Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-15-2024

Abstract

Recent advances in adjoint-based, continuous-energy Monte Carlo generalized perturbation theory (GPT) sensitivity coefficients are combined with adjoint-based depletion perturbation theory (DPT) sensitivities to obtain fully coupled depletion sensitivity coefficients in OpenMC. These depletion sensitivity coefficients are compared with direct perturbation results and found to have generally good agreement, though discrepancies exist. Some shortfalls of the DPT method include the inefficient initial numeric integration scheme for calculating the DPT sensitivities and the lack of stochastic uncertainty estimates for the DPT sensitivities. However, despite these shortcomings, the methodology provides the means to obtain high fidelity depletion sensitivity coefficients. With refinements to the implementation and methodology, it may be possible to rapidly generate high fidelity depletion sensitivity profiles for various nuclear systems.

Keywords

Monte Carlo, Adjoint Depletion Perturbation Theory, Sensitivity Coefficients

Sponsors

U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Energy University Programs

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Nuclear Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Nuclear Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Christopher M. Perfetti

Second Committee Member

Forrest B. Brown

Third Committee Member

Paul K. Romano

Fourth Committee Member

Todd Palmer

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