Steam Snap

Aurélie Fargette, S. Neukirch, A. Antkowiak

We report on the capillarity-induced snapping of elastic beams. We show that a millimeter-sized water drop gently deposited on a thin buckled polymer strip may trigger an elastocapillary snap-through instability. We investigate experimentally and theoretically the statics and dynamics of this phenomenon and we further demonstrate that snapping can act against gravity, or be induced by soap bubbles on centimeter-sized thin metal strips. We argue that this phenomenon is suitable to miniaturization and design a condensation-induced spin-off version of the experiment involving a hydrophilic strip placed in a steam flow.

Janet L. Retzeb, F. V. Duyne, J. T. Chase, J. I. Simpson

M. Malicki, T. Lind

Abstract This paper presents an uncertainty analysis of the source term (ST) in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) station blackout (SBO) accident using the MELCOR2.2 code coupled with DAKOTA via SNAP. Severe accident (SA) simulations in nuclear reactors are fraught with uncertainties due to complex phenomenology and numerical model simplifications. While the best-estimate plus uncertainty (BEPU) methodology is well established in thermohydraulic studies, its application to SA scenarios is relatively new. This study is part of the European Management and Uncertainties of Severe Accidents (MUSA) project, which to some extent, aims to integrate BEPU methodologies into SA simulations. Two figures of merit focused on ST retention in the steam generator (SG) and releases of selected radionuclides to the environment were analyzed. The uncertain parameters used in this study, chosen based on a literature study and project discussions, are related to core degradation and aerosol phenomena. The results highlight significant uncertainties in the ST calculations influenced by variations in the aerosol behavior and core degradation parameters. In conclusion, this study illustrates the application of BEPU methodology to SA uncertainty analysis in a PWR SBO plus SG tube rapture scenario. The findings indicate a potential for improving SA models and reducing uncertainties, contributing to the MUSA project’s goals of enhancing nuclear plant safety analyses and reliability.

J. Retzer, F. O. Van Duyne

X. Basogain, J. C. Olabe, M. Olabe

The academic world is witnessing the new opportunities offered by information and computer technologies for STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). These STEAM subjects, studied in integrated form, are considered essential in the education of citizens of a modern society. This paper addresses the development and support of STEAM education that our research team has carried out in recent years in different educational environments that include engineering studies, training of future teachers, primary and secondary education, and outreach to society. We will describe a set of activities that promote STEAM education, including courses (face-to-face courses, online courses, and MOOC courses), and scientific and informative conferences. We make use a set of applications of information and computing technologies in the creation and delivery of courses and conferences that include programming languages (ie Matlab, WolframAlpha - Computational Intelligent, Snap and Scratch), learning platforms (Moodle, MiriadaX), resources / tools to interact with the student (motivate face-to-face sessions, e.g. Socrative, video conferences and online tutorials e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, remote desktop connection, and website portals, among other resources). This paper presents real cases carried out in university educational centers, and in primary and secondary schools. These are examples that show cases of integration of computer science, engineering and education in which information and computer technologies are used to promote STEAM education.