Session: 04-06: SMRs, Advanced Reactors and Fusion

Paper Number: 131748

131748 - Jendl-5 Benchmarking for Advanced Test Reactor for Preparing Burnup Analysis Using Isotopic Data From Htgr Type Fuel Irradiation Tests 

Abstract: 

We have been developing a methodology for nuclide production and annihilation and decay heat evaluations for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs). Under the framework of the VHTR Computational Methods, Validation & Benchmarks Project in the Generation IV International Forum (GIF), we are planning to perform validation of the evaluation method with isotopic composition data obtained from HTGR type fuel irradiation tests (AGR tests) performed at the Idaho National Laboratory. Specifically, we are planning to create an ORIGEN library  that reproduces the AGR tests with the Monte Carlo neutron transport calculation code MVP-3 and the latest nuclear data library JENDL-5 developed by JAEA, and to validate the ORIGEN library by comparing its analysis results with the measured data.

As a first step of this plan, preliminary validation of a calculation code and a nuclear data library to be used in the evaluation methodology should be conducted. 

First, we made a calculation model of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) with a continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP-3 on the basis of a calculation input for another Monte Carlo code MCNP5 documented in the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments (IRPhE). The ATR is a light-water and beryllium moderated reactor. It contains 40 highly enriched uranium fuel elements arranged in a meandering configuration and 9 cylindrical flux traps. The beryllium reflector contains 16 outer shims and 75 test holes for experiments. The reactivity of the core is controlled by 16 outer shims,24 neck shims rods, and hafnium safety rods. The core temperature as a calculation input is set to 300 K.

Second, we also calculated effective multiplication factors and relative power densities for the above ATR calculation model with JENDL-5 and with JENDL-4.0 and ENDF/B-VIII.0 for reference.

As a result of comparison with measured values reported in the IRPhE handbook, the JENDL-5 and the calculation model built with MVP-3 shows an enough calculation accuracy in the ATR. Specifically, the effective multiplication factors obtained from the calculations were confirmed to be within the measurement error. Futhermore, the calculated relative power density reproduced the measurement to within 10% accuracy. 

Our results will help us to perform our planned validation of our nuclide production and annihilation and decay heat evaluation methodology with the AGR test data.

In this presentation, we will describe the preliminary validation and future plans for the validation of our nuclide production and annihilation and decay heat evaluation methodology with the AGR test data.

Presenting Author: Shoichiro Okita JAEA

Presenting Author Biography: Shoichiro Okita is a research engineer of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in Japan. He started his research career at JAEA about 4 years ago. He has been working mainly on neutronic design aspects of High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors and is now mainly involved in two Japan's National R&D Projects about the Japanese demonstrate HTGR and the international research corporations of HTGR design study between Japan and Poland or U.K.

Authors:

Shoichiro Okita JAEA
Takeshi Aoki JAEA
Yuji Fukaya Japan Atomic energy Agency
Yukio Tachibana Japan Atomic energy Agency