New partnership advances digital engineering capabilities
UKAEA has signed an agreement with the Centre for Modelling and Simulation (CFMS) to advance uncertainty quantification (UQ) capabilities for the LIBRTI (Lead and Lithium Breeding Research and Technology Initiative) digital project.
This partnership marks a shift from pure research experimentation towards engineering design at scale, with UQ as a cornerstone of the design process.
Building on MOOSE framework investment
UKAEA has invested heavily in simulation tools, primarily the Multiphysics Object Orientated Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework, developing physics models to predict performance.
Working with CFMS will enable UKAEA to undertake engineering design with robust uncertainty quantification for tritium breeder blanket systems.
CFMS expertise in simulation and UQ
CFMS leads simulation work in the energy and construction sectors, with recognised expertise in MOOSE applications and uncertainty quantification.
The organisation supports multiple sectors including aerospace, manufacturing, energy, space and transport with commercial and research projects spanning TRL3 (experimental proof of concept) through to TRL7 (prototype demonstration in operational environment).
What the collaboration involves
Professor David Foster, LIBRTI Lead Scientist Digital, said:
The LIBRTI team are excited to work with CFMS, who are industrial experts in MOOSE applications and leaders in uncertainty simulations. Both of these capabilities will improve our understanding of uncertainty quantification, a crucial component for our project. CFMS also bring extensive skills training in simulation solutions.
Damian Morris, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at CFMS, said:
The agreement brings industrial skills to a complex scientific project. Our objectives for LIBRTI are to build models and simulate at scale, using our own data and drawing upon our experience with open-source data in MOOSE.
Project stages
The agreement has 2 stages:
- Scoping and recreation of pin models within the MOOSE environment.
- Selection and execution of pin models at scale.
This is the first time this approach has been applied to tritium breeder blanket design.
About CFMS
CFMS Services Limited is an independent non-profit research and technology organisation and the National Centre for Modelling and Simulation. Their mission is to solve complex technical challenges through advanced simulation capabilities.
About MOOSE
The Multiphysics Object Orientated Simulation Environment (MOOSE) is an open-source framework that enables multi-physics calculations including heat transfer, fluid dynamics and structural mechanics. It provides tools for building complex simulations without developing code from scratch, and runs on high-performance computing systems for faster, more accurate results.