Unstructured partial- and net-current based coarse mesh finite difference acceleration applied to the extended step characteristics method in NEWT

Abstract

The NEWT (NEW Transport algorithm) code is a multi-group discrete ordinates neutral-particle transport code with flexible meshing capabilities. This code employs the Extended Step Characteristic spatial discretization approach using arbitrary polygonal mesh cells. Until recently, the coarse mesh finite difference acceleration scheme in NEWT for fission source iteration has been available only for rectangular domain boundaries because of the limitation to rectangular coarse meshes. Therefore no acceleration scheme has been available for triangular or hexagonal problem boundaries. A conventional and a new partial-current based coarse mesh finite difference acceleration schemes with unstructured coarse meshes have been implemented within NEWT to support any form of domain boundaries. The computational results show that the new acceleration schemes works well, with performance often improved over the earlier two-level rectangular approach.