Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes
In this work we propose, implement, and test various optimizations of the typical energy grid-cross section pair lookup algorithm in Monte Carlo particle transport codes. The key feature common to all of the optimizations is a reduction in the length of the vector of energies that must be searched w...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112129 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2542-1149 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1459-7672 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2497-4312 |
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| author | Romano, Paul K. Walsh, Jonathan Alan Forget, Benoit Robert Yves Smith, Kord S. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering Romano, Paul K. Walsh, Jonathan Alan Forget, Benoit Robert Yves Smith, Kord S. |
| author_sort | Romano, Paul K. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | In this work we propose, implement, and test various optimizations of the typical energy grid-cross section pair lookup algorithm in Monte Carlo particle transport codes. The key feature common to all of the optimizations is a reduction in the length of the vector of energies that must be searched when locating the index of a particle's current energy. Other factors held constant, a reduction in energy vector length yields a reduction in CPU time. The computational methods we present here are physics-informed. That is, they are designed to utilize the physical information embedded in a simulation in order to reduce the length of the vector to be searched. More specifically, the optimizations take advantage of information about scattering kinematics, neutron cross section structure and data representation, and also the expected characteristics of a system's spatial flux distribution and energy spectrum. The methods that we present are implemented in the OpenMC Monte Carlo neutron transport code as part of this work. The gains in computational efficiency, as measured by overall code speedup, associated with each of the optimizations are demonstrated in both serial and multithreaded simulations of realistic systems. Depending on the system, simulation parameters, and optimization method employed, overall code speedup factors of 1.2-1.5, relative to the typical single-nuclide binary search algorithm, are routinely observed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:04:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/112129 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:04:31Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1121292022-10-01T08:00:21Z Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes Romano, Paul K. Walsh, Jonathan Alan Forget, Benoit Robert Yves Smith, Kord S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering Walsh, Jonathan Alan Forget, Benoit Robert Yves Smith, Kord S. In this work we propose, implement, and test various optimizations of the typical energy grid-cross section pair lookup algorithm in Monte Carlo particle transport codes. The key feature common to all of the optimizations is a reduction in the length of the vector of energies that must be searched when locating the index of a particle's current energy. Other factors held constant, a reduction in energy vector length yields a reduction in CPU time. The computational methods we present here are physics-informed. That is, they are designed to utilize the physical information embedded in a simulation in order to reduce the length of the vector to be searched. More specifically, the optimizations take advantage of information about scattering kinematics, neutron cross section structure and data representation, and also the expected characteristics of a system's spatial flux distribution and energy spectrum. The methods that we present are implemented in the OpenMC Monte Carlo neutron transport code as part of this work. The gains in computational efficiency, as measured by overall code speedup, associated with each of the optimizations are demonstrated in both serial and multithreaded simulations of realistic systems. Depending on the system, simulation parameters, and optimization method employed, overall code speedup factors of 1.2-1.5, relative to the typical single-nuclide binary search algorithm, are routinely observed. 2017-11-02T19:23:16Z 2017-11-02T19:23:16Z 2015-06 2015-05 2017-10-27T18:02:45Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0010-4655 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112129 Walsh, Jonathan A. et al.“Optimizations of the Energy Grid Search Algorithm in Continuous-Energy Monte Carlo Particle Transport Codes” Computer Physics Communications 196 (November 2015): 134–142 © 2015 Elsevier https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2542-1149 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1459-7672 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2497-4312 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/J.CPC.2015.05.025 Computer Physics Communications Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ application/pdf Elsevier Prof. Forget via Chris Sherratt |
| spellingShingle | Romano, Paul K. Walsh, Jonathan Alan Forget, Benoit Robert Yves Smith, Kord S. Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes |
| title | Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes |
| title_full | Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes |
| title_fullStr | Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes |
| title_short | Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes |
| title_sort | optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous energy monte carlo particle transport codes |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112129 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2542-1149 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1459-7672 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2497-4312 |
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