Comparison of PANTHER Nodal Solutions in Hexagonal-z Geometry

The reactor physics code PANTHER has been extended to hexagonal geometries. Steady-state, depletion, and transient calculations with feedback can all be performed. Two hexagonal nodal flux solutions have been developed. In the first method, transverse integration is performed exactly as in the rectangular case. The resulting transverse integrated equation has singular terms, which are simply ignored. The second approach applies a conformal mapping that transforms the hexagon onto a rectangle. Pin power reconstruction has also been developed with both methods. For a benchmark VVER-1000 reactor depletion problem, both methods give accurate results for standard depletion calculations. In the more extreme situation with all rods inserted, the simpler method breaks down. However, the accuracy of the conformal solution was found to be excellent in all cases studied.