is Director of INL?s Nuclear Science & Technology Modeling and Simulation. Rich is responsible for those aspects of developing advanced numerical methods, scientific numerical packages, high-performance computing frameworks, and multiphysics analysis tools for nuclear power applications. Dr. Martineau has twenty-five years experience conducting computational fluid dynamics research and investigations. Expertise includes computational fluid dynamics, nonlinear coupling methods for multiphysics applications, compressible material dynamics (including stress wave phenomena and shock physics), fluid dynamics and heat transfer theory, and thermodynamics. Dr. Martineau is the primary developer of the MOOSE-based application called Bighorn, which is designed to simulate single- and multi-phase conjugate heat transfer domains. He is also the programmatic and technical lead on the development of RELAP-7, the next generation nuclear reactor systems analysis capability. Dr. Martineau obtained a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Idaho.

September 21, 2015January 11, 2019

Neutron Scattering from Baghdad to Berkeley

SPEAKER:

PROFESSOR LEE BERNSTEIN

DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING, UCB

LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY

DATE/TIME:

MON, 09/21/2015 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

3105 ETCHEVERRY HALL

Fall 2015 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

Neutron-induced reactions generate energy in reactors and weapons, and are responsible for the formation of virtually all of the elements heavier than iron. However, more than 80 years after the discovery of the neutron by Chadwick, we still lack the ability to accurately predict the interaction of neutrons with matter due to the rich complexities of nuclear physics. The result is that all of the information about neutron scattering used in nuclear science and engineering applications come from a combination of careful experiment and evaluation. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of inelastic neutron scattering data for the majority of the stable nuclides at energies well-above room temperature. The single largest body of such data was taken at the Al-Tuwaitha research facility outside of Baghdad in the 1970s. This “Baghdad Atlas” contains neutron scattering data for more than 75 stable nuclides taken over the course of 1000’s of hours of careful experimentation. Unfortunately, the reactor at Al-Tuwaitha was “decommissioned” in the first Gulf War, and only a handful of copies of the Atlas survived. The newly formed Data Evaluation for Applied Nuclear Science (DEANS) group at the UC-Berkeley department of nuclear engineering has taken on the task of compiling and evaluating data and performing complementary experiments using neutron sources on the UC campus and laboratories throughout the world. In this talk I will give an update on the status of neutron scattering data, tell the story of the “Baghdad Atlas” and discuss the steps we are taking in Berkeley to improve our understanding of the interactions of neutrons with the world around us. This work was supported the US department of energy under grants DE-AC02-05CB11231
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) and DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and the UC Office of the President.

September 14, 2015January 11, 2019

Peering into Thermonuclear Plasmas at the National Ignition Facility

SPEAKER:

DANIEL CASEY, PH.D. AND LAURA ROBIN BENEDETTI, PH.D.

STAFF SCIENTISTS

LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY

DATE/TIME:

MON, 09/14/2015 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

3105 ETCHEVERRY HALL

Fall 2015 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

The goal of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is to release copious amounts of energy by compressing isotopes of hydrogen to extreme conditions: i.e. densities and pressures, existing only for a few pico-seconds, that exceed those found in the core of our sun. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) was built to explore these conditions and attempt to demonstrate controlled thermonuclear fusion in the laboratory. The diagnoses of these extreme conditions at the short timescales and in the harsh environments where they exist is very challenging indeed. A suite of world-class diagnostics (including optical, x-ray, and neutron detectors) have been developed to accomplish these goals. This talk with introduce some basic requirements of ICF and techniques used to diagnose these experiments. Additionally, it will discuss a few techniques we are exploring for the future.

About the Speaker:

Daniel Casey and Laura Robin Benedetti are staff scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory studying inertial confinement fusion (ICF) at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). They work on diagnosing and understanding the properties of ICF implosions as the implosion achieves its highest densities and temperatures (stagnation).

Daniel Casey also performs experiments to study the growth of hydrodynamic instabilities of imploding capsules that can impede performance. Previously, he helped design and commission the magnetic recoil spectrometer that measures the neutron spectrum of NIF implosions. Dr. Casey obtained his B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of New Mexico (2005) and a Ph. D. in Applied Plasma Physics from the department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT (2012).

Laura Robin Benedetti also probes the properties of materials at extreme pressures, temperatures, and strain rates. Additionally, she is a world recognized expert at high speed x-ray imaging instruments and related technologies. Prior to working at LLNL she studied the physical and chemical properties of materials in giant planets. Dr. Benedetti has a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering and a B. A. in Philosophy from the University of Southern California (1994) and a Ph.D. in Physics from University of California Berkeley (2001).