Recent trends in nuclear reactor performance and safety analyses increasingly rely on multiscale multiphysics computer simulations to enhance predictive capabilities by replacing conventional methods that are largely empirically based with a more scientifically based methodology. Through this approach, one addresses the issue of traditionally employing a suite of stand-alone codes that independently simulate various physical phenomena that were previously disconnected. Multiple computer simulations of different phenomena must exchange data during runtime to address these interdependencies. Previously, recommendations have been made regarding various approaches for piloting different design options of data coupling for multiphysics systems (Seydaliev and Caswell, 2014, “CORBA and MPI Based “Backbone” for Coupling Advanced Simulation Tools,” AECL Nucl. Rev., 3(2), pp. 83–90). This paper describes progress since the initial pilot study that outlined the implementation and execution of a new distribution framework, referred to as “Backbone,” to provide the necessary runtime exchange of data between different codes. The Backbone, currently under development at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), is a hybrid design using both common object request broker architecture (CORBA) and message passing interface (MPI) systems. This paper also presents two preliminary cases for coupling existing nuclear performance and safety analysis codes used for simulating fuel behavior, fission product release, thermal hydraulics, and neutron transport through the Backbone. Additionally, a pilot study presents a few strategies of a new time step controller (TSC) to synchronize the codes coupled through the Backbone. A performance and fidelity comparison is presented between a simple heuristic method for determining time step length and a more advanced third-order method, which was selected to maximize configurability and effectiveness of temporal integration, saving time steps and reducing wasted computation. The net effect of the foregoing features of the Backbone is to provide a practical toolset to couple existing and newly developed codes—which may be written in different programming languages and used on different operating systems—with minimal programming effort to enhance predictions of nuclear reactor performance and safety.
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January 2017
Research Papers
Backbone: A Multiphysics Framework for Coupling Nuclear Codes Based on CORBA and MPI
Yu Liu,
Yu Liu
Fuel and Fuel Channel Safety Branch,
e-mail: yu.liu@cnl.ca
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
, Chalk River, ON
, Canada
K0J 1J0 e-mail: yu.liu@cnl.ca
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Michael Nishimura,
Michael Nishimura
Department of Computer Science,
e-mail: mjnishim@uwaterloo.ca
University of Waterloo
, Waterloo, ON
, Canada
N2L 3G1 e-mail: mjnishim@uwaterloo.ca
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Marat Seydaliev,
Marat Seydaliev
Fuel and Fuel Channel Safety Branch,
e-mail: marat.seydaliev@cnl.ca
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
, Chalk River, ON
, Canada
K0J 1J0 e-mail: marat.seydaliev@cnl.ca
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Markus Piro
Markus Piro
Fuel and Fuel Channel Safety Branch,
e-mail: markus.piro@cnl.ca
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
, Chalk River, ON
, Canada
K0J 1J0 e-mail: markus.piro@cnl.ca
Search for other works by this author on:
Yu Liu
Fuel and Fuel Channel Safety Branch,
e-mail: yu.liu@cnl.ca
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
, Chalk River, ON
, Canada
K0J 1J0 e-mail: yu.liu@cnl.ca
Michael Nishimura
Department of Computer Science,
e-mail: mjnishim@uwaterloo.ca
University of Waterloo
, Waterloo, ON
, Canada
N2L 3G1 e-mail: mjnishim@uwaterloo.ca
Marat Seydaliev
Fuel and Fuel Channel Safety Branch,
e-mail: marat.seydaliev@cnl.ca
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
, Chalk River, ON
, Canada
K0J 1J0 e-mail: marat.seydaliev@cnl.ca
Markus Piro
Fuel and Fuel Channel Safety Branch,
e-mail: markus.piro@cnl.ca
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
, Chalk River, ON
, Canada
K0J 1J0 e-mail: markus.piro@cnl.ca
Manuscript received January 5, 2016; final manuscript received May 10, 2016; published online December 20, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Juan-Luis Francois.
This work was prepared while under employment by the Government of Canada as part of the official duties of the author(s) indicated above, as such copyright is owned by that Government, which reserves its own copyright under national law.
ASME J of Nuclear Rad Sci. Jan 2017, 3(1): 011020 (10 pages)
Published Online: December 20, 2016
Article history
Received:
January 5, 2016
Revision Received:
May 10, 2016
Accepted:
May 12, 2016
Citation
Liu, Y., Nishimura, M., Seydaliev, M., and Piro, M. (December 20, 2016). "Backbone: A Multiphysics Framework for Coupling Nuclear Codes Based on CORBA and MPI." ASME. ASME J of Nuclear Rad Sci. January 2017; 3(1): 011020. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4034061
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