Implementation of hybrid finite element method based transport solver in GRIFFIN
A new transport solver option based on the hybrid FEM (HFEM) was implemented in GRIFFIN, the MOOSE-based reactor analysis code, as an effort to support routine core design calculations for advanced reactor applications. The HFEM formulation with P{sub N} (spherical harmonics expansion), akin to the variational nodal method, is effective for solving a spatially homogenized problem with strong transport effect. The residual and Jacobian evaluations of the HFEM weak form were derived and successfully implemented in GRIFFIN, having the diffusion and the PN options available in the new HFEM based transport solver. The performance was tested with the simplified ABTR benchmark problems. The results indicate that the HFEM-based transport solver is a feasible option for solving problems with spatially homogenized and strong streaming by providing superior accuracy with a proper p-refinement. (authors)