Web-based, Interactive, Nuclear Reactor Transient Analyzer using LabVIEW and RELAP5 (ATHENA)

In nuclear engineering, large system analysis codes such as RELAP5, TRAC-M, etc. play an important role in evaluating a reactor system behavior during a wide range of transient conditions. One limitation that restricts their use on a wider scale is that these codes often have a complicated I/O structure. This has motivated the development of GUI tools for best estimate codes, such as SNAP and ViSA, etc. In addition to a user interface, a greater degree of freedom in simulation and analyses of nuclear transient phenomena can be achieved if computer codes and their outputs are accessible from anywhere through the web. Such a web-based interactive interface can be very useful for geographically distributed groups when there is a need to share real-time data. Using mostly off-the-shelf technology, such a capability - a web-based transient analyzer based on a best-estimate code - has been developed. Specifically, the widely used best-estimate code RELAP5 is linked with a graphical interface. Moreover, a capability to web-cast is also available. This has been achieved by using the LabVIEW virtual instruments (VIs). In addition to the graphical display of the results, interactive control functions have also been added that allow operator's actions as well as, if permitted, by a distant user through the web