Comparison of Monte Carlo and Interface Current Solutions to 3D Transpon Problems

Abstract

Motivated by the need for a more rigorous analysis of the reactor control devices in CANDU reactors we have developed in the code Dragon a three dimensional interface current module for cell and supercell calculations called Excell. The main problem that was encountered during the validation of this code was the absence of benchmark solutions to small heterogeneous 3D Cartesian and mixed Cartesian-cylindrical geometry problems. We therefore generated reference solutions to simple 3D problems using the Monte Carlo criticality code Keno-V.a. The primary purpose of Keno-V, which is to determine the k-effective for a given problem, is very different from that of Dragon which performs multicell calculations. Accordingly, our comparisons will be on the reactivity values, where Keno-V is taken as a reference, rather than on local flux or reaction rate values which are not as well simulated by Keno-V.