In order to support the growing satellite propulsion industry, a hybrid Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulation with fluid treatment of electrons and neutral particles was developed to model the SPT-70 Hall thruster. The 2D, C++ code assumes azimuthal symmetry and a uniform magnetic field in the radial direction with the simulation domain...
We present a deterministic spectral method to predict equilibrium temperature distributions, heat flux, and thermal conductivity in homogeneous and heterogeneous media. We solve the Boltzmann transport equation in a second order spatial, self-adjoint angular flux formulation. We implemented this method into the radiation transport code Rattlesnake, built using the MOOSE...
High-resolution ship-based observations of a nearly uniform stratocumulus deck in the southeast Pacific during 17 days of the 2008 VOCALS regional experiment elucidate radiation and turbulence in the marine boundary layer (MBL). A new method for prescribing observations-based cloud properties to the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model is presented and applied...
New low enriched uranium (LEU) fuels are being developed for replacement of high enriched uranium (HEU) fuels in high power research reactors. U-Mo LEU plate fuels have been identified as a candidate for replacement of current HEU fuels. However, U-Mo fuels tend to exhibit accelerated swelling typically at fission densities...
A large, multi-year experimental program has been conducted to develop a strain gaging program for application to the flow testing of prototypic, plate-type fuel for high performance research reactors. This test program has resulted in the selection of appropriate strain gage construction, adhesives, and protective coatings to allow the
acquisition...
Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) is a viable technology for near-term interplanetary exploration. Of the candidate mission architectures that are currently available for a crewed Mars mission, NTP permits the greatest flexibility in launch window selection and provides the shortest possible trip time, thereby reducing risks associated with cosmic ray exposure,...
An important improvement in the area of reactor core neutronic modeling is the development and use of the methods based on "quasi-diffusion" (QD) low-order equations. This family of methods takes into account the transport exactly using "functionals" computed by solving transport equations, and is amenable to solution with a variety...
To quantify the relative activity contributions of beta emitters in mixed emission source spectra, the triple-layer phoswich detector was modeled to generate beta energy absorption spectra from mixed beta sources. These mixed sources include four pure beta emitters (C-14, Tc-99, Sr-90, and Y-90). Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) computer code was...
In 2008, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NCR) decided that the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) would be the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR). In support of the licensing and validation effort of the VHTR, Oregon State University was tasked with designing, building, and operating a...
The effect of gadolinia particles on the assembly criticality
of a light water reactor was investigated using two 2-group
models. The particle effect was calculated by comparing the
criticalities of two fuel assemblies, each containing one
gadolinia-poisoned rod. For purposes of comparison, both rods
contained an equal quantity of gadolinia,...