Evaluation of Neutron Radiography Reactor LEU-Core Start-Up Measurements
Abstract
Benchmark models were developed to evaluate the cold-critical start-up measurements performed during the fresh core reload of the Neutron Radiography (NRAD) reactor with Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel. Experiments include criticality, control-rod worth measurements, shutdown margin, and excess reactivity for four core loadings with 56, 60, 62, and 64 fuel elements. The worth of four graphite reflector block assemblies and an empty dry tube used for experiment irradiations were also measured and evaluated for the 60-fuel-element core configuration. Dominant uncertainties in the experimental keff come from uncertainties in the manganese content and impurities in the stainless steel fuel cladding as well as the 236U and erbium poison content in the fuel matrix. Calculations with MCNP5 and ENDF/B-VII.0 neutron nuclear data are approximately 1.4% (9σ) greater than the benchmark model eigenvalues, which is commonly seen in Monte Carlo simulations of other TRIGA reactors. Simulations of the worth measurements are within the 2σ uncertainty for most of the benchmark experiment worth values. The complete benchmark evaluation details are available in the 2014 edition of the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments.
- Authors:
-
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1177618
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-13-30828
Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5639; TRN: US1600442
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Nuclear Science and Engineering
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 178; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5639
- Publisher:
- American Nuclear Society
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; STAINLESS STEELS; BENCHMARKS; SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM; TRIGA TYPE REACTORS; NEUTRONS; ERBIUM; NUCLEAR FUELS; GRAPHITE; MANGANESE; CLADDING; EIGENVALUES; EVALUATION; MONTE CARLO METHOD; REACTOR START-UP; FUEL ELEMENTS; REACTOR PHYSICS; LOADING; MANUALS; CONTROL ROD WORTHS; NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS; CONFIGURATION; COST; CRITICALITY; IMPURITIES; REACTIVITY; REACTOR SHUTDOWN; TUBES; Benchmark; IRPhEP; NRAD; TRIGA
Citation Formats
Bess, John D., Maddock, Thomas L., Smolinski, Andrew T., and Marshall, Margaret A. Evaluation of Neutron Radiography Reactor LEU-Core Start-Up Measurements. United States: N. p., 2014.
Web. doi:10.13182/NSE14-12.
Bess, John D., Maddock, Thomas L., Smolinski, Andrew T., & Marshall, Margaret A. Evaluation of Neutron Radiography Reactor LEU-Core Start-Up Measurements. United States. https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE14-12
Bess, John D., Maddock, Thomas L., Smolinski, Andrew T., and Marshall, Margaret A. Tue .
"Evaluation of Neutron Radiography Reactor LEU-Core Start-Up Measurements". United States. https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE14-12. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1177618.
@article{osti_1177618,
title = {Evaluation of Neutron Radiography Reactor LEU-Core Start-Up Measurements},
author = {Bess, John D. and Maddock, Thomas L. and Smolinski, Andrew T. and Marshall, Margaret A.},
abstractNote = {Benchmark models were developed to evaluate the cold-critical start-up measurements performed during the fresh core reload of the Neutron Radiography (NRAD) reactor with Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel. Experiments include criticality, control-rod worth measurements, shutdown margin, and excess reactivity for four core loadings with 56, 60, 62, and 64 fuel elements. The worth of four graphite reflector block assemblies and an empty dry tube used for experiment irradiations were also measured and evaluated for the 60-fuel-element core configuration. Dominant uncertainties in the experimental keff come from uncertainties in the manganese content and impurities in the stainless steel fuel cladding as well as the 236U and erbium poison content in the fuel matrix. Calculations with MCNP5 and ENDF/B-VII.0 neutron nuclear data are approximately 1.4% (9σ) greater than the benchmark model eigenvalues, which is commonly seen in Monte Carlo simulations of other TRIGA reactors. Simulations of the worth measurements are within the 2σ uncertainty for most of the benchmark experiment worth values. The complete benchmark evaluation details are available in the 2014 edition of the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments.},
doi = {10.13182/NSE14-12},
journal = {Nuclear Science and Engineering},
number = 4,
volume = 178,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Tue Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}
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