Computational Fluid Dynamics Group

The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) group conducts research in application and development of numerical simulation techniques pertinent to safety of nuclear reactor simulations. The group’s portfolio covers the methods at different scales, ranging from entire systems modeled by the system code RELAP, through containment analysis with GOTHIC, and computational fluid dynamics method applied to components, down to molecular dynamic simulations. What we learn at smaller scales, we embed as physical models at larger scales.

The group places particular focus on modeling of multiphase flows, with and without mass transfer. One of the most notable developments of the group is the PSI-BOIL (Parallel SImulation tool for BOILing phenomena) computer program. It is a scale-resolving tool (only space averaging), which embeds a number of innovative physical models for interface tracking and boiling, including the improved surface sharpening algorithm, sharp-interface mass transfer model, micro-region model for boiling, phase-field approach to boiling, innovative scale-resolving Lagrangian particle tracking method (it covers the ground in between full interface tracking and Lagrangian particle tracking), to name the most important few.

Another CFD code developed in our group is T-Flows (Turbulent Flows), originally developed at Delft University of Technology, and currently disclosed as an open source code. It features second order accurate, unstructured, cell-centered, finite volume discretization of incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with heat transfer and species transport. 

The work collaborates on a number of national and international projects, spanning in their scope from basic research geared towards better understanding physical phenomena to “on-call” research for utilities. International projects in which the group contributed include projects SETH, SETH-II, HYMERES, ERCOSAM (for the system and containment scales), then European suite of NURESIM, NURISP, NURESAFE projects (CFD scale, applied to Gen-II and Gen-III reactors), and THINS and SESAME (CFD scale applied to Gen-IV reactors, more specifically to supercritical and liquid-metal reactors).

• A Three-Dimensional, Immersed Boundary, Finite Volume Method for the Simulation of Incompressible Heat Transfer Flows around Complex Geometries Badreddine Hassan, Sato Yohei, Berger Matthias, Niceno Bojan
  International Journal of Chemical Engineering 2017, 1726519 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1155/2017/1726519
• A comparative experimental and numerical investigation of the heterogeneous and homogeneous combustion characteristics of fuel-rich methane mixtures over rhodium and platinum Sui Ran, Mantzaras John, Bombach Rolf
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE 36, 4313-4320 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2016.06.001
• A large eddy simulation of turbulent particle-laden flow inside a cubical differentially heated cavity Dehbi A, Kalilainen J, Lind T, Auvinen A
  JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE 103, 67 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2016.10.003
• CFD simulations of premixed hydrogen combustion using the Eddy Dissipation and the Turbulent Flame Closure models Halouane Y, Dehbi A
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY 42, 21990-22004 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.07.075
• Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Transient Cooling of the Boiling Surface at Bubble Departure Giustini G, Walker SP, Sato Y, Niceno B
  Journal of Heat Transfer 139, 091501 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1115/1.4036572
• Experimental and pore-level numerical investigation of water evaporation in gas diffusion layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells Safi Mohammad Amin, Prasianakis Nikolaos I, Mantzaras John, Lamibrac Adrien, Buchi Felix N
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER 115, 238-249 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2017.07.050
• Hetero-/homogeneous combustion of fuel-lean methane/oxygen/nitrogen mixtures over rhodium at pressures up to 12 bar Sui Ran, Mantzaras John, Bombach Rolf, Denisov Alexey
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE 36, 4321-4328 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2016.06.003
• Homogeneous ignition during fuel-rich H-2/O-2/N-2 combustion in platinum-coated channels at elevated pressures Sui Ran, Es-Sebbar Et-touhami, Mantzaras John, Bombach Rolf
  COMBUSTION AND FLAME 180, 184-195 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2017.02.033
• Impact of Gaseous Chemistry in H-2-O-2-N-2 Combustion over Platinum at Fuel-Lean Stoichiometries and Pressures of 1.0-3.5 bar Sui Ran, Mantzaras John, Es-Sebbar Et-Touhami, Safi Mohammad A, Bombach Rolf
  ENERGY & FUELS 31, 11448-11459 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.7b02011
• Large eddy simulation of upward co-current annular boiling flow using an interface tracking method Sato Y, Niceno B
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 321, 69 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.03.003
• Nucleate pool boiling simulations using the interface tracking method: Boiling regime from discrete bubble to vapor mushroom region Sato Y, Niceno B
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER 105, 505 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.10.018
• The impact of sorbent geometry on the sulphur adsorption under supercritical water conditions: a numerical study Maxim Florentina, Niceno Bojan, Testino Andrea, Ludwig Christian
  Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery 7, 479-485 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1007/s13399-017-0265-7
• Three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of turbulent fuel-lean H-2/air hetero-/homogeneous combustion over Pt with detailed chemistry Arani Behrooz Ostadmohammadi, Frouzakis Christos Emmanouil, Mantzaras John, Boulouchos Konstantinos
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE 36, 4355-4363 (2017).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2016.05.009

