Abstract
Monte Carlo neutron transport codes can be used for high-fidelity predictions of the performance of nuclear systems. However, validation against experiments is required in order to establish the credibility in the results and identify the inaccuracies due to the used calculation scheme and associated databases. The International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments (ICSBEP) contains criticality safety benchmarks derived from experiments that have been performed at various nuclear critical facilities around the world and are very valuable for validation purposes. The main objective of this work is the identification and modelling of experimental benchmarks included at ICSBEP in support of the validation of Monte Carlo neutron transport calculations when applied to fast systems, and in particular, KENO-VI and associated AMPX-formatted continuous-energy libraries from SCALE package. In such systems, the predicted k-eff values can be very sensitive to the treatment of nuclear data in the Unresolved Resonance Region (URR). Consequently, benchmarks with intermediate and fast spectra are identified and modelled with KENO-VI. Then, calculated results with and without probability tables in the URR are compared with each other in order to identify the most sensitive configurations to the URR. As a result of the proposed study, recommendations are given about the benchmarks that should be modelled and analysed to qualify the processed continuous-energy libraries before their use in Monte Carlo transport codes for practical fast reactor applications.
Highlights
The Horizon2020 European project ESFR-SMART (European Sodium Fast Reactor Safety Measures and Research Tools) [1] was launched in September 2017 with the aim of enhancing the safety of GenerationIV Sodium Fast Reactors, and in particular the commercial-size European Sodium Fast Reactor
The main objective of this work is the identification and modelling of experimental benchmarks included at ICSBEP in support of the validation of Monte Carlo neutron transport calculations when applied to fast systems, and in particular, KENO-VI and associated AMPXformatted continuous-energy libraries from SCALE package
Among the highly-enriched uranium (HEU) benchmarks, it can be seen that the UH3 benchmark is the most sensitive to the probability tables (PT) treatment, in particular the first case
Summary
The Horizon2020 European project ESFR-SMART (European Sodium Fast Reactor Safety Measures and Research Tools) [1] was launched in September 2017 with the aim of enhancing the safety of GenerationIV Sodium Fast Reactors, and in particular the commercial-size European Sodium Fast Reactor. After the French decision of dropping plans to build fast neutron reactors before the second half of this century [2], among the most useful findings of ESFR-SMART project will be those related to the calibration and validation of computational tools and methodologies to support safety assessments of innovative reactors. Concerning neutronics, 3D Monte Carlo (MC) transport codes, together with continuous-energy (CE) nuclear data libraries, are the computational approaches able to conduct high-fidelity predictions of reactor core performance. Validation against experiments is required in order to evaluate the ability of those approaches to predict the real behaviour and give credibility to the obtained results. It is recognized that nuclear data are the main source of biases and uncertainties in Monte Carlo calculations, ahead of the particular code employed. Nuclear data, involving both evaluated libraries and processing, are the most critical aspect impacting the quality of Monte Carlo outcomes
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