Analysis of a multigroup stylized CANDU half-core benchmark

An 8-group cross section library is provided to augment a previously published 2-group 3D stylized half-core Canadian deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor benchmark problem. Reference eigenvalues and selected pin and bundle fission rates are also included. This benchmark is intended to provide computational reactor physicists and methods developers with a stylized model problem in more than two energy groups that is realistic with respect to the underlying physics. In addition to transport theory code verification, the 8-group energy structure provides reactor physicist with an ideal problem for examining cross section homogenization and collapsing effects in a full-core environment. To this end, additional 2-, 4- and 47-group full-core Monte Carlo benchmark solutions are compared to analyze homogenization-free transport approximations incurred as a result of energy group condensation.

► This paper provides a benchmark that is a stylized model problem in more than two energy groups that is realistic with respect to the underlying physics.
► An 8-group cross section library is provided to augment a previously published 2-group 3D stylized half-core CANDU benchmark problem.
► Reference eigenvalues and selected pin and bundle fission rates are included.
► 2-, 4- and 47-group Monte Carlo solutions are compared to analyze homogenization-free transport approximations that result from energy condensation.