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Title: NEAMS Experimental Support for Code Validation, INL FY2009

Abstract

The goal is for all modeling and simulation tools to be demonstrated accurate and reliable through a formal Verification and Validation (V&V) process, especially where such tools are to be used to establish safety margins and support regulatory compliance, or to design a system in a manner that reduces the role of expensive mockups and prototypes. Whereas the Verification part of the process does not rely on experiment, the Validation part, on the contrary, necessitates as many relevant and precise experimental data as possible to make sure the models reproduce reality as closely as possible. Hence, this report presents a limited selection of experimental data that could be used to validate the codes devoted mainly to Fast Neutron Reactor calculations in the US. Emphasis has been put on existing data for thermal-hydraulics, fuel and reactor physics. The principles of a new “smart” experiment that could be used to improve our knowledge of neutron cross-sections are presented as well. In short, it consists in irradiating a few milligrams of actinides and analyzing the results with Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy to infer the neutron cross-sections. Finally, the wealth of experimental data relevant to Fast Neutron Reactors in the US should not be takenmore » for granted and efforts should be put on saving these 30-40 years old data and on making sure they are validation-worthy, i.e. that the experimental conditions and uncertainties are well documented.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE - NE
OSTI Identifier:
974762
Report Number(s):
INL/EXT-10-17740
TRN: US1002581
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-05ID14517
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; ACCELERATORS; ACTINIDES; COMPLIANCE; CROSS SECTIONS; DESIGN; FAST NEUTRONS; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; NEUTRONS; REACTOR PHYSICS; SAFETY MARGINS; SIMULATION; THERMAL HYDRAULICS; VALIDATION; VERIFICATION; actinides; fast neutron reactor; V&V process

Citation Formats

Youinou, G, Palmiotti, G, Salvatore, M, and Rabiti, C. NEAMS Experimental Support for Code Validation, INL FY2009. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.2172/974762.
Youinou, G, Palmiotti, G, Salvatore, M, & Rabiti, C. NEAMS Experimental Support for Code Validation, INL FY2009. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/974762
Youinou, G, Palmiotti, G, Salvatore, M, and Rabiti, C. 2009. "NEAMS Experimental Support for Code Validation, INL FY2009". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/974762. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/974762.
@article{osti_974762,
title = {NEAMS Experimental Support for Code Validation, INL FY2009},
author = {Youinou, G and Palmiotti, G and Salvatore, M and Rabiti, C},
abstractNote = {The goal is for all modeling and simulation tools to be demonstrated accurate and reliable through a formal Verification and Validation (V&V) process, especially where such tools are to be used to establish safety margins and support regulatory compliance, or to design a system in a manner that reduces the role of expensive mockups and prototypes. Whereas the Verification part of the process does not rely on experiment, the Validation part, on the contrary, necessitates as many relevant and precise experimental data as possible to make sure the models reproduce reality as closely as possible. Hence, this report presents a limited selection of experimental data that could be used to validate the codes devoted mainly to Fast Neutron Reactor calculations in the US. Emphasis has been put on existing data for thermal-hydraulics, fuel and reactor physics. The principles of a new “smart” experiment that could be used to improve our knowledge of neutron cross-sections are presented as well. In short, it consists in irradiating a few milligrams of actinides and analyzing the results with Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy to infer the neutron cross-sections. Finally, the wealth of experimental data relevant to Fast Neutron Reactors in the US should not be taken for granted and efforts should be put on saving these 30-40 years old data and on making sure they are validation-worthy, i.e. that the experimental conditions and uncertainties are well documented.},
doi = {10.2172/974762},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/974762}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}