FDTallyGradAux

Description

FDTallyGradAux approximates tally gradients using forward finite differences between the current element and its neighbors. The approach used is based on the derivative approximation presented in Stolte and Tsvetkov (2023):

(1) (2) where indicates the current element, is a neighboring element, is an element's centroid, and is the tally field. A tally score must be specified, and if any external filter bins have been added through the use of the filter system ext_filter_bin index should be provided.

Example Input Syntax

This example showcases how FDTallyGradAux can be used to approximate the gradient of kappa_fission:

[AuxKernels<<<{"href": "../../syntax/AuxKernels/index.html"}>>>]
  [comp_grad_kappa_fission]
    type = FDTallyGradAux<<<{"description": "An auxkernel which approximates tally gradients at element centroids using forward finite differences.", "href": "FDTallyGradAux.html"}>>>
    variable<<<{"description": "The name of the variable that this object applies to"}>>> = grad_kappa_fission
    score<<<{"description": "The tally score this auxkernel should approximate the gradient of."}>>> = 'kappa_fission'
  []
[]
(cardinal/test/tests/neutronics/tally_grad/finite_diff/openmc.i)

Input Parameters

  • scoreThe tally score this auxkernel should approximate the gradient of.

    C++ Type:MooseEnum

    Options:heating, heating_local, kappa_fission, fission_q_prompt, fission_q_recoverable, damage_energy, flux, H3_production, total, absorption, scatter, nu_scatter, fission, nu_fission, inverse_velocity

    Controllable:No

    Description:The tally score this auxkernel should approximate the gradient of.

  • variableThe name of the variable that this object applies to

    C++ Type:AuxVariableName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:The name of the variable that this object applies to

Required Parameters

  • blockThe list of blocks (ids or names) that this object will be applied

    C++ Type:std::vector<SubdomainName>

    Controllable:No

    Description:The list of blocks (ids or names) that this object will be applied

  • boundaryThe list of boundaries (ids or names) from the mesh where this object applies

    C++ Type:std::vector<BoundaryName>

    Controllable:No

    Description:The list of boundaries (ids or names) from the mesh where this object applies

  • check_boundary_restrictedTrueWhether to check for multiple element sides on the boundary in the case of a boundary restricted, element aux variable. Setting this to false will allow contribution to a single element's elemental value(s) from multiple boundary sides on the same element (example: when the restricted boundary exists on two or more sides of an element, such as at a corner of a mesh

    Default:True

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:Whether to check for multiple element sides on the boundary in the case of a boundary restricted, element aux variable. Setting this to false will allow contribution to a single element's elemental value(s) from multiple boundary sides on the same element (example: when the restricted boundary exists on two or more sides of an element, such as at a corner of a mesh

  • execute_onLINEAR TIMESTEP_ENDThe list of flag(s) indicating when this object should be executed. For a description of each flag, see https://mooseframework.inl.gov/source/interfaces/SetupInterface.html.

    Default:LINEAR TIMESTEP_END

    C++ Type:ExecFlagEnum

    Options:NONE, INITIAL, LINEAR, LINEAR_CONVERGENCE, NONLINEAR, NONLINEAR_CONVERGENCE, POSTCHECK, TIMESTEP_END, TIMESTEP_BEGIN, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_END, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_BEGIN, MULTIAPP_FIXED_POINT_CONVERGENCE, FINAL, CUSTOM, PRE_DISPLACE

    Controllable:No

    Description:The list of flag(s) indicating when this object should be executed. For a description of each flag, see https://mooseframework.inl.gov/source/interfaces/SetupInterface.html.

  • ext_filter_bin0The filter bin for the case where any filters are added to this tally with [Filters] (bin indices start at 0). This parameter should be specified if you wish to extract the relative error of a different non-spatial tally bin.

    Default:0

    C++ Type:unsigned int

    Controllable:No

    Description:The filter bin for the case where any filters are added to this tally with [Filters] (bin indices start at 0). This parameter should be specified if you wish to extract the relative error of a different non-spatial tally bin.

Optional Parameters

  • control_tagsAdds user-defined labels for accessing object parameters via control logic.

    C++ Type:std::vector<std::string>

    Controllable:No

    Description:Adds user-defined labels for accessing object parameters via control logic.

  • enableTrueSet the enabled status of the MooseObject.

    Default:True

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:Yes

    Description:Set the enabled status of the MooseObject.

  • seed0The seed for the master random number generator

    Default:0

    C++ Type:unsigned int

    Controllable:No

    Description:The seed for the master random number generator

  • use_displaced_meshFalseWhether or not this object should use the displaced mesh for computation. Note that in the case this is true but no displacements are provided in the Mesh block the undisplaced mesh will still be used.

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:Whether or not this object should use the displaced mesh for computation. Note that in the case this is true but no displacements are provided in the Mesh block the undisplaced mesh will still be used.

Advanced Parameters

  • prop_getter_suffixAn optional suffix parameter that can be appended to any attempt to retrieve/get material properties. The suffix will be prepended with a '_' character.

    C++ Type:MaterialPropertyName

    Unit:(no unit assumed)

    Controllable:No

    Description:An optional suffix parameter that can be appended to any attempt to retrieve/get material properties. The suffix will be prepended with a '_' character.

  • use_interpolated_stateFalseFor the old and older state use projected material properties interpolated at the quadrature points. To set up projection use the ProjectedStatefulMaterialStorageAction.

    Default:False

    C++ Type:bool

    Controllable:No

    Description:For the old and older state use projected material properties interpolated at the quadrature points. To set up projection use the ProjectedStatefulMaterialStorageAction.

Material Property Retrieval Parameters

References

  1. K. N. Stolte and P. V. Tsvetkov. χ-MeRA: computationally efficient adaptive mesh refinement of monte carlo mesh based tallies. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 182:109617, 2023. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109617.[BibTeX]