Enhanced geometric capabilities for the transient analysis code T-ReX and its application to simulating TREAT experiments

Mausolff, Zander; DeHart, Mark; Goluoglu, Sedat

doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2018.01.013

Title: Enhanced geometric capabilities for the transient analysis code T-ReX and its application to simulating TREAT experiments

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Abstract

Here, advances in computational architecture have prompted a resurgence in the simulation of reactor transients from first principles. Most codes are unable to simulate transient events with complex models, and require numerous approximations. The code T-ReX (Transient-Reactor eXperiment simulator), an extensive update to TDKENO, has been developed as a transient analysis tool with few geometric limitations and minimal theoretical approximations. T-ReX achieves this by employing the Improved Quasi-Static (IQS) method to solve the time dependent Boltzmann transport equation with explicit representation of delayed neutrons. The primary change in T-ReX relative to TDKENO is the incorporation of a modified version of the Monte Carlo code KENO-VI to calculate the flux shape and model the geometry of a problem. Using KENO-VI to model systems allows exact representation of the geometry. The changes to T-ReX are verified by comparison of solutions to computational benchmark problems found with a previous version of TDKENO that made use of KENO V.a, and several other codes with time-dependent capabilities. In addition, a three-dimensional model of the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) core at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is constructed with KENO-VI, and used to validate T ReX. T-ReX produces results that agree with benchmark problems, andmore »« less

Authors:

^[1];

^[2]; Goluoglu, Sedat ^[1]

Nuclear Engineering Program, Gainesville, FL (United States)
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Publication Date:: 2018-02-20

Research Org.:: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1478408

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1548683

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU-17-41078-Rev000
Journal ID: ISSN 0149-1970

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517; 156392

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Progress in Nuclear Energy

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 105; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0149-1970

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; TREAT; Transient; T-ReX; KENO; IQS; Neutron; IQS method; Neutron transport; Time dependent

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                    Mausolff, Zander, DeHart, Mark, and Goluoglu, Sedat. Enhanced geometric capabilities for the transient analysis code T-ReX and its application to simulating TREAT experiments.  United States: N. p., 2018. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2018.01.013.

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                    Mausolff, Zander, DeHart, Mark, & Goluoglu, Sedat. Enhanced geometric capabilities for the transient analysis code T-ReX and its application to simulating TREAT experiments.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2018.01.013

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                    Mausolff, Zander, DeHart, Mark, and Goluoglu, Sedat. Tue .  
"Enhanced geometric capabilities for the transient analysis code T-ReX and its application to simulating TREAT experiments".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2018.01.013.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1478408.

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@article{osti_1478408,

  title        = {Enhanced geometric capabilities for the transient analysis code T-ReX and its application to simulating TREAT experiments},

  author       = {Mausolff, Zander and DeHart, Mark and Goluoglu, Sedat},

  abstractNote = {Here, advances in computational architecture have prompted a resurgence in the simulation of reactor transients from first principles. Most codes are unable to simulate transient events with complex models, and require numerous approximations. The code T-ReX (Transient-Reactor eXperiment simulator), an extensive update to TDKENO, has been developed as a transient analysis tool with few geometric limitations and minimal theoretical approximations. T-ReX achieves this by employing the Improved Quasi-Static (IQS) method to solve the time dependent Boltzmann transport equation with explicit representation of delayed neutrons. The primary change in T-ReX relative to TDKENO is the incorporation of a modified version of the Monte Carlo code KENO-VI to calculate the flux shape and model the geometry of a problem. Using KENO-VI to model systems allows exact representation of the geometry. The changes to T-ReX are verified by comparison of solutions to computational benchmark problems found with a previous version of TDKENO that made use of KENO V.a, and several other codes with time-dependent capabilities. In addition, a three-dimensional model of the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) core at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is constructed with KENO-VI, and used to validate T ReX. T-ReX produces results that agree with benchmark problems, and are in better agreement with TREAT experimental data than TDKENO.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.pnucene.2018.01.013},

  journal      = {Progress in Nuclear Energy},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 105,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2018},

  month        = {2}

}

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