Ordinary Differential Equations and Applied Dynamics Commons^™

Three Methods For Solving The Low Energy Neutron Boltzmann Equation, Tony Charles Slaba

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

The solution to the neutron Boltzmann equation is separated into a straightahead component dominating at high energies and an isotropic component dominating at low energies. The high-energy solution is calculated using HZETRN-05, and the low-energy isotropic component is modeled by two non-coupled integro-differential equations describing both forward and backward neutron propagation. Three different solution methods are then used to solve the equations. The collocation method employs linear I3-splines to transform each equation into a system of ODES; the resulting system is then solved exactly and evaluated using numerical integration techniques. Wilson's method uses a perturbational approach in which a fundamental …