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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Evaluation and Validation of the n+ 63,65 Cu Cross Sections [Slides]

This presentation discusses the objective of the research which is to update n+ 63,65 Cu cross section evaluations with recently measured data to resolve discrepancies in benchmark performance. It also discusses the models used which are the R -matrix analysis and the analysis of angular distribution coefficients. Additionally, the validation methods that were used are discussed, including the Rez shielding benchmark and the ICSBEP criticality benchmarks. In conclusion, he n+ 63,65 Cu cross sections have been updated via R-matrix analysis up to 100 keV. An increased average capture cross section and the adoption of experimentally based Legendre coefficients lead to improved performance in reactivity benchmarks. In the fast region, the adoption of the JENDL-4.0 cross sections above 4.0 MeV improves the performance in shielding benchmarks. Ultimately, the n 63,65 Cu ENDF files will be submitted to ENDF/B-VIII.1.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Proposed Methodology for Evaluating and Validating TSLs [Slides]

This presentation begins by providing an overview of the research and discusses recent efforts in validating thermal neutron scattering cross sections, including differential cross section measurements at ORNL for evaluation and validation, total cross section measurements at RPI, pulsed-neutron die-away experiments at LLNL, and integral criticality experiments by LLNL. The presentation also proposes a methodology not only for validating thermal scattering files that utilizes all available experimental data, but also for evaluating new libraries as demonstrated on polystyrene. In conclusion, polystyrene evaluation was conducted using multiple experiments, including differential and integral. The proposed methodology has been shown to improve neutron transport and files have been submitted to NNDC for inclusion in ENDF/B-VIII.1 release. MCT-012 & PCM-002 has been relatively insensitive to changes in $\mathcal{S}(α,β)$. The research found that differences in differential results don’t always propagate to differences in integral results, hence why evaluation of differential data important. Future work on the project is also discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Updated Gadolinium Validation in SCALE 6.3.0 using ENDF/B-VIII.0 Data [Slides]

This presentation provides a brief recap of the ANS Summer meeting in 2018 with a discussion of the results. The presentation also provides an overview of new models and states that all new models have been checked but have not yet been added to the VALID library. It also states that the models were originally created as part of a master's thesis or summer internships. Additionally, all models have been rerun in SCALE 6.3.0 using CE ENDF/B-VIII.0 library. In conclusion, this project has facilitated a significant expansion of validation set containing gadolinium, including 13 cases previously in VALID plus 99 new cases. The completion of IPPE HST experiments confirm no clear trend as a function of concentration or spectrum. Solid absorber cases also show no clear trends and LANL HMT experiments have significant discrepancies in Gd alloy cases. While almost half of the total gadolinium-bearing cases from the ICSBEP Handbook are considered here, the presentation recognizes that there is more work to be done.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Verification and validation testing and tools: comparison between MCNP code versions and nuclear data libraries [Slides]

This presentation discusses the primary goal of software testing which is to test the code for correctness. It also discusses the results for individual suites and the role of validation and verification also referred to in the presentation as V&V. In summation, the V&V framework enables easy comparison between calculations performed with different code versions and/or nuclear data libraries. This entire framework will be distributed with the upcoming MCNP6.3 release. V&V test suites shown and several that were not (Criticality, LAQGSM, Lockwood) will be distributed in the new framework.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design of Critical Experiments Targeting Epithermal Cross Sections of Tantalum

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are collaborating to develop a capability to test the epithermal/intermediate cross sections of tantalum (Ta) at the SNL critical experiments facility using the Seven Percent Critical Experiment (7uPCX) fuel. The Sandia Critical Experiments (SCX) Program provides a specialized facility for performing water moderated and reflected critical experiments with UO 2 fuel rod arrays. A history of safe reactor operations and flexibility in reactor core configuration has resulted in the completion of several benchmark critical experiment evaluations that are published in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook. The critical experiments described here are scheduled to be performed at SCX in fiscal year 2023. Currently, fabrication details for the needed new equipment are being finalized for completion of the procurement process. The experiments will then be executed and documented for publication consideration by the ICSBEP.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

ENDF-6 Formats Manual - Data Formats and Procedures for the Evaluated Nuclear Data Files ENDF/B-VI, ENDF/B-VII and ENDF/B-VIII

