Gamma transport and diffusion calculation capability coupled with neutron transport simulation in KARMA 1.2

Abstract

KAERI has developed a lattice transport calculation code KARMA (Kernel Analyzer by Ray-tracing Method for fuel Assembly) and its library generation system. Recently, the library generation system has been extended to include a gamma cross section generation capability and a gamma transport/diffusion calculation module has been implemented in KARMA 1.2. The method of characteristics for the neutron transport calculation to estimate eigenvalue has been utilized to predict gamma flux distribution and energy deposition. In addition, the coarse mesh finite difference method with diffusion approximation has also been utilized to estimate gamma flux distribution and energy depositions for each coarse mesh with homogenized pins as a computationally efficient alternative. This paper describes the procedure to generate neutron induced gamma production and gamma cross section data, and the methods to predict gamma flux distribution, gamma energy deposition and gamma smeared pin power distribution. The computational results for benchmark problems show that the gamma library and gamma simulation in KARMA are reasonable. And it is noted that gamma smeared power distributions predicted by coarse mesh diffusion calculation are very accurate compared to the results of transport calculation.