McSAFE

Considering the priority topics of NUGENIA and the achievements of the EU HPMC project, the overall objective of the McSAFE project is to move the Monte Carlo based stand-alone and coupled solution methodologies (advanced depletion, optimal coupling of MC-codes to thermal-hydraulic solvers, time-dependent Monte Carlo and methods and algorithms for massively parallel simulations) to become valuable and widespread numerical tools for realistic core design, safety analysis and industry-like applications of LWRs of generation II and III. On one hand, the envisaged developments will permit to predict important core safety parameters with less conservatism than current state-of-the-art methods and on the other hand, it will make possible the increase the performance and operational flexibility of nuclear reactors. Last but not least, this kind of projects fosters the dissemination of knowledge from experienced researchers to young engineers, scientists as well as master and doctoral students. The McSAFE project is planned to be a research and innovation action. Even though the applications foreseen for this period are all focused on Generation II, the codes and methods to be further developed and validated can be applied to Gen-III and Gen-IV reactors in a straight-forward manner. In addition, the McSAFE tools and methods are also applicable to research reactors (core design optimisation and safety features evaluation), where the complicated geometry and physics of the core can be adequately simulated only by Monte Carlo codes.

Partners

Coordination

The EU H2020 McSAFE is coordinated by Dr. V. H. Sanchez Espinoza from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology (INR). For more information, please send a email to: victor.sanchez@kit.edu

Objectives

The overall objective of the McSAFE project is to move the Monte Carlo based stand-alone and coupled solution methodologies to become valuable and widespread numerical tools for realistic core design, safety analysis and industry-like applications of LWRs of generation II and III including advanced depletion, optimal coupling of MC-codes to thermal-hydraulic solvers, time-dependent Monte Carlo and methods and algorithms for massively parallel simulations. Another important objective is the validation of the developed methods by using plant data of different NPPs.

Description of Work

The technical work of McSAFE is focused on:

Methods for full-core MC-depletion and optimised thermal-hydraulic feedback integration
Code integration and coupling methods for multi-physics based on MC-methods e.g. integration of TRANSURANUS and SERPENT in NURESIM Platform and coupling with thermal hydraulic solvers e.g. SUBCHANFLOW
Developments of dynamic MC-methods for transient analysis. In this context, the MC codes MCNP, SERPENT and TRIPOLI will be extended for the simulation of the delay and prompt neutrons during transients scenarios and it will be coupled with TH-solvers.
Validation of MC-based simulations using plant data for depletion, static and dynamic core analysis using the implemented coupled approaches. Also data of the SPERT-III-E tests will be used for it.

Main deliverables or results

The McSAFE project will provide improved and more advanced numerical simulation tools for the design and optimisation of reactor cores as well as for the assessment of the core performance and safety assessment for any core design. The main European tools in the project McSAFE are the Monte Carlo particle transport codes SERPENT and TRIPOLI and the thermal-hydraulic subchannel codes FLICA4 and SUBCHANFLOW
Numerical tools and methods developed within McSAFE can be used by different end-users (industry, regulators, research centres, etc.) and since they reflects the state-of-the-art it will be a basis for technical discussions between utilities and regulators aiming to keep plant safety at high level
The McSAFE tools are essential to design reactor systems with improved safety features keeping sufficient safety margins. Disseminating most advanced safety analysis tools is a key factor to improve the safety culture in Europe and worldwide.
The advanced numerical tools to be further developed, improved and validated within McSAFE are unique regarding their physical models and methodologies and the prediction capability and the spatial resolution..
These numerical tools can be also applied for research reactors, SMR and innovative reactors.