This revision of “ENDF-6 Formats Manual” pertains to version 6 of the ENDF formats. The seventh and eighth versions of the ENDF/B library, namely ENDF/B-VII and ENDF/B VIII, use the ENDF-6 format. The manual is based on the previous version of the document, revised in June 2005, In some cases the older version from October 1991 was consulted in order to resolve some ambiguities and errors that were introduced when the reference document was translated from WordPerfect in Word format.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Thermal Neutron Scattering Research and Development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory [Slides]

This presentation provides an overview of the project, specifically describing how neutron cross sections can be broken up into several regions. It also discusses how thermal scattering law (TSL) $\textit{S(α, β)}$ is related to dynamic structure factor $\textit{S(q, E)}$ and how $\textit{S(q, E)}$ can be broken up into 2 primary components, incoherent and coherent, and how it can be calculated in several ways, including density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MT). Additionally, it states that ENDF currently stores coherent elastic (Bragg edges), incoherent elastic and incoherent inelastic. Also discussed are the experimental capabilities, evaluations, and uncertainty quantification of the project.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

AMPX [Slides]

This presentation discusses and announces that AMPX is now available as open source. It additionally provides an overview about ENDF and GNDS reading in AMPX. It also discusses thermal scattering law updates and the CE and MG data libraries for SCALE 6.3.0 and SCALE 7.0.0. In addition, the presentation discusses the photonuclear sub library processing capability of AMPX.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Theoretical and calculable dependent variables and their covariance in nuclear data libraries [Slides]

This presentation begins by defining observables, including theoretical observable, calculable observable, and measured observable. It also provides definitions and examples of experimental effects. Additionally, uncertainty in evaluated libraries and a metric to probe evaluated uncertainty is presented. In conclusion, being related to theoretical quantities such as resonance parameters, the uncertainty in ENDF libraries (e.g., ENDF/B-VIII.0) can be overestimated because it is usually evaluated under the guidance of experimental uncertainty: lim Δσexp.corr.→0 Δσ = Δσ theoretical model . The presentation states that a clear distinction of the uncertainty between nuclear theoretical models and experimental corrections should be revisited and this is important since (e.g., transport) simulations need theoretical quantities convoluted with specific operational parameters and material configurations. It also states that strong coupling between uncertainty quantification methodologies and optimization procedures exists, and it is necessary to develop methodologies to obtain uncertainty on theoretical models from physical and mathematical constraints.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Current Progress of the Final Design of a Subcritical Assembly at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

During the past decade, the US Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) has been coordinating nuclear criticality safety (NCS) courses to provide training and qualification to new staff, supervisors, managers, regulators, and other professionals involved with NCS. To address the growing need for more NCS training possibilities, a subcritical assembly was designed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The Oak Ridge Subcritical Assembly (ORSA), operated at ORNL, could be used in a new course for fissile material handlers/operators or as a backup training facility for currently existing NCSP hands-on NCS training. This paper describes some of the design steps necessary for obtaining a final ORSA design, beginning with a successful feasibility study performed in 2020. Numerous parameters within each main element of the assembly were considered, such as the reflector used, the type of fuel coating or plating used, and the number of fuel plates used. The design choices related to each parametric study described in this paper are detailed and justified at the end of each subsection. An overview of the current final design characteristics of ORSA and the experiments’ possibilities is also provided. ORSA will be built with fuel plates from legacy Aerojet General Nucleonics (AGN)-201M research reactors currently stored at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). The cylindrical fuel plates comprise UO 2 particles embedded in polyethylene and have a nominal enrichment of 19.5 ± 0.5 wt % 235 U. The basis for the final design was the feasibility study from 2020. In the feasibility study, ORSA achieved k eff = 0.95, corresponding to a multiplication factor of 20, with approximately 620 g of 235 U (four 4 cm plates, three 2 cm plates, and two 1 cm plates) and an 8.5 cm thick graphite reflector radially and on top of the assembly. The bottom of the assembly has a graphite thickness of 5 cm, and the chosen graphite density was 2.3 g/cm 3 . All design calculations were performed using SCALE 6.2.4 KENO-VI and with the ENDF/B VII.1 Continuous Energy cross-section library.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Updates and Validation for the n+ 63,65 Cu Cross Sections [Slides]

The RRR and URR parameters for 63,65 Cu have been optimized to transmission and capture data. Several data sets have been newly incorporated in this evaluation. The angular distribution parameters have been adopted from differential measurements, as was done in ENDF/B-V. The performance of this evaluation in the integral benchmark calculations is favorable, and the validation is ongoing.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