Validating JENDL-3.3 for Water-Reflected Low-Enriched Uranium Solution Systems Using STACY ICSBEP Benchmark Models

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2003 · Nuclear Science and Engineering

OSTI ID:20804880

Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Miyoshi, Yoshinori; Kiyosumi, Takehide ^[1]

---

1. Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (Japan)

Evaluated criticality benchmark data obtained at the Static Criticality Experiment Facility (STACY) account for a large percentage of low-enriched uranium (LEU) solution systems documented in the 'International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments'. These data are available for validation of computer codes and nuclear data used for criticality safety analyses of LEU solution systems. The calculated k{sub eff}'s for the water-reflected STACY criticality experiments have been overestimated with JENDL-3.2 by {approx}0.7%. These overestimations were kept in mind while making modifications of the fission spectrum and the fission cross section of {sup 235}U, and the (n,p) cross section of {sup 14}N in JENDL-3.3. Because of these modifications, the k{sub eff}'s calculated with JENDL-3.3 were largely improved. The contributions of these modifications in JENDL-3.3 with respect to JENDL-3.2 and ENDF/B-VI.5 were investigated by performing perturbation calculations. The overestimation of the elastic-scattering cross section of {sup 56}Fe in the mega-electron-volt range was one of the reasons for the k{sub eff} overestimations for the STACY experiments with JENDL-3.2. The modification of {sup 56}Fe cross sections in JENDL-3.3 reduces k{sub eff}'s in the STACY experiments by 0.2%. The dependence of calculated k{sub eff}'s on uranium concentration still exists in JENDL-3.3. The overestimation of calculated k{sub eff}'s for the STACY experiments with JENDL-3.3 is not insignificant and is as much as 0.6%. These problems are to be resolved in a future evaluation of the cross-section library.

• OSTI ID: 20804880
• Journal Information: Nuclear Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 145; ISSN NSENAO; ISSN 0029-5639
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
BENCHMARKS
COMPUTER CODES
CRITICALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ENRICHED URANIUM
FISSION
FISSION SPECTRA
IRON 56
MANUALS
MODIFICATIONS
NITROGEN 14
NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SOLUTIONS
URANIUM 235
VALIDATION
WATER