Verification of MCNP5-1.60 and MCNP6.1 for criticality safety applications

Abstract

To verify that both MCNP5-1.60 and MCNP6-Beta-2 are performing correctly for criticality safety applications, several suites of verification/validation benchmark problems were run in early 2012. Results from these benchmark suites were compared with results from previously verified versions of MCNP5. The goals of this verification testing were: (1) Verify that MCNP5-1.60 works correctly for nuclear criticality safety applications, producing the same results as for the previous verification performed in 2010; (2) Determine the sensitivity to computer roundoff using different Fortran-90 compilers for building MCNP5 and MCNP6, to support moving to current versions of the compilers; and (3) Verify that MCNP6-Beta-2 works correctly for nuclear criticality safety applications, producing the same results as for MCNP5-1.60. This provides support for eventual migration of users and applications to MCNP6. The current production version of MCNP5 included in the RSICC release package is MCNP5-1.60. This version was first distributed by RSICC in October 2010. While there were subsequent RSICC distributions of the MCNP package in July 2011 and February 2012, no changes were made to MCNP5-1.60. The RSICC release package in February 2012 included both MCNP5-1.60 and the current beta version of MCNP6, MCNP6-Beta-2. MCNP6 is the merger of MCNP5 and MCNPX capabilities. Themore » current release of MCNP6 available from RSICC as of February 2012 is MCNP6-Beta-2. This version includes all of the features for criticality safety calculations that are available in MCNP5-1.60, and many new features largely unrelated to nuclear criticality safety calculations. This release is a 'beta' release to allow intermediate and advanced users to begin testing the merged code in their field of expertise. It should not be used for production calculations.« less