New resonance cross section calculational algorithms

Improved resonance cross section calculational algorithms were developed and tested for inclusion in a fast reactor version of the MICROX code. The resonance energy portion of the MICROX code solves the neutron slowing-down equations for a two-region lattice cell on a very detailed energy grid (about 14,500 energies). In the MICROX algorithms, the exact P0 elastic scattering kernels are replaced by synthetic (approximate) elastic scattering kernels which permit the use of an efficient and numerically stable recursion relation solution of the slowing-down equation. In the work described here, the MICROX algorithms were modified as follows: an additional delta function term was included in the P0 synthetic scattering kernel. The additional delta function term allows one more moments of the exact elastic scattering kernel to be preserved without much extra computational effort. With the improved synthetic scattering kernel, the flux returns more closely to the exact flux below a resonance than with the original MICROX kernel. The slowing-down calculation was extended to a true B1 hyperfine energy grid calculatn in each region by using P1 synthetic scattering kernels and tranport-corrected P0 collision probabilities to couple the two regions. 1 figure, 6 tables