Why Does MCNP Delete Surfaces in Hexagonal Fuel Element Simulations?

In summary, the conversation discusses issues with MCNP deleting surfaces and particles getting lost during simulations. The expert explains that this is normal and can be caused by coincident surfaces, but it can also be due to undefined volumes or overlapping cells. The expert suggests checking the plotting package and making sure all cells are properly defined to solve the issue.
  • #1
AlexFi
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TL;DR Summary
tried to model gas cooled reactor, MCNP deleting surfaces
Hello
Tried to model gas cooled reactor with hexagonal fuel elements. MCNP keep deleting surfaces (If you could, run my input and check the .txto file) so the simulations won't run
Any advice?
 

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  • #2
MCNP will delete coincident surfaces, this is normal. It's a bit like you have a table, and a chair, they might be complicated shapes but the bottom of all the legs of the table and the chair will be touching the floor, so you might have a lot of floor level surfaces that are actually all the same. When you build from macro bodies this will happen a lot, MCNP splits these into elementary surfaces and then gets rid of the duplicates.
 
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  • #3
Thanks for the explanation. It seems to me that MCNP deleted the entire cell and the simulation won't run because particles got lost. What would be a solution for this?
 
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  • #4
Usually particles getting lost means part of the volume is undefined. In this case there is something beyond cell 9, that isn't defined, and you have no void cell.
 
  • #5
Made some minor changes, added void cell
Still getting 'particle lost' and 'geometry error:no cell found' error message
 

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  • #6
Hi Alex,

Have you got the plotting package for MCNP set up? If you view your file you will see you have dotted lines. It means that MCNP thinks that some cells are not properly defined. They may be such that the cells overlap. Or that there are regions with no cell defined.
 

FAQ: Why Does MCNP Delete Surfaces in Hexagonal Fuel Element Simulations?

Why does MCNP delete surfaces in hexagonal fuel element simulations?

MCNP may delete surfaces in hexagonal fuel element simulations due to overlapping or coincident surfaces. When surfaces are defined too closely or occupy the same space, MCNP can have difficulty distinguishing between them, leading to their deletion.

How can I prevent MCNP from deleting surfaces in my simulations?

To prevent MCNP from deleting surfaces, ensure that all surfaces are defined with precise, non-overlapping coordinates. Double-check your geometry definitions and use higher precision in specifying the positions and dimensions of surfaces.

What role does the cell definition play in surface deletion issues in MCNP?

Cell definitions are crucial in MCNP simulations. If cells are not properly defined or if there are inconsistencies in the cell boundaries, MCNP might delete surfaces to resolve conflicts. Ensuring accurate and consistent cell definitions can help mitigate this issue.

Are there specific MCNP commands or settings that can help avoid surface deletion?

Using the "imp:n" command to set importance values for neutrons and the "cell" and "surf" cards to ensure proper cell and surface definitions can help avoid surface deletion. Additionally, using the "print" and "plot" commands can help visualize and debug geometry issues.

Can software bugs in MCNP cause surfaces to be deleted in hexagonal fuel element simulations?

While software bugs are possible, surface deletion in MCNP is more commonly due to user-defined geometry issues. However, keeping MCNP updated and consulting the user manual or support community can help identify and resolve any potential software-related issues.

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