FLASSH 1.0: Thermal Scattering Law Evaluation and Cross-Section Generation for Reactor Physics Applications

Abstract

The Full Law Analysis Scattering System Hub (FLASSH) is a modern, advanced code that evaluates the thermal scattering law (TSL) along with accompanying cross sections. FLASSH features generalized methods that accommodate any material structure. Historical approximations including incoherent and cubic approximations have been removed. Instead, the latest release of FLASSH features advanced physics options including distinct effect corrections (one-phonon contributions) and noncubic formulations. Noncubic elastic and inelastic contributions are necessary to accurately evaluate one-phonon contributions. Both noncubic and one-phonon calculations require high-density sampling of the various scattering directions. Optimization and parallelization of these routines were therefore necessary to produce results in a reasonable computational time frame. With these notable improvements to the generalized TSL, FLASSH 1.0 can meet benchmark requirements by permitting realistic comparisons with experiments for both TSLs and the resulting integrated cross sections. Within FLASSH, these high-fidelity TSLs can be applied also to the resonance region to evaluate accurate, material structure-dependent Doppler broadening that captures the observed experimental behavior. Additional features including a graphical user interface (GUI), plotting diagnostics, and formatted output options including ACE files allow users to complete a TSL evaluation with minimal input and maximum flexibility. The user GUI creates input files for FLASSH, reducing user error and also providing built-in error checks. Autofill options and suggested input values help make TSL evaluation accessible to novice users. The FLASSH code is compiled to run on both Windows and Linux platforms with automatic parallelization.

Keywords:

• FLASSH
• computer code
• thermal scattering law
• neutron
• evaluation

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).