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At least 163 records · Page 9

A Fission-like Neutron Spectrum Shaping Assembly based on D-T Generator

For nearly five decades, 252 Cf sources have been used for testing and calibration over a wide range of neutron detection devices used for nuclear safety and radiation protection. However, the vastly increased cost of 252 Cf sources, its short half-life, and concerns about future shortage have prompted nuclear facilities and radiological calibration laboratories that rely on high-intensity neutron sources to seek alternatives. While there appear to be no other radionuclide neutron sources that would match the 252 Cf performance characteristics, all of them, including 252 Cf, present similar concerns in terms of hazards, safety, and security. As a possible solution to this issue, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed a low-risk, cost-efficient alternative to produce fission-like spectra based on commercially available deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron generators. The alternative of producing a fission-like neutron spectrum without any fissionable materials or beryllium would enable the nuclear facilities across the entire complex to eliminate their reliance on high intensity 252 Cf sources for nuclear safety and radiation protection applications, substantially reducing risks and associated costs. This report describes efforts of designing the spectrum shaping assembly, its construction and characterization of the neutron field produced. Performance of this newly developed D-T generator based neutron field is demonstrated via calibration of a criticality detector, neutron survey instruments, and personal dosimeters verified against current standardized fields produced by 252 Cf spontaneous fission sources.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Assessment of CTF for Steady-state and Transient Post-CHF Conditions in Support of Time-at-Temperature Modeling Applications

The US nuclear industry is exploring options to improve operational economics and uprate the current fleet of light-water reactors by investigating transitioning to cladding performance–based safety criteria as opposed to the current limit, which requires complete avoidance of critical heat flux (CHF)/dryout. Past experience has shown that not all events leading to a dryout are severe enough to cause fuel performance degradation. Allowing temporary dryout of the fuel—that is, using a time-at-temperature (TaT) strategy—could allow for economic improvements via large power uprates and enhanced operational flexibility for current plants without compromising fuel integrity. To support this effort, the US Department of Energy is executing a comprehensive program that includes generating cladding material data under TaT conditions, developing new mechanistic models, and demonstrating modeling and simulation capabilities for transients of interest. This paper presents work performed to assess the CTF thermal-hydraulics subchannel code. CTF is a package used in the VERA core simulator, which will ultimately be used for TaT analysis. CTF will provide the thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions that will be needed for fuel performance analysis in the BISON code. Quantifying both the accuracy and uncertainty of post-CHF models will therefore be necessary. This paper outlines the strategy for the assessment of TaT and presents the results of using the steady-state and transient dryout experiments of the Boiling Fine-mesh Bundle Tests for CTF validation. The results show that the current model tends to overpredict steady-state critical power. This behavior translates to the transient tests, in which CTF is unable to capture transient dryout behavior. Some discussion of sensitivity analysis work being performed is provided to indicate which models must be further analyzed to properly model transient dryout and its uncertainty.

Salko Jr, Robert [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000253566679)↗

Applicability of the Sum-of-Fractions for Moderated Systems [Slides]

This presentation is for addressing the presence of multiple fissionable nuclides in a moderated system and validation with benchmarking gaps. The presentation finds: no instances of the use of the Sum-of-Fractions (SoF) method resulted in k eff values exceeding the calculational margin, when utilizing the SoF include all fissile nuclides, provides additional flexibility than 8.15 for mixtures, extend area of applicability by extending validation.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

An Integrated Framework for Risk Assessment of Safety-related Digital Instrumentation and Control Systems in Nuclear Power Plants: Methodology Refinement and Exploration

This report documents activities performed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) during Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program, Risk Informed Systems Analysis (RISA) Pathway, digital instrumentation and control (DI&C) risk assessment project. In FY 2019, the RISA Pathway initiated a project to develop a risk assessment strategy for delivering a technical basis to support effective, and secure DI&C technologies for digital upgrades/designs. A risk assessment-informed framework was proposed for this strategy, which aims to (1) provide a best-estimate, risk informed capability to quantitatively estimate the safety margin obtained from plant modernization, especially for safety-related DI&C systems, (2) support and supplement existing risk informed DI&C design guides by providing quantitative risk information and evidence, (3) offer a capability of design architecture evaluation of various DI&C systems, (4) assure the long-term safety and reliability of safety-related DI&C systems, and (5) reduce uncertainty in costs and support integration of DI&C systems in the plant. To achieve these technical goals, the LWRS-developed framework provides a means to address relevant technical issues by: (1) defining a risk informed analysis process for DI&C upgrade that integrates hazard analysis, reliability analysis, and consequence analysis, (2) applying risk informed tools to address common cause failures (CCFs) and quantify corresponding failure probabilities for DI&C technologies, particularly software CCFs, (3) evaluating the impact of digital failures at the component level, system level, and plant level, and (4) providing insights and suggestions on designs to manage the risks, thus to support the development and deployment of advanced DI&C technologies in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Adding diversity within a system or components is the primary means to eliminate and mitigate CCFs, but diversity also increases system complexity and may not address all sources of systematic failures. Optimization of diversity and redundancy applications for the safety-critical DI&C systems remains a challenge. To deal with the technical issues in addressing potential software CCFs in safety-related DI&C systems of NPPs and supporting relevant design optimization, the proposed framework provides: (a) A best-estimate, risk informed capability to address new technical digital issues quantitatively, focusing on software CCFs in safety-related DI&C systems of NPPs; (b) A common and a modularized platform for DI&C designers, software developers, cybersecurity analysts, and plant engineers to predict and prevent risk in the early design stage of DI&C systems; (c) Technical bases and risk informed insights to assist users address the risk informed alternatives for evaluation of CCFs in safety-related DI&C systems of NPPs; and (d) A risk informed tool that offers a capability of design architecture evaluation of various DI&C systems to support system design decisions in diversity and redundancy applications. The research and development efforts of this project in FY 2023 are focused on refining current methods on software CCF modeling and estimation and exploring additional innovative approaches to risk assessment of DI&C systems to enable a more comprehensive and complete assessment of various safety-related DI&C design architectures. The primary audience of this report are DI&C designers, engineers, and probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) practitioners. This includes stakeholders, such as the nuclear utilities and regulators who consider the deployment and upgrade of DI&C systems, DI&C software developers and reviewers, and cybersecurity specialists. It should be noted that all the analyses are performed for the demonstration of the methodology, not for the evaluation of an actual digital control system. Results are obtained based on limited design information and testing data.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

