Using CUBIT to Create Unstructured Mesh Models for MCNP Simulations

Technical Report · Sat Feb 18 04:00:00 EST 2023

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1957908· OSTI ID:1957908

Armstrong, Jerawan Chudoung ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

The Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) transport code version 6 (also known as MCNP6) has the capability for tracking particles on unstructured mesh (UM) geometry models embedded into constructive solid geometry (CSG) cells. This feature has been developed for performing calculations of complex geometry models because creating CSG models is a time-consuming and error-prone process as the complexities of geometries increase. An MCNP UM calculation requires UM geometry input files. The UM capability was originally designed to work with UM models created with the Abaqus/CAE software and ASCII input files that it generates. The Abaqus-formatted input files needed for MCNP UM calculations must have the correct Abaqus syntax and meet the additional MCNP requirements. Several software packages can generate a UM model formatted as an Abaqus input file. Cubit, the Sandia National Laboratory automated mesh generation toolkit, can generate a UM model formatted as an Abaqus input file. However, the Abaqus input files created by Cubit cannot be used for MCNP simulations. A Python script has been developed to convert an Abaqus file created by Cubit to an Abaqus file that the MCNP code can process. This report describes the process of using Cubit to create UM models for MCNP calculations.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1957908
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-23-21715
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
MCNP
Cubit
Abaqus