Contacts:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ossamaabedelhalim
Cycle: XXXVII
Curriculum: Nuclear Engineering
Title of the PhD Project: Use of computational fluid dynamics analysis in support for NPP safety assessment.
Supervisor(s): Prof. Nicola Forgione (UNIPI), Dott. Ing. Andrea Pucciarelli (UNIPI)
Abstract of the PhD project:
The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to support Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) safety assessment is identified as major challenge to be adopted in the state of art calculation chains currently used for safety assessment, which not only requires validation and verification, but also the adoption of Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) calculations to be able of using CFD predictions in the safety assessment calculation chains.
The main objective of this study is to investigate the in-vessel mixing phenomena that occurs in VVER-1000 NPP during asymmetrical transients, such as main steam line break (MSLB). By performing an enhanced and improved CFD validation on the in-vessel mixing phenomena and conduct uncertainty propagation of uncertain parameters through CFD model. The study was conducted in 3 phases. Firstly, developing a full-scale 3D simplified CFD model for the VVER-1000 vessel with the adoption of the porous media representation for several regions in the computational domain. Followed by validation of the CFD model prediction against full power nominal operating conditions plant data. Secondly, simulating the MSLB accident scenario and validation of the results against the plant data. Finally, conducting a forward uncertainty propagation of the input parameters through the CFD model using the Deterministic Sampling (DS) Techniques.
The reference power plant for this analysis is Kozloduy-6 NPP and VVER-1000 coolant transient benchmark is modelled. In this study commercial CFD code STAR-CCM+ has been used.
Further, CFD study conducted on the Benchmark of Transition from Forced to Natural Circulation Experiment with Heavy Liquid Metal Loop to validate the use of DS method to propagate the input parameters through the CFD model. Similarly, this study was conducted in 3 phases. Starting by developing the CFD model, followed by validation of results against the experimental data and finally propagating the uncertainties using the DS Techniques.
Journal Articles:
- Böttcher M, Bernard O, Mas A, Sanchez V, Nop R, Belaunde F, Bourcier C, Ruban D, Hashymov A, Halim O, Pucciarelli A. CFD analysis of coolant mixing in VVER-1000/V320 reactor pressure vessel. Annals of Nuclear Energy. 2024 Mar 1;197:110274.
Conference Proceedings:
- Halim O, Pucciarelli A, Forgione N., “APPLICATION OF DETERMINISTIC SAMPLING FOR UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION OF CFD MODEL OF WRAPPED WIRE FUEL BUNDLE”. In Proceedings of the BEST ESTIMATE PLUS UNCERTAINTY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (BEPU) 2024, Lucca, Italy.
- Halim O, Pucciarelli A, Forgione N., “A Comparative Analysis of CFD Approaches to Model Wire-wrapped Fuel Bundle and Experimental Validation”. In Proceedings of the 2024
31st International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, ICONE31, August 4-8, 2024, Prague, Czech Republic. - Halim O, Pucciarelli A, Forgione N., “CFD Simulation of a VVER-1000/320 at Nominal Operating Conditions”. In Proceedings of the 31st International Conference Nuclear Energy for New Europe, NENE 2022, Slovenia.
Posters Presentations:
- Halim O, Pucciarelli A, Forgione N., “Numerical heat transfer analyses of wrapped wire bundle using different turbulent Prandtl number correlations”, Joint ICTP-IAEA Workshop on Open-Source Nuclear Codes for Reactor Analysis | (smr 3865), 7-11 Aug 2023.