Creation of problem-dependent Doppler-broadened cross sections in the KENO Monte Carlo code

Shane W.D. Hart; Cihangir Celik; G. Ivan Maldonado; Luiz Leal

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2015.10.011

Creation of problem-dependent Doppler-broadened cross sections in the KENO Monte Carlo code

Shane W.D. Hart, Cihangir Celik, G. Ivan Maldonado, Luiz Leal

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7 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper introduces a quick method for improving the accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations by generating one- and two-dimensional cross sections at a user-defined temperature before performing transport calculations. A finite difference method is used to Doppler-broaden cross sections to the desired temperature, and unit-base interpolation is done to generate the probability distributions for double differential two-dimensional thermal moderator cross sections at any arbitrarily user-defined temperature. The accuracy of these methods is tested using a variety of contrived problems. In addition, various benchmarks at elevated temperatures are modeled, and results are compared with benchmark results. The problem-dependent cross sections are observed to produce eigenvalue estimates that are closer to the benchmark results than those without the problem-dependent cross sections.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	49-56
Number of pages	8
Journal	Annals of Nuclear Energy
Volume	88
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2015.10.011
State	Published - Feb 1 2016

Funding

The work documented in this paper was performed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Criticality Safety Program.

Keywords

Doppler broadening
KENO
Monte Carlo
SCALE
Thermal scattering

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10.1016/j.anucene.2015.10.011

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title = "Creation of problem-dependent Doppler-broadened cross sections in the KENO Monte Carlo code",

abstract = "This paper introduces a quick method for improving the accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations by generating one- and two-dimensional cross sections at a user-defined temperature before performing transport calculations. A finite difference method is used to Doppler-broaden cross sections to the desired temperature, and unit-base interpolation is done to generate the probability distributions for double differential two-dimensional thermal moderator cross sections at any arbitrarily user-defined temperature. The accuracy of these methods is tested using a variety of contrived problems. In addition, various benchmarks at elevated temperatures are modeled, and results are compared with benchmark results. The problem-dependent cross sections are observed to produce eigenvalue estimates that are closer to the benchmark results than those without the problem-dependent cross sections.",

keywords = "Doppler broadening, KENO, Monte Carlo, SCALE, Thermal scattering",

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AU - Hart, Shane W.D.

AU - Celik, Cihangir

AU - Maldonado, G. Ivan

AU - Leal, Luiz

PY - 2016/2/1

Y1 - 2016/2/1

N2 - This paper introduces a quick method for improving the accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations by generating one- and two-dimensional cross sections at a user-defined temperature before performing transport calculations. A finite difference method is used to Doppler-broaden cross sections to the desired temperature, and unit-base interpolation is done to generate the probability distributions for double differential two-dimensional thermal moderator cross sections at any arbitrarily user-defined temperature. The accuracy of these methods is tested using a variety of contrived problems. In addition, various benchmarks at elevated temperatures are modeled, and results are compared with benchmark results. The problem-dependent cross sections are observed to produce eigenvalue estimates that are closer to the benchmark results than those without the problem-dependent cross sections.

AB - This paper introduces a quick method for improving the accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations by generating one- and two-dimensional cross sections at a user-defined temperature before performing transport calculations. A finite difference method is used to Doppler-broaden cross sections to the desired temperature, and unit-base interpolation is done to generate the probability distributions for double differential two-dimensional thermal moderator cross sections at any arbitrarily user-defined temperature. The accuracy of these methods is tested using a variety of contrived problems. In addition, various benchmarks at elevated temperatures are modeled, and results are compared with benchmark results. The problem-dependent cross sections are observed to produce eigenvalue estimates that are closer to the benchmark results than those without the problem-dependent cross sections.

KW - Doppler broadening

KW - KENO

KW - Monte Carlo

KW - SCALE

KW - Thermal scattering

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DO - 10.1016/j.anucene.2015.10.011

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84946605494

SN - 0306-4549

VL - 88

SP - 49

EP - 56

JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy

JF - Annals of Nuclear Energy

ER -

Creation of problem-dependent Doppler-broadened cross sections in the KENO Monte Carlo code

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