The virtual environment for reactor applications (VERA): design and architecture

JA Turner, K Clarno, M Sieger, R Bartlett… - Journal of …, 2016 - Elsevier
VERA, the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications, is the system of physics capabilities
being developed and deployed by the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water …

Full core LOCA safety analysis for a PWR containing high burnup fuel

N Capps, A Wysocki, A Godfrey, B Collins… - … Engineering and Design, 2021 - Elsevier
For economic reasons, the US nuclear industry is renewing efforts to build a technical basis
to extend peak rod average burnup limits above the current regulatory burnup limit of 62 …

Modeling and simulation challenges pursued by the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL)

PJ Turinsky, DB Kothe - Journal of Computational Physics, 2016 - Elsevier
Abstract The Consortium for the Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL), the
first Energy Innovation Hub of the Department of Energy, was established in 2010 with the …

A structural model of the long-term degradation of the concrete biological shield

A Cheniour, E Davidson, Y Le Pape, T Pandya… - … Engineering and Design, 2023 - Elsevier
The concrete biological shield (CBS) of light water reactors is exposed to high neutron
radiation dose in the long term, which may lead to the degradation of the concrete's …

Pellet-clad mechanical interaction screening using VERA applied to Watts Bar Unit 1, Cycles 1–3

S Stimpson, J Powers, K Clarno, R Pawlowski… - … Engineering and Design, 2018 - Elsevier
Abstract The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) aims to
provide high-fidelity multiphysics simulations of light water nuclear reactors. To accomplish …

High-burnup fuel stress analysis prior to and during a LOCA transient

N Capps, R Sweet, J Harp, CM Petrie - Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2021 - Elsevier
High-burnup fuel fragmentation and pulverization have been experimentally observed
during simulated loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) transient testing of high-burnup (> 62 …

Multiphysics analysis of fuel Fragmentation, Relocation, and dispersal Susceptibility–Part 2: High-Burnup Steady-State operating and fuel performance conditions

J Hirschhorn, I Greenquist, A Wysocki, N Capps - Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2023 - Elsevier
The US nuclear industry is pursuing increased cycle lengths and increasing the peak rod-
averaged burnup in an effort to increase the economic viability of the US nuclear fleet …

Coupled fuel performance calculations in VERA and demonstration on Watts Bar unit 1, cycle 1

S Stimpson, K Clarno, R Pawlowski, R Gardner… - Annals of Nuclear …, 2020 - Elsevier
As the core simulator capabilities in the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA)
have become more mature and stable, increased attention has been focused on coupling …

Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis with CASL Core Simulator VERA-CS

CS Brown, H Zhang - Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2016 - Elsevier
Abstract VERA-CS (Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications, Core Simulator) is a
coupled neutron transport and thermal-hydraulics code under development by the …

Watts bar unit 2 startup results with vera

AT Godfrey, BS Collins, CA Gentry, SG Stimpson… - 2017 - osti.gov
CASL members TVA, Westinghouse, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have successfully
completed a detailed simulation of the initial startup of Watts Bar Nuclear Unit 2 (WBN2) …