ENDF/B-VII.0, ENDF/B-VI, JEFF-3.1, AND JENDL-3.3 Results for Unreflected Plutonium Solutions and MOX Lattices (U)

Conference ·

OSTI ID:986513

Mosteller, Russell D. ^[1]

---

1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Previous studies have indicated that ENDF/B-VII preliminary releases Β-2 and Β-3, predecessors to the recent initial release of ENDF/B-VII.0, produce significantly better overall agreement with criticality benchmarks than does ENDF/B-VI. However, one of those studies also suggests that improvements still may be needed for thermal plutonium cross sections. The current study substantiates that concern by examining criticality benchmarks for unreflected spheres of plutonium-nitrate solutions and for slightly and heavily borated mixed-oxide (MOX) lattices. Results are presented for the JEFF-3.1 and JENDL-3.3 nuclear data libraries as well as ENDF/B-VII.0 and ENDF/B-VI. It is shown that ENDF/B-VII.0 tends to overpredict reactivity for thermal plutonium benchmarks over at least a portion of the thermal range. In addition, it is found that additional benchmark data are needed for the deep thermal range.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 986513
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--07-0923
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
BENCHMARKS
Benchmark Data
CRITICALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
Deep Thermal Range
NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PLUTONIUM
SUPERCOMPUTERS