A deterministic study of deficiencies in the Wigner-Seitz cell approximation
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Monte Carlo methods are extremely powerful and heavily utilized for many applications in nuclear criticality safety. Accurate criticality calculations are possible because of the global nature of neutron multiplication. The stochastic approach has limitations, however, and is not appropriate for specialized applications that require differential fluxes or accurate neutron density distributions. The NEW Transport Algorithm (NEWT) computer code, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has the ability to closely model nonorthogonal two-dimensional geometries that are traditionally left to Monte Carlo analyses. Because it is based on the discrete ordinates formalism, it can provide an accurate prediction of neutron distributions in space and energy. However, unlike most discrete ordinates methods, NEWT solves fluxes on a grid of arbitrary polygons, which can be used to closely approximate complex configurations. Results of multidimensional depletion and sensitivity/uncertainty analyses will be reported in the future after significant testing has been completed. Herein the authors focus on a recent study performed at ORNL to understand discrepancies noted for the Wigner-Seitz cell approximation often applied in lattice calculations.
- OSTI ID:
- 678140
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990605-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 99:009125
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 80; Conference: 1999 annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Boston, MA (United States), 6-10 Jun 1999; Other Information: PBD: 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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