A spectral approach for solving the nonclassical transport equation

Abstract This paper introduces a mathematical approach that allows one to numerically solve the nonclassical transport equation in a deterministic fashion using classical numerical procedures. The nonclassical transport equation describes particle transport for random statistically homogeneous systems in which the distribution function for free-paths between scattering centers is nonexponential. We use a spectral method to represent the nonclassical flux as a series of Laguerre polynomials in the free-path variable s, resulting in a nonclassical equation that has the form of a classical transport equation. We present numerical results that validate the spectral approach, considering transport in slab geometry for both classical and nonclassical problems in the discrete ordinates formulation.