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Thesis topic proposal
 
Szabolcs Czifrus
Investigation of natural circulation reactor transients using multiphysics models

THESIS TOPIC PROPOSAL

Institute: Budapest University of Technology and Economics
physics
Doctoral School of Physics

Thesis supervisor: Szabolcs Czifrus
Location of studies (in Hungarian): BME NTI
Abbreviation of location of studies: BME


Description of the research topic:

The classical approach to reactor transient studies is the application of reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, thermo-mechanics etc. codes to model the corresponding phenomena. However, in cases when there is close coupling between such phenomena, stand-alone models may not be applicable. This happens if transients are to be modelled in which there is substantial feedback between the neutronic/nuclear and thermal phenomena. In recent years, considerable effort has been made in the field of reactor studies in order to develop so called multiphysics codes, which handle all the relevant processes in a coupled manner. One of these codes is GeN-Foam, a coupled thermal-hydraulics, thermal-mechanics and reactor physics transient modelling code, which is based on OpenFOAM, an open-source solver.

Nevertheless, it is a rather complex and difficult process to validate such codes with measurements on real reactors. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that only reactors with sufficiently high power are suitable to produce measurable feedback, which are not widely available. On the other hand, very carefully designed measurements are needed to produce data for validation purposes.

The Training Reactor of BME is a very suitable tool to perform such verification/validation measurements. However, new measurements should be designed and realized in order to study experimentally study the temperature and velocity fields in the Training Reactor.

The PhD student would perform the following tasks:

- Study the modern multiphysics analysis codes for reactor transients. Learn the application of GeNFoam and/or other multiphysics codes.
- Design new measurements for the Training Reactor, with the development of new measuring techniques.
- Set up models using GeNFOAM for certain transients of the reactor and perform validation measurements for the same groups of phenomena. Compare the results with calculations obtained with other codes.

The PhD work would be performed with international cooperation. Potential/interested partners are EPFL Lausanne, Paul Scherrer Institute, CEA (France).

Required language skills: english
Further requirements: 
Adequate reactor physics and thermal hydraulics knowledge
Fundamental knowledge of nuclear measuring techniques
Basic level of programming
Good level of English

Number of students who can be accepted: 1

Deadline for application: 2018-05-31


2024. IV. 17.
ODT ülés
Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).

 
All rights reserved © 2007, Hungarian Doctoral Council. Doctoral Council registration number at commissioner for data protection: 02003/0001. Program version: 2.2358 ( 2017. X. 31. )