• A unified correlation for steam condensation rates in the presence of air?helium mixtures under naturally driven flows Dehbi A
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 300, 601 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.02.009
• An experimental and numerical investigation of the combustion and heat transfer characteristics of hydrogen-fueled catalytic microreactors Sui Ran, Prasianakis Nikolaos I, Mantzaras John, Mallya Nithin, Theile Juergen, Lagrange Damien, Friess Martin
  CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE 141, 214-230 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2015.10.034
• Combustion stability and hetero-/homogeneous chemistry interactions for fuel-lean hydrogen/air mixtures in platinum-coated microchannels Sui Ran, Mantzaras John
  COMBUSTION AND FLAME 173, 370-386 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2016.08.011
• Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulation of Single Bubble Growth under High-Pressure Pool Boiling Conditions Murallidharan J, Giustini G, Sato Y, Niceno B, Badalassi V, Walker Simon P
  Nuclear Engineering and Technology 48, 859 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.net.2016.06.004
• Computational fluid dynamics study of pressurized thermal shock phenomena in the reactor pressure vessel Sharabi M, Gonzalez-Albuixech V F, Lafferty N, Niceno B, Niffenegger M
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 299, 136-145 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.10.014
• Computational study of platinum nanoparticle deposition on the surfaces of crevices Gu HF, Niceno B, Grundler PV, Sharabi M, Veleva L, Ritter S
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 304, 84 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.04.020
• Coupled RELAP5, 3D CFD and FEM analysis of postulated cracks in RPVs subjected to PTS loading González-Albuixech VF, Qian G, Sharabi M, Niffenegger M, Niceno B, Lafferty N
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 297, 111 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.11.032
• Experimental Investigation of a Turbulent Particle-Laden Flow Inside a Cubical Differentially Heated Cavity Kalilainen J, Rantanen P, Lind T, Auvinen A, Dehbi A
  JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE , in press (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2016.06.001
• First line shape analysis and spectroscopic parameters for the v(11) band of (C2H4)-C-12 Es-sebbar Et-touhami, Mantzaras John, Benilan Yves, Farooq Aamir
  JOURNAL OF QUANTITATIVE SPECTROSCOPY & RADIATIVE TRANSFER 184, 297-307 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.jqsrt.2016.07.021
• Integrity analysis of a reactor pressure vessel subjected to a realistic pressurized thermal shock considering the cooling plume and constraint effects González-Albuixech VF, Qian G, Sharabi M, Niffenegger M, Niceno B, Lafferty N
  ENGINEERING FRACTURE MECHANICS 162, 201 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.engfracmech.2016.05.010
• Key Findings from the Artist Project on Aerosol Retention in a Dry Steam Generator Dehbi A, Suckow D, Lind T, Guentay S, Danner S, Mukin R
  Nuclear Engineering and Technology 48, 870 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.net.2016.06.001
• Outcomes from the EURATOM?ROSATOM ERCOSAM SAMARA projects on containment thermal-hydraulics for severe accident management Paladino D, Andreani M, Guentay S, Mignot G, Kapulla R, Paranjape S, Sharabi M, Kisselev A, Yudina T, Filippov A, Kamnev M, Khizbullin A, Tyurikov O, Liang Z, Abdo D, Brinster J, Dabbene F, Kelm S, Klauck M, Götz L, Gehr R, Malet J, Bentaib A, Bleyer A, Lemaitre P, Porcheron E, Benz S, Jordan T, Xu Z, Boyd C, Siccama A, Visser D
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 308, 103 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.08.011
• Pool boiling simulation of water up to critical heat flux using an interface tracking method Sato Y, Niceno B
  NUTHOS-11: Proceedings of the 11th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation and Safety (Oct 9-13, 2016, Gyeongju, Korea) , (2016).
• RANS modeling of fluid flow and dust deposition in nuclear pebble-beds Jayaraju ST, Roelofs F, Komen EMJ, Dehbi A
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 308, 222 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.08.037
• Synthesis of the OECD/NEA-PSI CFD benchmark exercise Andreani Michele, Badillo Arnoldo, Kapulla Ralf
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 299, 59-80 (2016).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.12.029

