Acceleration of step and linear discontinuous schemes for the method of characteristics in DRAGON5

The applicability of the algebraic collapsing acceleration (ACA) technique to the method of characteristics (MOC) in cases with scattering anisotropy and/or linear sources was investigated. Previously, the ACA was proven successful in cases with isotropic scattering and uniform (step) sources. A presentation is first made of the MOC implementation, available in the DRAGON5 code. Two categories of schemes are available for integrating the propagation equations: (1) the first category is based on exact integration and leads to the classical step characteristics (SC) and linear discontinuous characteristics (LDC) schemes and (2) the second category leads to diamond differencing schemes of various orders in space. The acceleration of these MOC schemes using a combination of the generalized minimal residual [GMRES(m)] method preconditioned with the ACA technique was focused on. Numerical results are provided for a two-dimensional (2D) eight-symmetry pressurized water reactor (PWR) assembly mockup in the context of the DRAGON5 code.