Development of a Monte Carlo Model of the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor PDF Download

Author: Paul W. Humrickhouse
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Author: Ryanne Ariel Kennedy
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear energy
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Abstract: In support of the nation's nuclear energy industry, the Innovations in Nuclear Infrastructure and Education (INIE) program was established in 2002 by the Department of Energy. Its function is to strengthen university nuclear engineering education programs through improved and original use of university research and training reactors. The Ohio State University (OSU) is part of the INIE consortium consisting of Penn State University, OSU, Purdue University, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin -- Madison. For improving research reactor utilization and to meet objectives consistent with the goals of the INIE program, a full facility model of the OSU Research Reactor (OSURR) was assembled using the PENTRAN (Parallel Environment Neutral particle Transport) 3-D discrete ordinates code (version 9.36b). The focus of this thesis is the creation and benchmark of a full facility model of the OSU Research Reactor using the discrete ordinates transport code PENTRAN and the Monte Carlo code MCNP5. Storing the full phase-space information for an exact geometry model of the OSU Research Reactor using the discrete ordinates code PENTRAN would require a few thousand gigabytes of computer memory. This large memory requirement is a result of the fine spatial meshing essential for modeling the very thin layers of cladding and fuel over the whole core. Such a large model is unrealistically cumbersome even considering the parallel memory and phase-space decomposition capability of PENTRAN. Hence, it was essential to consider some level of homogenization of different material regions including fuel, clad, and/or moderator/coolant in the discrete ordinates model. Several parametric analyses were performed in an attempt to understand the impact of systematic uncertainties in the models that occur as a result of modeling approximations and the homogenization of core regions. These parametric studies were performed using PENTRAN and MCNP and included the analysis of several categories of uncertainty in the research reactor such as fuel impurities and uncertainty in the core's geometry. In addition to analyses of the PENTRAN model, several tests were performed during the construction of the MCNP model. Detailed studies of the control rods and irradiation facilities were performed and compared to experimental data. An irradiation experiment was performed to collect data in three irradiation facilities in the OSURR facility. The thermal flux was calculated in each of these locations using the experimental data and compared directly to the results of the full core models built with MCNP and PENTRAN. In addition to benchmarking the model flux results with this experiment, an eigenvalue comparison was made for three different rod configurations for both codes. Overall, agreement was seen between experimental data, MCNP results, and PENTRAN results. The eigenvalue results from different rod configurations were within the uncertainty that was calculated from parametric analyses of the OSURR core. The flux distributions over the core matched well between MCNP and PENTRAN, and all discrepancies were accounted for by analysis of the homogenization effects and other differences between the models.

Author: Alireza Haghighat
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 042958220X
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 214

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Fully updated with the latest developments in the eigenvalue Monte Carlo calculations and automatic variance reduction techniques and containing an entirely new chapter on fission matrix and alternative hybrid techniques. This second edition explores the uses of the Monte Carlo method for real-world applications, explaining its concepts and limitations. Featuring illustrative examples, mathematical derivations, computer algorithms, and homework problems, it is an ideal textbook and practical guide for nuclear engineers and scientists looking into the applications of the Monte Carlo method, in addition to students in physics and engineering, and those engaged in the advancement of the Monte Carlo methods. Describes general and particle-transport-specific automated variance reduction techniques Presents Monte Carlo particle transport eigenvalue issues and methodologies to address these issues Presents detailed derivation of existing and advanced formulations and algorithms with real-world examples from the author’s research activities

Author: William Kennedy Brunot
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Monte Carlo method
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Author: Magdi M. H. Ragheb
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear reactors
Languages : en
Pages : 468

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Author: Peter Dragovitsch
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9814552100
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 402

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This volume provides an overview of the current state and future developments of Monte Carlo simulation and related tools and methods used in high energy physics and nuclear physics.

Author: Samuel Christopher Shaner
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 140

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Monte Carlo is increasingly being used to perform high-fidelity, steady-state neutronics analysis of power reactor geometries on today’s leadership class supercomputers. Extending Monte Carlo to time dependent problems has proven to be a formidable challenge due to the significant computational resource and data processing requirements. In this thesis, a transient methodology is proposed and implemented to enable accurate and computationally tractable time dependent Monte Carlo analysis. The frequency transform method has been described and implemented in Monte Carlo for the first time. The attractiveness of this method lies in its ability to accurately capture the space and time dependent distribution of the delayed neutron source throughout a transient. Nuances to the algorithmic implementation are described and validated through a series of simple analytical test problems. Comparison with the adiabatic method currently employed for Monte Carlo transient analysis shows significant improvement in the spatial distribution and magnitude of the power for a negative reactivity insertion transient in the 2D and 3D C5G7 geometry. To aid in understanding the effect of statistical uncertainty in the tallied quantities on the time dependent flux solution, a simplified point kinetics model was developed and used for insightful analysis on simple transient test problems. This revealed how the time dependent flux profiles for a series of independent trials can be approximated by a normal distribution at low uncertainties in the tallied reactivity, but deviates from a normal distribution at relatively modest uncertainties in reactivity. Given the compuational constraints of solving large problems, having a simple model that can provide insight on the expected behavior and flux distribution can be very valuable. The frequency transform methodology belongs to a class of indirect space-time factorization methods that perform high-order calculations (e.g. Monte Carlo) over long time steps and low-order, computationally-efficient calculations (e.g. Point Kinetics) over short time steps as an approach to balance performance and accuracy. The coarse mesh finite difference (CMFD) diffusion operator is employed as the low-order solver in Monte Carlo transient analysis for the first time. The CMFD diffusion operator is attractive due to its potential to increase the time step size between the computationally expensive high-order solves. Implementing this methodology is important as continuous energy Monte Carlo is reactor-agnostic and able to treat complex geometries without difficulty, opening up the possibility of solving transients on new experimental geometries for which there is little data.

Author: Christopher J. Staum
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Author: Burt Alan Zolotar
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear reactors
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Author: H. Kumawat
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 11

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