Duration

01.09.2017 – 31.08.2020
3 years

Stand Alone codes

SUBCHANFLOW Code
Dr. U. Imke (Main developer)

TRIPOLI
TRIPOLI Developer Team

SERPENT Code
Dr. Jakko Leppänen (Main developer)

MONK
MONK Developer Team

MCNP Monte Carlo Code
MCNP Developer Team

Coupled codes

Methods	Monte Carlo (MC)	Thermal Hydraulic (TH)	Thermo-Mechanics (TM)
Static MC-TH	TRIPOLI SERPENT MCNP MONK	SCF, FLICA, TRUST SCF, COSI SCF SCF
Static MC-TH incl. depletion	TRIPOLI SERPENT MONK	SCF, FLICA, TRUST SCF, COSI SCF	TU TU, FINIX TU
Dynamics MC-TH	DynTRIPOLI DynSERPENT DynMCNP	SCF SCF, COSI SCF
Dynamics-MC-TH-TM	DynTRIPOLI DynSERPENT	SCF, FLICA, TRUST SCF, COSI	TU TU, FINIX

Events

1st McSAFE Training Course, KIT Campus North, Institute of Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology (INR). June 22-24, 2020
PHYSOR 2020 in Cambridge and Birmingham, 29. March to 2. April
Int. Conf. Supercomputing in Nuclear Applications (SNA) and Monte Carlo (MC) SNA+MC2020 in Chiba, Japan, 18-22 May 2020
PHYSOR 2018 in Mexico Cancun 21 to 28 April 2018

8. SERPENT User Group Meeting: May 29 -June 1 2018 in Espoo Finland

2. McSAFE Progress Meeting in UK: September 24 to 26 2018 organized by AMEC

News 2020

Successful project conclusion

After three years of intensive investigations, McSAFE came to an end in August 31. 2020
All the work programm was implemented and novel and first-of-the-kind solutions were developed e.g. coupled Monte Carlo / Subchannel codes with proven capbility to simulate transients e.g. a REA in a commercial PWR with UOX/MOX core loading
First-of-the-kind analysis of a full core depletion with a multiphysics code consiting of MC, TH and TM solvers and taking into account local feedbacks at pin / subchannel level performed
Validation of multiphysics tools based on MC carried out using plant data (PWR, VVER: depletion capability) and test data (SPERT III E REA: transient capability)
Progress beyond state-of-the-art feasible thanks to innovations e.g. collision based domain decomposition and use of HPC
Tools provided are ready for industry-like applications by end-users (Regulators, industry, TSOs, utilities, etc.)

Progress Meetings

6th. Final progress Meeting held as Video Conference August 26-28.2020

Work programme has been successfully carried out
Two flexible and modular coupling approaches successfully implemented
McSAFE multiphysics tools (N, TH, TM) solved depletion problems taking into account local feedback at pin/subcahnnel level
Multipyhsics codes developed for the analysis of transient e.g. Tripoli4/SCF and Serpent2/SCF were validated against SPERT III E REA data
Modifications of Monte Carlo codes, new methods and tools and the use of HPC in CEA and KIT pave the way for industry-like applications of the tools.
Validation of depletion capability of mutliphysics tools (Serpent/SCF/TU) done using plant data of German pre-konvoi and VVER-1000 plants

5th. Progress Meeting held as video Conference in March, 11-12.2020

Implementation of collision based domain decomposition (CDD) and optimization of TU-data structure and memory management decomposition pave the way for full core depletion problems
Dynamic capability of McSAFE coupled codes demonstrated by solving a REA in a minicore
Optimized coupling approaches based on ICoCo and master-sleeve internal coupling

News 2019

4th. Progress Meeting in Dresden hosted by HZDR from 17 to 19 September 2019

Highlights:

- Multiphysics codes ready for testing and validation e.g. Serpent/SubChanFlow and Serpent/SubChanFlow/Transuranus
- Problems defined for testing including PWR and VVER cores
- Testing of Dynamic of MC-codes e.g. Serpent/SubChanFlow and TRIPOLI/SubChanFlow started
- Validation of multiphysics codes regarding depletion capability using plant data (VVER-1000 and PWR Konvoi)
- Validation of dynamic MC-codes using SPERT III E REA started.

3rd Progress Meeting in Prague hosted by UJV from 12 to 14 March 2019

o Highlights:

- Methods for improved depletion of coupled MC-TH codes developed and implemented in MC-codes
- Major progress on methods that pave the way for depletion calculations of large problems achieved
- Coupling of SERPENT, SubChanFlow and Transuranus (based on ICOCO and on the Multi-physics Interface) implemented and tested for both hexagonal and square fuel assemblies
- Dynamic versions of MC-codes working successfully e.g. Serpent/SubChanFlow and TRIPOLI/SubChanFlow
- Specifications for the validation of the McSAFE tools based on plant data (depletion problems) of VVER-1000 and of a German PWR plant finalized
- Specifications of the problems and tests (SPERT III E REA) for testing and validation of dynamic versions of McSAFE tools elaborated.
Second McSAFE Executive Board Meeting took place on January 30^th 2019
Second General Assembly Meeting took place in Prague on March 14^th 2019 hosted by UJV
McSAFE User Group established with four starting partners

News 2018

First McSAFE Progress Meeting held in CEA/Saclay March 6.-8. 2018.

