Improved computational neutronics methods and validation protocols for the advanced test reactor
- Idaho National Laboratory, 2525 Fremont Street, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3870 (United States)
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is in the process of updating the various reactor physics modeling and simulation tools used to support operation and safety assurance of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Key accomplishments so far have encompassed both computational as well as experimental work. A new suite of stochastic and deterministic transport theory based reactor physics codes and their supporting nuclear data libraries (HELIOS, KENO6/SCALE, NEWT/SCALE, ATTILA, and an extended implementation of MCNP5) has been installed at the INL. Corresponding models of the ATR and ATRC are now operational with all five codes, demonstrating the basic feasibility of the new code packages for their intended purposes. On the experimental side of the project, new hardware was fabricated, measurement protocols were finalized, and the first four of six planned physics code validation experiments based on neutron activation spectrometry have been conducted at the ATRC facility. Data analysis for the first three experiments, focused on characterization of the neutron spectrum in one of the ATR flux traps, has been completed. The six experiments will ultimately form the basis for flexible and repeatable ATR physics code validation protocols that are consistent with applicable national standards. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, Inc., 555 N. Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, Illinois 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22105885
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: PHYSOR 2012: Conference on Advances in Reactor Physics - Linking Research, Industry, and Education, Knoxville, TN (United States), 15-20 Apr 2012; Other Information: Country of input: France; 16 refs.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
97 MATHEMATICAL METHODS AND COMPUTING
ATR REACTOR
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA ANALYSIS
IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY
NEUTRON SPECTRA
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR PHYSICS
REACTOR SAFETY
SPECTROSCOPY
STATISTICAL MECHANICS
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
TRANSPORT THEORY
VALIDATION