A finite volume method based multi-group neutron diffusion model for space-time nuclear reactor kinetics problems in RZ geometry

• Published in: Nuclear and particle physics proceedings 2023-12, Vol.341, p.28-33
• Main Authors: Rao, R. Kondala, Sudha, A. Jasmin, Rao, P. Mangarjuna, Natesan, K., Venkatraman, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Axi-symmetric geometry; Fast breeder reactor; Finite volume method; Multi-group neutron diffusion; Nuclear reactor kinetics
• ISSN: 2405-6014; 2405-6022
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2023.09.012

The transient analysis of Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) requires the development of high fidelity space-time nuclear reactor kinetics codes for the realistic prediction of spatial and temporal behavior of neutron flux and fission power along with the feedback effects. So, a space-time nuclear reactor kinetics model has been developed for solving the coupled time dependent multi-group neutron diffusion equations and the delayed neutron precursor equations in axi-symmetric cylindrical (r-z) geometry. The numerical model employs an orthogonal mesh finite volume method for spatial discretization and implicit method for time discretization. A computer code named MANDIR-KRZ (Multi-group Analysis of Neutron DIffusion in Reactor for Kinetics problems in RZ geometry) has been developed and employed to reconstruct the keff, transient neutron flux and power results of different benchmark problems. Mathematical formulation of the numerical model and results of the code for Dodds and FBR transient benchmark problems are discussed in this paper.