- Highlights of the first Progress Meeting
  - Integration of SERPENT into the open source SALOME-Platform (NURESIM Platform) with ICOCO functionalities for code coupling almost ready
  - Integration of SUBCHANFLOW into the open source SALOME-Platform (NURESIM Platform) with ICOCO functionalities for code coupling almost ready
  - Integration of TRANSURANUS into the open source SALOME-Platform (NURESIM Platform) with ICOCO functionalities for code coupling almost ready
- The integration of codes in the SALOME platform pave the way for mutliphysics coupling e.g. of:

- - - SERPENT and SUBCHANFLOW
    - SUBCHANFLOW and TRANSURANUS
    - SERPENT/SUBCHANFLOW/TRANSURANUS
Places and dated for McSAFE Progress meeting fixed:
- First Progress Meeting: Organized by CEA in Paris from 6 to 8 March 2018
- Second Progress Meeting: Organized by AMEC in England; date: September 24 to 26 2018
- Third Progress Meeting: Hosted by UJV in Prague, Czech Republic; date: March 4 to 6. 2019

News 2017

November 30th 2017: First deliverables were uploaded to the EC Site and the first Milestone was successfully achieved.
October 2017: Consortium Agreement was sent by the KIT legal division to the partners for review and comments. It is envisaged to be signed early 2018. This will setup the basis for the establishment of the McSAFE User’s Group.
Places and dated for the First and Second Progress meeting fixed:
- First Progress Meeting: Organized by CEA in Paris from 6 to 8 March 2018
- Second Progress Meeting: Organized by AMEC in England; tentative date: September / October 2018
21-22th September 2017: McSAFE started with a Kick-off Meeting in Karlsruhe: A two-days fruitful Meeting took place at KIT Campus North. The details of the work program and the list of Milestones and Deliverables were discussed.

Publications

Synthesis reports

Conference papers:

