ALARA: The next link in a chain of activation codes

Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1996 · Fusion Technology

OSTI ID:449155

Wilson, P P.H.; Henderson, D L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

The Adaptive Laplace and Analytic Radioactivity Analysis [ALARA] code has been developed as the next link in the chain of DKR radioactivity codes. Its methods address the criticisms of DKR while retaining its best features. While DKR ignored loops in the transmutation/decay scheme to preserve the exactness of the mathematical solution, ALARA incorporates new computational approaches without jeopardizing the most important features of DKR`s physical modelling and mathematical methods. The physical model uses `straightened-loop, linear chains` to achieve the same accuracy in the loop solutions as is demanded in the rest of the scheme. In cases where a chain has no loops, the exact DKR solution is used. Otherwise, ALARA adaptively chooses between a direct Laplace inversion technique and a Laplace expansion inversion technique to optimize the accuracy and speed of the solution. All of these methods result in matrix solutions which allow the fastest and most accurate solution of exact pulsing histories. Since the entire history is solved for each chain as it is created, ALARA achieves the optimum combination of high accuracy, high speed and low memory usage. 8 refs., 2 figs.

• OSTI ID: 449155
• Report Number(s): CONF-9606116-; ISSN 0748-1896; TRN: 97:001724-002
• Journal Information: Fusion Technology, Vol. 30, Issue 3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Reno, NV (United States), 16-20 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
99 MATHEMATICS
COMPUTERS
INFORMATION SCIENCE
MANAGEMENT
LAW
MISCELLANEOUS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
DESIGN
FIRST WALL
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
BREEDING BLANKETS
SHIELDS
A CODES
LAPLACE EQUATION
THERMONUCLEAR FUELS
DEUTERIUM
TRITIUM
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS