A Variational Multichannel Space-Time Synthesis Method for Nonseparable Reactor Transients

A multichannel space-time synthesis model for the calculation of nonseparable reactor transients is developed from a variational functional which admits expansion functions that are discontinuous in space and time. In each of many spatial regions, the flux during each interval of time is expanded in known functions of position with unknown expansion coefficients. The accuracy of the method, and its superiority with respect to the conventional single-channel space-time synthesis method, are demonstrated by several numerical examples.