García, U. Imke, D. Ferraro, Victor Hugo Sanchez-Espinoza, and Luigi Mercatali; “Advanced Modelling Capabilities for Pin-Level Subchannel Analysis of PWR and VVER Reactors”. 18th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-18). Portland, USA, August, 2019 (2019). DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000099942.
García, D. Ferraro, V. Valtavirta, Uwe Imke, Riku Tuominen, Victor Hugo Sanchez-Espinoza, and Luigi Mercatali. “Development of an Object-oriented Serpent2-SUBCHANFLOW Coupling and Verification with Problem 6 of the VERA Core Physics Benchmark”. International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods (M&C 2019). Portland, USA, August, 2019 (2019). DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000099853.
Tantillo, S. D. Richards, A. J. Smethurst, D. J. Long; Integration of the MONK Monte Carlo Neutronics Code in the NURESIM Platform. International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering. 2019. Portland, Oregon.
Davide Mancusi and Andrea Zoia; Towards zero-variance schemes for kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Proceedings to the International Conference on Physics of Reactors 2020 (PHYSOR 2020). Cambridge, UK.
Margaux Faucher, Davide Mancusi and Andrea Zoia; Variance-reduction methods for Monte Carlo kinetic simulations. Proceedings to the International Conference on Mathematics Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2019). Portland, Oregon. USA: 2019.
Margaux Faucher, Davide Mancusi and Andrea Zoia; Multi-physics transient simulations with TRIPOLI-4. Proceedings to the International Conference of Physics of Reactors 2020 (PHYSOR 2020). Cambridge, UK.
Ferraro, D., García, M., Imke, U., Valtavirta, V., Tuominen, R., Bilodid, Y., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez-Espinoza, V. “Serpent / SUBCHANFLOW coupled calculations for a VVER core at hot full power”. In International Conference on Physics of Reactors 2020. Cambridge, UK, April, 2020
Ferraro, D., García, M., Imke, U., Valtavirta, V., Tuominen, R., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez-Espinoza, V. “Serpent / SUBCHANFLOW coupled burnup calculations for VVER fuel assemblies”. In International Conference on Physics of Reactors 2020. Cambridge, UK, April, 2020
García, R. Tuominen, A. Gommlich, Diego Ferraro, Riku Tuominen, Uwe Imke, Paul Van Uffelen, Luigi Mercatali, Victor Sanchez-Espinoza, Jaakko Leppänen, Sören Kliem. “Serpent2-SUBCHANFLOW-TRANSURANUS pin-by-pin depletion calculations for a PWR fuel assembly”. International Reactor Physics Conference (PHYSOR2020). Cambridge, UK, April, 2020 (2020).
Manuel Garcia, Diego Ferraro, Ville Valtavirta, Riku Tuominen, Uwe Imke,Luigi Mercatali, Victor Sanchez-Espinoza, Jaakko Leppanen “A subchannel coarsening method for Serpent2-SUBCHANFLOW applied to a full-core VVER problem”. International Reactor Physics Conference (PHYSOR 2020). Cambridge, UK, April, 2020 (2020).
H. Sanchez-Espinoza, L- Mercatali, J. Leppänen, E. Hoogenboom, R. Vocka, J. Dufek; “The McSAFE Project – High-Performance Monte Carlo Based Methods for Safety Demonstration: From Proof of Concept to Industry Applications”, International Reactor Physics Conference (PHYSOR 2020) Cambridge, UK. April 2020
Ferraro, D., García, M., Imke, U., Valtavirta, V., Tuominen, R., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez-Espinoza, V. “Direct calculation of safety-related parameters for coupled transients using Monte Carlo neutronics plus subchannel thermal-hydraulics”. In International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering. Portland, Oregon
Ferraro, D., Faucher, M., Mancusi, D., Zoia, A., Valtavirta, V., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez-Espinoza, V. “Serpent and TRIPOLI-4® transient calculations comparisons for several reactivity insertion scenarios in a 3D PWR minicore benchmark”. In International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering 2019. Portland, Oregon
D. Ferraro, M. Garcia, L. Mercatali, V. H. Sanchez-Espinoza, J. Leppänen, V. Valtavirta; Foreseen capabilities, bottlenecks identification and potential limitations of Serpent MC transport code in large-scale full 3-D burnup calculations. Proceedings of The 26th International Conference On Nuclear Engineering Icone26. Paper 82305. July 22-26, 2018, London, England.
M. Garcia, Diego Ferraro, Victor Hugo Sanchez-Espinoza, Luigi Mercatali, Jaakko Leppänen, Ville Valtavirta; Development of a Spatial Domain Decomposition Scheme for Monte Carlo Neutron Transport submitted to the ICONE26. Paper 82144. Proceedings of The 26th International Conference On Nuclear Engineering Icone26. July 22-26, 2018, London, England
J. Leppänen; Acceleration Of Fission Source Convergence In The Serpent 2 Monte Carlo Code Using A Response Matrix Based Solution For The Initial Source Distribution. PHYSOR 2018: Reactors Physics paving the way towards more efficient systems. Cancun, Mexico, April 22-26, 2018
V. H. Sanchez-Espinoza, J. Leppänen, L. Mercatali, J. E. Hoogenboom, R. Vodcka and J. Dufek; McSAFE – High Performance Monte Carlo Methods for SAFEty Analysis. NUGENIA Annual Forum 2018, 10-12 April 2018. Prague, Czech Republic.

