A condensed multigroup formulation is developed which maintains direct consistency with the continuous energy or fine-group structure, exhibiting the accuracy of the detailed energy spectrum within the coarse-group calculation. Two methods are then developed which seek to invert the condensation process turning the standard one-way condensation (from fine-group to coarse-group) into the first step of a two-way iterative process. The first method is based on the previously published Generalized Energy Condensation, which established a framework for obtaining the fine-group flux by preserving the flux energy spectrum in orthogonal energy expansion functions, but did not maintain a consistent coarse-group formulation. It is demonstrated that with a consistent extension of the GEC, a cross section recondensation scheme can be used to correct for the spectral core environment error. A more practical and efficient new method is also developed, termed the "Subgroup Decomposition (SGD) Method," which eliminates the need for expansion functions altogether, and allows the fine-group flux to be decomposed from a consistent coarse-group flux with minimal additional computation or memory requirements. In addition, a new whole-core BWR benchmark problem is generated based on operating reactor parameters in 2D and 3D, and a set of 1D benchmark problems is developed for a BWR, PWR, and VHTR core.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:GATECH/oai:smartech.gatech.edu:1853/47612 |
| Date | 30 March 2012 |
| Creators | Douglass, Steven James |
| Publisher | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Source Sets | Georgia Tech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
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