Stewart’s MA presentation

When:
May 2, 2022 @ 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
2022-05-02T15:30:00-10:00
2022-05-02T16:00:00-10:00

Michael W. Stewart  Monday 02 May 2022 3:30 pm  Keller, room 302
Title: “A numerical method for solving the eigenvalue problem associated with neutron diffusion inside nuclear reactor cores”
Abstract: “In this talk we will explore a mathematical tool that might assist in tackling one problem in the design of nuclear reactors, namely a numerical method for finding solutions to the neutron diffusion equation during steady state operations.  After a brief look at the physics of nuclear fission and the physical aspects of nuclear reactors we will derive a partial differential equation that can be used to model such systems in a time independent steady state. The use of finite element discretization allows us to find weak solutions to the eigenvalue problem which emerges, and so we review weak solutions, the discretization of continuous problems, and what is known about the linear systems that such discretization produces.  The solutions of such a discretized problem will naturally differ from the exact solution, and so we set bounds on the errors that are introduced.   A possible algorithm to solve the generalized eigenvalue problem, and some computational experiments will then be reviewed.”