VNS Tokamak OpenMC-Serpent Validation for Medical Isotope Studies

TL;DR

This study validates the VNS tokamak model in Serpent and OpenMC codes for medical isotope production, highlighting the accuracy of neutron flux and reaction rate predictions and comparing computational efficiencies.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of neutron-photon coupled simulations between Serpent and OpenMC for VNS geometry, demonstrating validation and performance insights.

Findings

Neutron flux and (n,T) reactions show excellent agreement between codes.

(n,2n) detector responses have good agreement, with regional photon flux discrepancies.

Serpent is faster in neutron-photon coupled simulations on HPC clusters.

Abstract

The Volumetric Neutron Source (VNS) tokamak is a proposed fusion reactor for testing and qualification of reactor components for future use in a fusion power facility, and has potential use for radioisotope production. The VNS geometry is modeled in the Serpent and OpenMC neutronics codes. Analog neutron-photon coupled simulations are carried out to compare the model's vacuum vessel and blanket components across codes. In the vacuum vessel, neutron and photon flux maps are calculated, while in the blanket region, neutron and photon spectra, (n,T), and (n,2n) reaction rates are calculated and compared between models. The detector response comparisons found the following: neutron flux and (n,T) reactions achieved excellent agreement, the (n,2n) detector response had good agreement, and photon flux had regional discrepancies depending on Serpent tracking used. Hybrid tracking lead to a relative difference of about 20% in the outboard side blanket, where as employment of delta tracking resulted in less than 1% relative difference. On an HPC cluster, Serpent was found to have shorter computation time than OpenMC in neutron photon coupled simulations using both hybrid tracking and delta tracking, but longer in neutron only simulations. An exemplary radioisotope production case is presented for the demonstration of additional VNS capabilities.