STARBUCS: A Prototypic SCALE Control Module for Automated Criticality Safety Analyses Using Burnup Credit

STARBUCS is a new prototypic analysis sequence for performing automated criticality safety analyses of spent fuel systems employing burnup credit. A depletion analysis calculation for each of the burnup-dependent regions of a spent fuel assembly, or other system containing spent fuel, is performed using the ORIGEN-ARP sequence of SCALE. The spent fuel compositions are then used to generate resonance self-shielded cross sections for each region of the problem, which are applied in a three-dimensional criticality safety calculation using the KENO V.a code. This prototypic burnup credit analysis sequence allows the user to simulate the axial and horizontal burnup gradients in a spent fuel assembly, select the specific actinides and/or fission products that are to be included in the criticality analysis, and apply isotopic correction factors to the predicted spent fuel nuclide inventory to account for calculational bias and uncertainties. Although STARBUCS was developed to address the burnup credit analysis needs for spent fuel transport and storage applications, it provides sufficient flexibility to allow criticality safety assessments involving many different potential configurations of spent nuclear fuel to be simulated.