ADVANCED MODELING & SIMULATION
Our research topic is also extending the experimental and theoretical modeling approaches to support advanced modeling and simulation capabilities for energy systems. Improved basic scientific understanding and engineering knowledge through fundamental study would be integrated with multi-physics simulations, which is expected to enhance predictive capabilities of numerical simulation or system codes in nuclear reactor systems.
Advanced modeling for boiling simulation
: Lattice Bolzmann Method
Currently, most two-phase flow simulations is based on macroscopic scale simulations such as volume of fluid (VOF) or level set (LS). These macroscopic simulations can calculate transport mechanism onto the interface. However, they can’t simulate nucleation phenomena, so they need artificial bubble seed. On the other hand, Lattice Boltzmann method originated from kinetic theory can mimic interaction of molecules. This makes bubble nucleation possible. Two-phase mechanisms which are hard to inspect in real experiment can be studied with this mesoscopic method.
Applying the first principle model in nuclear system codes
System codes are important tools to analyze nuclear power plant systems since the codes are able to provide the results considering multi-components connected to each other in nuclear power plants. Even though it could provide a systematical view of the entire system, details predicting thermal-hydraulics are relying on empirical correlations developed for very specific conditions. However, recent designs of nuclear power plant systems such as SMR of NuScale or micro-reactor designs considered by many associations are taking totally different operating or environmental conditions, which requires new correlation development. For this kind of issue, we are developing equations based on the first principle model not empirical correlations for better and tolerant system codes.
