Validation of statistical uncertainties in subcritical benchmark measurements: Part II – Measured data

Journal Article · Fri Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.10.021· OSTI ID:1481998

Hutchinson, Jesson D. ^[1]; Bahran, Rian Mustafa ^[1]; Cutler, Theresa Elizabeth ^[1]; Nelson, Mark Andrew ^[1]; Grove, Travis Justin ^[1]; Arthur, Jennifer Ann ^[2]; McKenzie, George Espy IV ^[1]; Monange, Wilfried ^[3]; Dumonteil, Eric ^[3]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
3. Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSN-EXP, SNC (France)

Part I of this work presented an uncertainty approach which incorporates the singles and doubles counting rates determined by the Hage-Cifarelli formalism of the Feynman Variance-to-Mean method. This moments-based approach utilizes time correlations between prompt neutrons detections to assess the system multiplication. Additionally, it presented a validation which utilized simulated data generated using a 0-D point-kinetics Monte Carlo code. In Part II, this same method and validation approach is applied to measured data of a subcritical benchmark experiment. These measurements were performed with a 4.5 kg sphere of alpha-phase weapons grade plutonium reflected by copper and/or polyethylene. Finally, the results of 17 configurations are shown including detailed validation for four of the configurations.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1481998
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1636430; OSTI ID: 22834305
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--18-23772
• Journal Information: Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford), Journal Name: Annals of Nuclear Energy (Oxford) Vol. 125; ISSN 0306-4549
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Feynman Variance-to-mean
Neutron multiplicity
Neutron noise
Subcritical measurements