Generating a system of group constants for neutron-physical calculations of fast reactors based on ROSFOND-2020.2 library files

Abstract

The subject of constant support development is currently becoming increasingly important in connection with the national strategy of transition to a closed nuclear fuel cycle. At the same time, the importance of the tasks of refining calculation models and minimizing methodological, statistical, and constant errors is increasing. In this connection, the idea of creating a universal system of constants describing with equal accuracy both uranium loading and loading with mixed oxide uranium-plutonium fuel and the possibility to perform on its basis both precision Monte Carlo calculations (data format – ACE) and multigroup calculations (formats – ABBN and ANISN) was laid in the basis of this work. In this paper we analyze the freely available libraries of evaluated nuclear data in order to justify the choice of source files for the formation of a new system of group constants for neutron-physical calculations of fast reactor cores, describe the process of formation of a new library of reactor constants, and verify the obtained system on computational test models of BN-800 reactor and critical systems. The process of formation of the new system of group constants included selection of initial neutron data files, updating of data tables of basic neutron cross-sections, self-shielding factors and Doppler coefficients, as well as data on fission spectra for the main fuel nuclides. The methodological component of the error for test models of the BN-800 core was evaluated. Using the ABBN-RF22 system of group constants it was possible to estimate the correction in the 299 groups calculation, which amounted to 0.3%. Previously, when using the ABBN-93 library, there was no such possibility due to the lack of continuity between the files of evaluated neutron data and the group constants used.