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Division Spotlight
Mathematics & Computation
Division members promote the advancement of mathematical and computational methods for solving problems arising in all disciplines encompassed by the Society. They place particular emphasis on numerical techniques for efficient computer applications to aid in the dissemination, integration, and proper use of computer codes, including preparation of computational benchmark and development of standards for computing practices, and to encourage the development on new computer codes and broaden their use.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
Argonne’s METL gears up to test more sodium fast reactor components
Argonne National Laboratory has successfully swapped out an aging cold trap in the sodium test loop called METL (Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop), the Department of Energy announced April 23. The upgrade is the first of its kind in the United States in more than 30 years, according to the DOE, and will help test components and operations for the sodium-cooled fast reactors being developed now.
Javier Martinez, Elia Merzari (ANL), Michael Acton, Emilio Baglietto (MIT)
Proceedings | Advances in Thermal Hydraulics 2018 | Orlando, FL, November 11-15, 2018 | Pages 644-658
The turbulent flow inside a differentially heated cavity at a Rayleigh number of approximately 109 has been studied through a fully resolved Direct Numerical Simulation using the high-order Spectral Element Method code Nek5000. The case chosen for the present paper includes two physical phenomena: the natural recirculation itself, and the flow inside a curved channel that has been added to bottom right corner of the cavity. Solutions are presented as reference for the validation of models when the two physical phenomena are superposed. Simulations have been carried out either using the Boussinesq approximation or a low-Mach compressible formulation. Significant discrepancies between the two methods inform of the extreme necessary caution to consider when using the Boussinesq approximation in the limits of its applicability. Proper resolution of the DNS has been analyzed by considering the polynomial order convergence of the solution and the computation of the Reynolds stresses budgets.