Journal papers:

Mancusi, A. Zoia; Zero-variance schemes for kinetic Monte Carlos simulations. European Physical Journal Plus 135,401 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-020-00387-8.
Tuominen, V. Valtavirta, J. Leppänen; New energy deposition treatment in the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo transport code. ANE Volume 129, July 2019, pages 244-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.02.003. Elsevier
Diego Ferraro, Manuel Garcia, Uwe Imke, Ville Valtavirta, Jaakko Leppänen, Victor Sanchez-Espinoza; Serpent/SCF pin-level multiphysics solutions for the VERA Fuel Assembly benchmark. Annals of Nuclear Energy Volum,me 18, June 2019, Pages 102-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.12.047
Margaux Faucher, Davide Mancusi, Andrea Zoia; New kinetic simulation capabilities for Tripoli-4: methods and applications. Annals of Nuclear Energy V.120 October 2018, Pages 74-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.05.030
Ferraro, D., García, M., Valtavirta, V., Imke, U., Tuominen, R., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez-Espinoza, V. “Serpent/SUBCHANFLOW pin-by-pin coupled transient calculations for a PWR minicore”. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 137:107090 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.107090
Ferraro, D., García, M., Valtavirta, V., Imke, U., Tuominen, R., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez- Espinoza, V. “Serpent/SUBCHANFLOW pin-by-pin coupled transient calculations for the SPERT-IIIE hot full power tests”. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 142:107387 (2020). 1016/j.anucene.2020.107387
Ferraro, D., Valtavirta, V., García, M., Imke, U., Tuominen, R., Leppänen, J., and Sanchez-Espinoza, V. “OECD/NRC PWR MOX/UO2 core transient benchmark pin-by-pin solutions using Serpent/SUBCHANFLOW. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 147:107745 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2020.107745
García, D. Ferraro, V. Valtavirta, et al. “Serpent2-SUBCHANFLOW pin-by-pin modelling capabilities for VVER geometries”. Annals of Nuclear Energy 135 (2020). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.106955.
García, R. Tuominen, A. Gommlich, et al. “A Serpent2-SUBCHANFLOW-TRANSURANUS coupling for pin-by-pin depletion calculations in Light Water Reactors”. Annals of Nuclear Energy 139 (2020). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.107213.
García, J. Leppänen, and V. Sanchez-Espinoza. “A Collision-based Domain Decomposition scheme for large-scale depletion with the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo code”. Submitted to Annals of Nuclear Energy.
Christophe Demazière, Victor Hugo Sanchez-Espinoza, Bruno Chanaron: Advanced numerical simulation and modelling for reactor safety – contributions from the CORTEX, HPMC, McSAFE and NURESAFE projects. EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol.6, 42 (2020). DOI.org/1051/epjn/2019006. https://zenodo.org/record/3819877#.X37aJOdCQuU
Leppänen; Acceleration of fission source convergence in the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo code using a response matrix based solution for the initial source distribution. ANE Vol 128 ( June 2019) p-63-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.12.044
Alex Levinsky, VilleValtavirta, Frederick P.Adams, Vinicius N.P.Anghel; Modeling of the SPERT transients using Serpent 2 with time-dependent capabilities. ANE vol 125 march 2019, P-80-98 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.09.038
Ignas Mickus, Jan Dufek; Optimal neutron population growth in accelerated Monte Carlo criticality calculations. ANE Vol 117, July 2018, p 297-304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.03.046.
Riku Tuominen, Ville Valtavirta, Jaakko Leppänen; New energy deposition treatment in the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo transport code. ANE Vol 129, July 2019, p224-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2019.02.003.
Simon Richards; Stochastic mixing of bound thermal scattering data in MONK. ANE Vol 136. 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2019.107052
Davide Mancusi and Andrea Zoia; Zero-variance schemes for kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Eur. Phys. J. Plus. 135.6, p401, 2020.
Ignas Mickus, Jan Dufek; Optimal Neutron Population Growth in Accelerated Monte Carlo Criticality Calculations. Annals of Nuclear Energy submitted
Margaux Faucher, Davide Mancusi, Andrea Zoia; New kinetic simulation capabilities for Tripoli-4 R: methods and applications. Annals of Nuclear Energy submitted
M. Faucher, D. Mancusi and A. Zoia, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 120, 74-88 (2018).
Levinsky et al., Annals of Nuclear Energy 125, 80-98 (2019).
DiegoFerraro, ManuelGarcia, Uwe Imke, Ville Valtavirta, Jaakko Leppänen, Victor Sanchez-Espinoza; Serpent/SCF pin-level multiphysics solutions for the VERA Fuel Assembly benchmark. Annals of Nuclear Energy Volum,me 18, June 2019, Pages 102-114.