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
SL-DES-26-0449
Thesis topic details
Category
Engineering science
Thesis topics
Representation of Cross Sections based on the Wavelet Expansion Method, and Development of a Dedicated Solver
Contract
Thèse
Job description
The deterministic solution of the neutron transport equation traditionally relies on the use of the multigroup approximation to discretize the energy variable. The energy domain is divided using a one-dimensional mesh, where the volume elements are called 'groups' in neutronics. Within each group, all physical quantities (neutron flux, cross sections, reaction rates, etc.) are projected using piecewise constant functions. This homogenization of cross sections, which are the input data of the transport equation, becomes particularly challenging in the presence of resonant nuclei, whose cross sections vary rapidly over several decades. Correcting for this requires computationally expensive on-the-fly treatments to improve the accuracy of the transport solution.
The goal of this thesis is to eliminate the need for the multigroup approximation in the resonant energy range by applying a Galerkin projection of the continuous energy equation onto an orthonormal wavelet basis. The candidate will develop a generic expansion method adapted to mixtures of resonant isotopes, including preprocessing of cross sections, selection of the wavelet basis, and determination of an efficient coefficient truncation strategy. A dedicated neutron transport solver will be developed, with a focus on efficient algorithmic implementation using advanced programming techniques suited to modern architectures (GPU, Kokkos). The results of this thesis research will be valorized through publications in peer-reviewed international journals and presentations at scientific conferences.
University / doctoral school
PHENIICS (PHENIICS)
Paris-Saclay
Thesis topic location
Site
Saclay
Requester
Position start date
01/01/2027
Person to be contacted by the applicant
Rosier Emeline
emeline.rosier@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DM2S/SERMA/LPEC
Cea Saclay 91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette Cedex - Bâtiment 470
01 69 08 35 98
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
CALLOO Ansar
ansar.calloo@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DM2S/SGLS/LCAN
CEA Saclay
F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
01 69 08 50 07
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