3. Inputs

ARMI input files define the initial state of the reactor model and tell ARMI what kind of analysis should be performed on it.

There are several input files:

Settings file

Contains simulation parameters (like full power, cycle length, and which physics modules to activate) and all kind of modeling approximation settings (e.g. convergence criteria)

Blueprints file

Contains dimensions and composition of the components/blocks/assemblies in your reactor systems, from fuel pins to heat exchangers

Core map file

Describes where various assemblies (defined in blueprints) exist in a core relative to one another

Fuel management file

Describes how fuel moves around during a simulation

Depending on the type of analysis, there may be additional inputs required. These include things like control logic, ex-core models for transients and shielding, etc.

Settings and core map input files can be conveniently manipulated with the ARMI GUI. The GUI is simply a front-end to these files. You can choose to use the GUI or not, ARMI doesn’t know or care — it just reads the input files and runs them.

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• 3.1. The Settings Input File
  • 3.1.1. The ARMI GUI
    • 3.1.1.1. The assembly dragger
    • 3.1.1.2. The ARMI Environment Tab
• 3.2. The Blueprints Input File
  • 3.2.1. Blueprint sections
  • 3.2.2. Blocks and Components
    • 3.2.2.1. Defining a Component
    • 3.2.2.2. Component Types
    • 3.2.2.3. Component Links
  • 3.2.3. About naming
  • 3.2.4. Assemblies
  • 3.2.5. Systems
  • 3.2.6. Custom Isotopics
  • 3.2.7. Advanced topics
    • 3.2.7.1. Overlapping shapes
    • 3.2.7.2. Component area modifications
    • 3.2.7.3. Putting it all together to make a Block
  • 3.2.8. Nuclide Flags
• 3.3. The Facemap Input File
• 3.4. Fuel Management Input
  • 3.4.1. Fuel Management Operations
    • 3.4.1.1. swapAssemblies
    • 3.4.1.2. dischargeSwap
    • 3.4.1.3. swapCascade
  • 3.4.2. Choosing Assemblies to Move
  • 3.4.3. Fuel Management Examples
    • 3.4.3.1. Convergent-Divergent
  • 3.4.4. Fuel Management Tips
  • 3.4.5. Running a branch search
• 3.5. Settings Report