SERPENT Monte Carlo reactor physics code
20th Symposium of AER on VVER Reactor Physics and Reactor Safety (2010, Hanasaari, Espoo, Finland)
Spectral and Core Calculations
Abstract
Serpent is a three-dimensional continuous-energy Monte Carlo reactor physics burnup
calculation code, developed at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland since 2004. The
code is specialized in lattice physics applications, but the universe-based geometry description
allows transport simulation to be carried out in complicated three-dimensional geometries as
well. The suggested applications of Serpent include generation of homogenized multi-group
constants for deterministic reactor simulator calculations, fuel cycle studies involving detailed
assembly-level burnup calculations, validation of deterministic lattice transport codes,
research reactor applications, educational purposes and demonstration of reactor physics
phenomena. The Serpent code has been publicly distributed by the OECD/NEA Data Bank
since May 2009 and RSICC in the U.S since March 2010. The code is being used in some 35
organizations in 20 countries around the world. This paper presents an overview of the
methods and capabilities of the Serpent code, with examples in the modelling of VVER-440
reactor physics.