This report describes a novel approach developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
(ORNL) for the estimation of the uncertainty in the prediction of the neutron multiplication factor
for spent nuclear fuel. This technique focuses on burnup credit, where credit is taken in criticality
safety analysis for the reduced reactivity of fuel irradiated in and discharged from a reactor.
Validation methods for burnup credit have attempted to separate the uncertainty associated with
The objective of this calculation is to provide the uncertainty term for fission product and minor actinides which contributes to the determination of the critical limit for burnup credit calculations. The scope of this calculation covers PWR and BWR spent nuclear fuel. This activity supports the Criticality Department's validation of burnup credit. The intended use of these results is in future Criticality Department calculations and analyses.
Spent fuel and radioactive waste management constitutes the final stage in power production at nuclear power plants and utilisation of ionising radiation sources in medicine, agriculture, industry and science. The importance of this stage for environmental protection, public health and safety can be hardly overestimated. The future of nuclear energy in Ukraine and worldwide depends upon effective state policy and successful practices in the safe management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.
