Development and validation of a neutron transport solver with SP3 method based on OpenFOAM

• Published in: Progress in nuclear energy (New series) 2024-05, Vol.170, Article 105120
• Main Authors: Zhou, Xingguang, Zhang, Dalin, Zhou, Lei, Wu, Wenqiang, Zhang, Xisi, Tian, Wenxi, Qiu, Suizheng, Su, Guanghui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Finite volume method; Neutron transport; OpenFOAM; SP3
• ISSN: 0149-1970
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2024.105120

A deterministic neutron transport solver with SP3 method based on OpenFOAM has been developed and validated in this paper. The physical models, numerical methods and schemes, boundary conditions, and solving strategy are discussed in detail. The approximate Marshak boundary condition of this solver is validated by the ISSA benchmark problem. Pin-by-pin lattice and simplified core neutron transport benchmark problems are introduced to make the validation of the solver. Numerical results show that SP3 solver developed based on OpenFOAM has the promising prediction accuracy of keff, neutron scalar flux, fission power, and control rod worth. Parallel tests of SP3 solver are also carried out under the million scale meshes, and the solver has an acceptable acceleration ratio and efficiency. No new computational methods or numerical schemes are proposed in this paper. Instead, the main new works in this paper are our detailed and quantified numerical validations of serval international neutron transport benchmark problems for SP3 solver based on OpenFOAM. The capability of OpenFOAM in performing SP3 calculations has been further tested and validated in this paper, which gives additional confidence that OpenFOAM can effectively be used for SP3 analysis. •Detailed and quantified numerical validations of SP3 solver based on OpenFOAM.•This study shows the accuracy of FV-based SP3 method in specific benchmarks.•Additional confidence of SP3 analysis based on OpenFOAM has been enhanced.