• A depletable micro-layer model for nucleate pool boiling Sato Y, Niceno B
  JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS 300, 20 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.jcp.2015.07.046
• A generalized correlation for steam condensation rates in the presence of air under turbulent free convection Dehbi A
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER 86, 1 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2015.02.034
• An experimental and numerical investigation of premixed syngas combustion dynamics in mesoscale channels with controlled wall temperature profiles Brambilla Andrea, Schultze Marco, Frouzakis Christos E, Mantzaras John, Bombach Rolf, Boulouchos Konstantinos
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE 35, 3429-3437 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2014.06.131
• Comparison of PTS analyses of RPVs based on 3D-CFD and RELAP5 González-Albuixech VF, Qian G, Sharabi M, Niffenegger M, Niceno B, Lafferty N
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 291, 168 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.05.025
• Direct numerical simulation of bubble dynamics in subcooled and near-saturated convective nucleate boiling Lal Sreeyuth, Sato Yohei, Niceno Bojan
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND FLUID FLOW 51, 16-28 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2014.10.018
• Finite size Lagrangian particle tracking approach to simulate dispersed bubbly flows Badreddine Hassan, Sato Yohei, Niceno Bojan, Prasser Horst-Michael
  CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE 122, 321-335 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2014.09.037
• Hetero-/homogeneous combustion of syngas mixtures over platinum at fuel-rich stoichiometries and pressures up to 14 bar Schultze Marco, Mantzaras John, Grygier Felix, Bombach Rolf
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE 35, 2223-2231 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2014.05.018
• Interface tracking based evaluation of bubble growth rates in high pressure pool boiling conditions Giustini G, Murallidharan J, Sato Y, Niceno B, Badalassi V, Walker Simon P
  NURETH 16: Proceedings of the 16th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-hydraulics 1, 6530 (2015).
• Noble Metal Applications for SCC Mitigation in BWRs: Platinum Nanoparticle Penetration into Crevices and Cracks under Controlled Flow Conditions Grundler PV, Veleva L, Gu H, Allner S, Niceno B, Ritter S
  17th Int. Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Systems - Water Reactors, August 9-13, Ottawa, Canada CD-ROM, Paper No 96 (2015).
• Numerical and experimental investigations of human swimming motions Takagi H, Nakashima M, Sato Y, Matsuuchi K, Sanders Ross H
  JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES 34, 1564 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2015.1123284
• Numerical study of heat diffusion controlled phase growth in a pressurised liquid Murallidharan J, Giustini G, Sato Y, Niceno B, Badalassi V, Walker Simon P
  NURETH 16: Proceedings of the 16th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-hydraulics 1, 4069 (2015).
• Particle deposition modeling in the secondary side of a steam generator bundle model Mukin R, Dehbi A
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN , (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.09.001
• Probabilistic pressurized thermal shocks analysis for a reactor pressure vessel by considering plume effect Qian G, Gonzalez-Albuixech VF, Niffenegger M, Sharabi M
  ASME Pressure Vessel and Piping Division Conference, July 19-23, Boston, Massachusetts, USA , 2015-45963 (2015).
• RANS modeling for particle transport and deposition in turbulent duct flows: Near wall model uncertainties Jayaraju ST, Sathiah P, Roelofs F, Dehbi A
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 289, 60 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.04.011
• Results of 4-equation turbulence models in the prediction of heat transfer to supercritical pressure fluids Pucciarellia A, Borroni I, Sharabi M, Ambrosini W
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 281, 5 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.11.004
• Transient simulation of the combustion of fuel-lean hydrogen/air mixtures in platinum-coated channels Michelon Nicola, Mantzaras John, Canu Paolo
  COMBUSTION THEORY AND MODELLING 19, 514-548 (2015).
  DOI: 10.1080/13647830.2015.1056832
• UDNS or LES, That Is the Question Bosshard C, Deville MO, Dehbi A, Leriche E
  Open Journal of Fluid Dynamics 05, 339 (2015).
  DOI: 10.4236/ojfd.2015.54034

