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At least 1,135 records · Page 63

Status of Shift for NCS Applications in SCALE 6.3 [Slides]

Shift can run most KENO V.a and KENO-VI inputs, but beware of small geometry fudge factors. Shift is faster than KENO for fast spectrum systems, but has a higher uncertainty per particle. KENO FoM is higher for thermal systems. KENO V.a in MG is significantly faster than KENO V.a in CE, so this may exacerbate Shift difference. Shift generally has greater speedup for parallel calculations. Shift has only IFP available for TSUNAMI-3D, but parallel calculations are enabled.

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Using the “Inner” Array Boundary with KENO-VI [Slides]

Topics include: SGGP Array definition basics, what is meant by the "Inner" Boundary of an array, a critical experiment with flux filter, and NRC verification of criticality calculations with UNF-ST&DARDS.

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Plans for Expanded Data Testing at ORNL [Slides]

VALID expansion is on-going and should provide coverage over a wider range of systems in the future. Adding additional application types beyond critical experiments can also be used in expanded data testing. Two other test suites have been developed at ORNL for other purposes, but never waste a good test suite. These suites are more likely to be relevant to testing differences in data as compared to assessing accuracy of evaluations.

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Developing a Continuous Nuclear Data Evaluation Method for the Resolved and Unresolved Resonance Regions With FITAPI and SAMMY [Poster]

SAMMY is an R-matrix Bayesian fitting program used in the analysis of nuclear cross section data. SAMMY produces separate cross section models in the resolved and unresolved resonance regions. This project develops a new method of continuous evaluation joining both energy regions with FITAPI. Full energy spectrum model introduces cross covariance between physics models allowing more accurate description of uncertainty. Consistency developed between physics models by the use of a unique set of prior parameters. An unresolved region cross section developed with sensitivity to resolved cross section. Incorporation into ORNL FITAPI provides access to greater number of parameter estimation algorithms.

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Updates to SNL Nuclear Criticality Safety Benchmark Suite for MCNP

Members of the Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Program at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) have updated the suite of benchmark problems developed to validate MCNP6 Version 2.0 for use in NCS applications. The updated NCS benchmark suite adds approximately 600 new benchmarks and includes peer review of all input files by two different NCS engineers (or one NCS engineer and one candidate NCS engineer). As with the originally released benchmark suite, the updated suite covers a broad range of fissile material types, material forms, moderators, reflectors, and neutron energy spectra. The benchmark suite provides a basis to establish a bias and bias uncertainty for use in NCS analyses at SNL.

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Analysis of ISOCS Measurements to Establish Methodology Uncertainty

Qualification measurements were performed at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on a variety of measurement standards. These measurements will be used to qualify the In-Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) measurement method with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector for use at ORNL. Measured items include uranium isotopic standards, filter papers coated with uranium oxide (U 3 O 8 ), U 3 O 8 line sources, and a uranium tetrafluoride (UF 4 ) source. The 235 U mass was estimated using the ISOCS calibration software for each source and compared with the declared isotope mass value.

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Multi-group Examination of Nickel-Reflected HEU System [Slides]

Researchers noted an unusually large bias for 8-in. nickel reflected HEU sphere in HMF-003 between the 252- group library and the CE library in SCALE 6.2.4. The bias was investigated by reviewing reactions that $k_{eff}$ is sensitive to using TSUNAMI and collecting reaction rate data using tools within SCALE. For this system, bias is primarily due to the elastic scattering in nickel. Researchers compared new multigroup structures in SCALE 6.3. For this system, reduction in CE-to-MG bias seen in the 302-group and further improved in the 1597-group structure. When researchers compared ENDF/B-VIII.0 in SCALE 6.3, library showed improved results with new nickel evaluation. However, the MG-to-CE bias can still be large as large biases can occur in any system. This example highlights the importance of validating results with measured systems.

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Analysis of SCALE Criticality and Sensitivity Calculations for Reflected HEU Cylinders [Slides]

The SCALE code package offers multiple nuclear data libraries supporting Monte Carlo transport, with sensitivity and uncertainty methods derived from MC transport solutions. Several libraries are multigroup, which introduce bias differing by system. Previous work has shown poor S/U results in several reflector materials: ICSBEP benchmark HMF-084 was selected to analyze biases and S/U method applicability to a variety of reflectors. Prior and ongoing work found inaccuracies in CSAS and TSUNAMI results, which were further investigated utilizing the HEU-MET-FAST-084 ICSBEP critical benchmark, chosen for its geometrical simplicity and variety of reflector materials. Perturbation of reflector thickness across various reflector materials allowed for an assortment of materials is to be tested swiftly for each sequence and method. Observation was an increasing bias of MG $k_{eff}$ relative to CE, in both direction and magnitude. IFP produced extremely reliable results. >85% of CLUTCH cases were found satisfactory.

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Advanced Modeling and Simulations for Evaluation of Thermal Neutron Scattering Materials [Slides]

In this presentation, researchers detail tradeoffs between two simulation suites for thermal neutron scattering data. OXLIMAX + MCViNE provide a more accurate elastic peak shape and NJOY + MCNP have more accurate spectra between phonon mode peaks (most likely due to multiple neutron scattering). Additionally, some outstanding issues with MCViNE are noted, including multiple neutron scattering and non-uniform (Q,E) grid for data.

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Status of GNDS support in AMPX [Slides]

This presentation provides an overview of ENDF reading in AMPX, as well as information regarding low level access classes for GNDS used in AMPX and the use of these classes in AMPX and SAMMY.

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Phenomenological R-Matrix parameterization of direct, doorway, and compound nuclear reactions [Slides]

The presented R-matrix formalism could improve evaluations of resolved resonance nuclear cross section data by parameterizing direct reaction processes via an orthonormal channel mixing matrix and doorway state processes. Together, they can parameterize direct-semidirect capture. A formal similarity among the R-, K-, T- matrix formalisms was leveraged to parameterize direct and doorway processes. The advantage of this R-matrix parameterization is that it is easily extensible due to its application of projection operators directly upon the (H-E) on p. 6.

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Preliminary API design to access SG-50 database [Slides]

This presentation details the design and use of a rudimentary example API. The example API reads JSON; eventually it needs to operate with the database. It demonstrates ease in applying powerful, publicly available tools.

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Sensitivity Calculations for Systems with Polyethylene Reflector Materials Using CLUTCH [Slides]

CLUTCH is a CE TSUNAMI method that uses a single forward calculation to determine sensitivities. An F*(r) function provides the importance of each voxel in a mesh over all regions where fission can occur. A sufficient number of fissions must be simulated in each voxel in which fission is possible to generate an accurate estimate of the importance of a fission in that voxel.

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Generalized Bayesian Monte Carlo Evaluation [Slides]

Bayesian Monte Carlo is a tool to address imperfect data & models, non-linear models, non-normal PDFs, and integration of differential and integral data. Simple propagation to criticality shows effects of new $\mathcal{L}$($β|z,γ$).

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