Discrete Elements Method of Neutral Particle Transport
Abstract
A new 'discrete elements' (LN) transport method is derived and compared to the discrete ordinates SN method, theoretically and by numerical experimentation. The discrete elements method is more accurate than discrete ordinates and strongly ameliorates ray effects for the practical problems studied. The discrete elements method is shown to be more cost effective in terms of execution time with comparable storage to attain the same accuracy, for a one-dimensional test case using linear characteristic spatial quadrature. In a two-dimensional test case, a vacuum duct in a shield, LN is more consistently convergent toward a Monte Carlo benchmark solution than SN, using step characteristic spatial quadrature. An analysis of the interaction of angular and spatial quadrature in xy-geometry indicates the desirability of using linear characteristic spatial quadrature with the LN method. The discrete elements method is based on discretizing the Boltzmann equation over a set of elements of angle. The zeroth and first angular moments of the directional flux, over each element, are estimated by numerical quadrature and yield a flux-weighted average streaming direction for the element. (Data for this estimation are fluxes in fixed directions calculated as in SN.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA138080
Entities
People
- Kirk A. Mathews
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology