Verification and Validation of MERCURY: A Modern, Monte Carlo Particle Transport Code
Verification and Validation (V&V) is a critical phase in the development cycle of any scientific code. The aim of the V&V process is to determine whether or not the code fulfills and complies with the requirements that were defined prior to the start of the development process. While code V&V can take many forms, this paper concentrates on validation of the results obtained from a modern code against those produced by a validated, legacy code. In particular, the neutron transport capabilities of the modern Monte Carlo code MERCURY are validated against those in the legacy Monte Carlo code TART. The results from each code are compared for a series of basic transport and criticality calculations which are designed to check a variety of code modules. These include the definition of the problem geometry, particle tracking, collisional kinematics, sampling of secondary particle distributions, and nuclear data. The metrics that form the basis for comparison of the codes include both integral quantities and particle spectra. The use of integral results, such as eigenvalues obtained from criticality calculations, is shown to be necessary, but not sufficient, for a comprehensive validation of the code. This process has uncovered problems in both the transport code and the nuclear data processing codes which have since been rectified.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15015878
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-CONF-208667; TRN: US0501694
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Presented at: Monte Carlo 2005, Chattanooga, TN (US), 04/17/2005--04/21/2005; Other Information: PBD: 9 Dec 2004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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