General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
2023-28844
Description de l'unité
The internship work will be conducted at the Department of Thermal-hydraulics and Fluid dynamics (STMF – Service de Thermohydraulique et de Mécanique de Fluide) within the Energy Division (DES - Direction des Énergies). The department develops and qualifies the simulation tools for the design and the safety analysis of the French nuclear power systems, such as the system thermal-hydraulic code CATHARE. These studies are performed within the framework of internal CEA projects or in collaboration with several industrial partners (e.g. EDF, Framatome and TechnicAtome) and international partners.
Position description
Category
Thermohydraulics and fluid mechanics
Contract
Internship
Job title
Analysis of the thermo-hydraulic loop UPTF representative of a nuclear reactor with the code CATHARE H/F
Subject
Analysis of the thermo-hydraulic loop UPTF representative of a nuclear reactor with the code CATHARE
Contract duration (months)
6
Job description
The thermal-hydraulic code CATHARE is the reference code for the safety analysis of French nuclear reactors. It is based on a set of six conservation equations (mass, momentum and energy for the liquid and vapor phase) complemented by appropriate closure laws. The validation of these semi-empirical laws and the associated uncertainty quantification is a fundamental issue. The validation is based on experiments at different scales covering the operating domain of nuclear reactors. In particular, the global validation of the code is carried out using the experimental data coming from reactor-scale thermal-hydraulic loops, also called Integral Effect Tests (IETs). These loops are representative of the primary and secondary circuits of nuclear reactors. Different scenarios can be reproduced to improve the understanding of the physical phenomena occurring during an accident.
The internship consists in analyzing the experimental data coming from selected accidental scenarios in the UPTF IET facility. In details, the candidate will:
- Understand the physics of the experiments;
- Model them with the thermal-hydraulic code CATHARE;
- Perform a propagation of uncertainties and a sensitivity analysis to different physical models using appropriate statistical methods;
- Present and discuss his/her work during technical meetings and write a final report.
Methods / Means
CATHARE, URANIE, Python/Matlab
Applicant Profile
The candidate should have a good knowledge of fluid-dynamics/thermal-hydraulics, ideally applied to nuclear reactors. A basic knowledge of Linux, Excel and Python/Matlab is desired. A good knowledge of English is a must. French would be a plus.
Position location
Site
Saclay
Job location
France, Ile-de-France, Essonne (91)
Location
Saclay
Candidate criteria
Prepared diploma
Bac+5 - Diplôme École d'ingénieurs
PhD opportunity
Non