• An analytical and numerical investigation of hetero-/homogeneous combustion with deficient reactants having larger than unity Lewis numbers Zheng Xin, Mantzaras John
  COMBUSTION AND FLAME 161, 1911-1922 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2013.12.018
• Assessment of GOTHIC and TRACE codes against selected PANDA experiments on a Passive Containment Condenser Papini Davide, Adamsson Carl, Andreani Michele, Prasser Horst-Michael
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 278, 542-557 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.08.007
• Catalytic Combustion of Hydrogen, Challenges, and Opportunities Mantzaras John
  MODELING AND SIMULATION OF HETEROGENEOUS CATALYTIC PROCESSES 45, 97-+ (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800422-7.00003-0
• Computational Fluid Dynamics of Pressurized Thermal Shock Phenomena in the Reactor Pressure Vessel Sharabi M, Niceno B, Gonzalez-Albuixech V, Niffenegger M
  CFD4NRS-5: Proceedings of the OECD/NEA & IAEA Workshop on Computational Fluid Dynamics for Nuclear Safety Research, ETH Zuerich, Switzerland, Sep. 9-11, 2014 , (2014).
• Detailed transient numerical simulation of H-2/air hetero-/homogeneous combustion in platinum-coated channels with conjugate heat transfer Brambilla Andrea, Frouzakis Christos E, Mantzaras John, Tomboulides Ananias, Kerkemeier Stefan, Boulouchos Konstantinos
  COMBUSTION AND FLAME 161, 2692-2707 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2014.04.003
• Experimental and theoretical studies on density wave instabilities in helically coiled tubes Papini Davide, Colombo Marco, Cammi Antonio, Ricotti Marco E
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER 68, 343-356 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2013.09.035
• Flame dynamics in lean premixed CO/H-2/air combustion in a mesoscale channel Brambilla Andrea, Frouzakis Christos E, Mantzaras John, Bombach Rolf, Boulouchos Konstantinos
  COMBUSTION AND FLAME 161, 1268-1281 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2013.11.003
• Kinetic interactions between hydrogen and carbon monoxide oxidation over platinum Zheng Xin, Mantzaras John, Bombach Rolf
  COMBUSTION AND FLAME 161, 332-346 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2013.07.021
• Large eddy simulation of multiple impinging jets in hexagonal configuration – Mean flow characteristics Draksler M, Niceno B, Koncar B, Cizelj L
  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND FLUID FLOW 46, 147 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2014.01.005
• Large eddy simulation of particulate flow inside a differentially heated cavity Bosshard C, Dehbi A, Deville M, Leriche E, Soldati A
  NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 267, 154 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2013.12.035
• Nonlinear ship waves and computational fluid dynamics Miyata H, Orihara H, Sato Y
  PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY SERIES B-PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 90, 278 (2014).
  DOI: 10.2183/pjab.90.278
• Scale resolving simulation of dispersed bubbly flows Badreddine H, Sato Y, Niceno B
  ICAPP 2014: Proceedings of the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants 2014 1, 1623 (2014).
• Simulation of flow in the secondary side of a steam generator bundle Mukin RV, Dehbi A
  CFD4NRS-5: Proceedings of the OECD/NEA & IAEA Workshop on Computational Fluid Dynamics for Nuclear Safety Research, ETH Zuerich, Switzerland, Sep. 9-11, 2014 1, 1 (2014).
• Thermal multicomponent lattice Boltzmann model for catalytic reactive flows Kang Jinfen, Prasianakis Nikolaos I, Mantzaras John
  PHYSICAL REVIEW E 89, 063310 (2014).
  DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.89.063310