Advanced MCNP Simulation of the Neutron and Photon Flux and Absorbed Dose Rates for the SLOWPOKE-2 Nuclear Reactor at the Royal Military College of Canada

Abstract

For irradiation experiments (e.g., of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), values of nuclear particle flux and absorbed dose rates were obtained for the Safe LOW-POwer Kritical Experiment-2 (SLOWPOKE-2) nuclear reactor at the Royal Military College of Canada using extensive simulations of the reactor core via the Monte Carlo N-Particle code, version 6 (MCNP6). Calculations from this work were compared to data from previously conducted experimental and simulation work to ensure simulation fidelity. In addition, reactor core burnup calculations were conducted using the fuel-depletion capability in MCNP6.1 to address the 30+ years of SLOWPOKE-2 reactor use. The combined absorbed dose rate in the inner irradiation sites was simulated to be 36 ± 1 kGy h−1 at a 10-kW(thermal) power setting, specifically, 20 ± 6 kGy h−1 from neutrons and 16 ± 5 kGy h−1 from photons.