BISON Training Overview
The BISON fuel performance team offers single- and multi-day interactive workshops to provide training for new and existing users. BISON Training is divided into three levels to deliver content tailored to BISON users of all levels:
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | General User | Advanced User and Developer | Customer/Application-Specific |
| Target Audience | New users | Experienced users | New and experienced users |
| BISON Access Level | Levels 1 and above | Level 4 required | Any |
| Frequency | Twice per year | As needed | As needed |
| Duration | Two days | Two day | Flexible |
Descriptions of each level and information about upcoming trainings are provided below. Selected content from previous BISON workshops can be viewed here.
Level 1: General User Training
Level 1 BISON Training is designed for beginners. Attendees are assumed to have at least some familiarity with thermomechanics, material responses to irradiation, Unix and/or Linux systems, and at least one of the following nuclear fuel types: light water reactor (LWR), metallic, and TRISO. The complexity of training content ranges from basic to intermediate. Walkthroughs and interactive examples are kept very basic so that everyone can participate, regardless of their level of experience with BISON.
General User Training is intended to help new and prospective users get started with the code, familiarize themselves with the methods available to model different fuel types, and gain practical experience through completing interactive exercises. It consists of an interactive two-day workshop and is most appropriate for users with Level 1 or Level 2 BISON access. These training sessions are typically held twice per year in the summer and winter—once at INL and once elsewhere. Topics include:
Thermomechanical fuel performance modeling and multiphysics analysis
LWR, metallic, and TRISO fuel properties, irradiation behaviors, input syntax, and examples
Accessing INL computing resources, running simulations, and visualizing results
Interactive practice problems, troubleshooting examples, and in-person support
Overviews of BISON documentation, website, and other resources
Level 2: Advanced User and Developer Training
Level 2 BISON Training is designed for advanced users and developers. Attendees are assumed to have solid foundations (as outlined by the Level 1 Training above) in thermomechanics, material responses to irradiation, and at least one of the following nuclear fuel types: LWR, metallic, and TRISO. In order to derive maximum benefit from this course, it is beneficial for attendees to also be familiar with MOOSE, BISON, Unix and/or Linux systems, the finite element method, C++, object oriented programming, and git version control. The complexity of training content, walkthroughs, and interactive examples ranges from intermediate to advanced.
Advanced User and Developer Training is intended to help experienced users get acquainted with advanced simulation methods, learn the fundamentals of model development and contributing code, and familiarize themselves with state-of-the-art features and ongoing work. It consists of an interactive two-day workshop. Level 4 BISON access is required. These training sessions are scheduled as needed to meet the needs of the BISON community. Topics include:
Overviews of model development, including residual and Jacobian derivation and implementation
Material property and behavioral model development and implementation
Testing and documentation requirements for new models
GitHub tutorials, including issue creation, pull requests, and the review process
Overviews of solution approaches, including reference residual problems, scaling, damping
Model verification and validation
An introduction to advanced code usage
Bayesian inference, uncertainty quantification, and sensitivity analysis
Use of MultiApps functionality and coupling to other MOOSE-based codes
National Reactor Innovation Center Virtual Test Bed demonstrations
Surveys of recent and ongoing work
Level 3: Customer/Application-Specific Training
Level 3 BISON Training is intended to address specific engineering, scientific, and research needs. It can incorporate content from Levels 1 and 2 and be customized to focus on particular capabilities or fuels of interest. Frequency, duration, and location are all flexible. Please contact Ryan Sweet ([email protected]), Jake Hirschhorn ([email protected]), or Kyle Gamble ([email protected]) for more information.
Upcoming Training
Level 1 BISON Trainings are nominally held once per year in the winter. Class space is limited, and admittance will be processed in the order received. Instructions for gaining access to BISON and cluster computing resources will be provided upon registration for the training.
Please contact Ryan Sweet ([email protected]), Jake Hirschhorn ([email protected]), or Kyle Gamble ([email protected]) with any additional questions, and check this page frequently for new BISON Training updates.
Request a Training
Please contact Ryan Sweet ([email protected]), Jake Hirschhorn ([email protected]), or Kyle Gamble ([email protected]) for more information.
