Benchmarking Criticality Safety Calculations with Subcritical Experiments

Conference · Sun Jun 03 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6687519

Mihalczo, John T. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Calculation of the neutron multiplication factor at delayed criticality may be necessary for benchmarking calculations but it may not be sufficient. The use of subcritical experiments to benchmark criticality safety calculations could result in substantial savings in fuel material costs for experiments. In some cases subcritical configurations could be used to benchmark calculations where sufficient fuel to achieve delayed criticality is not available. By performing a variety of measurements with subcritical configurations, much detailed information can be obtained which can be compared directly with calculations. This paper discusses several measurements that can be performed with subcritical assemblies and presents examples that include comparisons between calculation and experiment where possible. Where not, examples from critical experiments have been used but the measurement methods could also be used for subcritical experiments.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6687519
• Report Number(s): CONF-840614--90; ON: DE84014264
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220100* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Theory & Calculation
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ACCURACY
BENCHMARKS
CRITICALITY
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
KINETICS
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
Measurements
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SUBCRITICAL ASSEMBLIES