Second Order Perturbations of Monte Carlo Criticality Calculations
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Perturbation techniques are powerful tools for determining the effects of small changes, or perturbations, to a problem. Perturbations have long been problematic in Monte Carlo calculations because the effects of small changes to the problem are usually masked by the inherent statistical uncertainties. The recently released MCNP4B Monte Carlo computer code uses the differential operator technique, to calculate changes in tallies caused by perturbations in density and composition over given energy ranges and reaction types. This technique will allow for precise calculation of the changes in tallies even if the standard deviation of the unperturbed tally is larger than the change. The differential operator is approximated by a second order Taylor series. The implementation of the Taylor series expansion assumes that the coefficients are independent of any perturbed cross-sections. However, if the tally is multiplied by cross-section data this assumption is invalid and incorrect results will be generated. Of significant interest is the use of perturbations in criticality calculations. Although the criticality source feature for MCNP cannot directly calculate perturbed eigenvalues, a track-length estimate for Keff can be tallied and the perturbation feature can be applied to this tally. However, since the tally multiplies the flux by the macroscopic fission cross-section, this tally is dependent on perturbed cross-section data and incorrect results will be calculated by the perturbation feature. In order to compute the correct tally, a correction term is needed that will account for the dependence of the Taylor series coefficients on the perturbed cross-section data.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 620950
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-97-2836; CONF-971125; ON: DE97008329; TRN: 98:006337
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1997 American Nuclear Society (ANS) Winter Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 16-20 Nov 1997; Other Information: PBD: Jul 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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