Skip to main content

From Integral Experiments to Nuclear Data Improvement

Target accuracy on LWR neutronics parameters is 2 to 5 times lower than the a priori uncertainty (1σ)
due to nuclear data. This paper summarizes the experimental facilities and the integral measurements that are required
for code qualification. The rigorous use of integral information through trend analysis method is described. Trends
on JEF2 data from Keff measurements and P.I.Es are presented. These trends were accounted for in the new JEFF3
evaluations. The role of fundamental experiments, such as worth measurement of separated isotopes, is emphasized.

Community

Advances in Applications of Burnup Credit to Enhance Spent Fuel Transportation, Storage, Reprocessing and Disposition-Proceedings of a Technical Meeting held in London, 29 August-2 September 2006

This publication records the proceedings of a technical meeting organized by the IAEA and
held in London 29 August–2 September 2005 with sixty participants from 18 countries. As
indicated in the title, the objective of this meeting was to provide a forum for exchange of
technical information on spent fuel burnup credit applications and thereby compile state-ofthe-
art information on technical advances related to spent fuel transportation, storage,
reprocessing and disposition.

Community

Range of Applicability and Bias Determination for Postclosure Criticality of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel

The purpose of this calculation report, Range of Applicability and Bias Determination for Postclosure
Criticality of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel, is to validate the computational method used to perform
postclosure criticality calculations. The validation process applies the criticality analysis methodology
approach documented in Section 3.5 of the Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report.1
The application systems for this validation consist of waste packages containing transport, aging, and

Community

Preliminary Criticality Analysis of Degraded SNF Accumulations External to a Waste Package (SCPB: N/A)

This study is prepared by the Mined Geologic Disposal System (MODS) Waste Package Development Department (WPDD) to provide input to a separate evaluation on the probablility of criticality in the far- field environment. These calculations are performed in sufficient detail to provide conservatively bounding configurations to support separate probabilistic analyses.

Community

CSNF Loading Curve Sensitivity Analysis

The purpose of this scientific analysis report, CSNF Loading Curve Sensitivity Analysis, is to establish the required minimum burnup as a function of initial enrichment for both pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) that would allow permanent disposal of these waste forms in the geologic repository at Yucca Mountain. The relationship between the required minimum burnup and fuel assembly initial enrichment forms a loading curve.

Community

Strategies for Application of Isotopic Uncertainties in Burnup Credit

Uncertainties in the predicted isotopic concentrations in spent nuclear fuel represent one of the largest
sources of overall uncertainty in criticality calculations that use burnup credit. The methods used to
propagate the uncertainties in the calculated nuclide concentrations to the uncertainty in the predicted
neutron multiplication factor (keff) of the system can have a significant effect on the uncertainty in the
safety margin in criticality calculations and ultimately affect the potential capacity of spent fuel transport

Community

Criticality Consequence Analysis Involving Intact PWR SNF in a Degraded 21 PWR Assembly Waste Package

The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the transient behavior and consequences of a worst case criticality event involving intact pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in a degraded basket configuration inside a 21 PWR assembly waste package (WP). The objective of this analysis is to demonstrate that the consequences of a worst case criticality event involving intact PWR SNF are insignificant in their effect on the overall radioisotopic inventory in a WP. An internal WP criticality is modeled in a manner analogous to transient phenomena in a nuclear reactor core.

Community

MCNP Evaluation of Laboratory Critical Experiments: Lattice Criticals

The purpose of this analysis is to document the MCNP evaluations of benchmark lattice Laboratory Critical Experiments (LCE's). The objective of this analysis is to quantify the MCNP 4A (Reference 5.4) code system's ability to accurately calculate the effective neutron multiplication factor (keff) for various measured critical (i.e., keff= 1.0) configurations. This analysis quantifies the effectiveness of the MCNP criticality calculation for lattice configurations containing U02 and Pu02 fissile oxide fuel using two different cross section data libraries.

Community