SimpleMOC - A performance abstraction for 3D MOC

• Main Authors: He, Tim (Author), Gunow, Geoffrey Alexander (Contributor), Tramm, John Robert (Contributor), Forget, Benoit Robert Yves (Contributor), Smith, Kord S. (Contributor)
• Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (Contributor)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Nuclear Society (ANS), 2017-06-23T20:31:25Z.
• Subjects: Article
• Online Access: Get fulltext

The method of characteristics (MOC) is a popular method for efficiently solving two-dimensional reactor problems. Extensions to three dimensions have been attempted with mitigated success bringing into question the ability of performing efficient full core three-dimensional (3D) analysis. Although the 3D problem presents many computational difficulties, some simplifications can be made that allow for more efficient computation. In this investigation, we present SimpleMOC, a "mini-app" which mimics the computational performance of a full 3D MOC solver without involving the full physics perspective, allowing for a more straightforward analysis of the computational challenges. A variety of simplifications are implemented that are intended to increase the computational feasibility, including the formation axially-quadratic neutron sources. With the addition of the quadratic approximation to the neutron source, 3D MOC is cast as a CPU-intensive method with the potential for remarkable scalability on next generation computing architectures.
United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Nuclear Energy (Nuclear Energy University Programs Fellowship)
United States. Dept. of Energy. Center for Exascale Simulation of Advanced Reactor
United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357)