The CWS Experiments – An Experimental Study of the Effects of Chlorine on Thermal Neutron Absorption

The Chlorine Worth Study (CWS) experiments consist of layers of Zero Power Physics Reactor plates moderated by high density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride with the goal to produce a thermal critical experiment. A thick high density polyethylene reflector surrounds the experiments. Aluminum fuel trays and frames were used to conduct the intrinsic heat generation of the plutonium plates away from the core and out to the top plate and the platen, both acting as heat sinks. The goal of the CWS experiments was to provide benchmark critical experiments that were sensitive to chlorine and matched the sensitivity of criticality safety applications for aqueous chloride operations at PF-4 at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The specific aqueous chloride PF-4 applications were solutions of 30 g/L plutonium, 300 g/L plutonium, and 600 g/L plutonium. The CWS experiments were designed using prototype methods developed by the ARCHIMEDES and EUCLID projects at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The CWS experiments were performed in December of 2021 at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site on the Planet critical assembly. It is intended that the CWS experiments will be evaluated and submitted to the ICSBEP in the future as criticality safety benchmarks.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Implementation of a System of Gamma Imagers for Measuring Plutonium Holdup

The Surplus Plutonium Disposition (SPD) project is an effort to dilute and dispose of many tonsof weapons grade plutonium. This work will take place in a shielded glovebox to protect workers fromradiological dose. Accurate measurements of the holdup, or material left behind, in the gloveboxes is im-portant for Nuclear Material Control and Accountancy, worker dose minimization, criticality safety, andprocess monitoring. Shielding around the gloveboxes presents an obstacle for the traditional GeneralizedGamma Holdup (GGH) method. The uncertainties associated with that method, at around 28%, arealso detrimental since the amount of holdup must be kept below an established limit with a high level ofconfidence.Passive gamma-ray imaging provides a more complete depiction of the distribution of radioactivematerials. Recent refinement of the method has demonstrated that quantitative information can beextracted from the images with a well-characterized system. A permanently installed system of gamma-ray imagers is currently being developed to measure plutonium holdup in the SPD gloveboxes. Thispaper will report on progress with the development of this system.This application requires that the features of current commercially available instruments from H3Dand PHDS, optimized for measurement performance in a mobile application, be translated into theconstraints of the operational environment with fixed installations. The interaction between facilityconstraints and measurement capabilities will be addressed.A series of measurements with plutonium sources in a mocked-up glovebox geometry with imagersmounted above the ceiling of the glovebox have been taken. Imager performance with respect to angularresolution, minimum measurement time for quantification, and signal-to-noise ratio with a multitudeof sources will be evaluated for those measurements. A series of prototypes of user interfaces will bepresented for display of the data to its various consumers for the purposes of Nuclear Material Controland Accountancy, worker dose minimization, criticality safety, and process monitoring.

Schmitt, Kyle↗

Simulation-Based Recovery Action Analysis Using the EMRALD Dynamic Risk Assessment Tool

A recovery action is defined as the action that prevents deviant conditions from producing unwanted effects. It generally indicates a kind of countermeasure performed in response to a failure of human action. The recovery actions especially play an important role in complex systems like nuclear power plants (NPPs), which consist of highly sophisticated controllers to ensure that desired performance and safety must be achieved and maintained. This is because a combination of human error and its recovery failure may be able to cause a catastrophic effect on a system. Analyzing recovery actions has been a critical part of HRA, which is a technique to evaluate human errors and provide human error probabilities (HEPs) for application in probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). If recovery actions are not adequately analyzed and applied to PSA models, the PSA results may be under-estimated or be not able to reasonably account for the failure of human actions in the context of PSA. For this reason, some regulatory documents such as ASME/ANS RA-Sb-2013 by the American Society for Mechanical Engineers and the American Nuclear Society and NUREG-1792 by U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission have emphasized the importance of recovery analysis within the HRA. A couple of existing HRA methods, such as the Technique for Human Error-Rate Prediction (THERP), the Cause-Based Decision Tree (CBDT), and the Korean Standard HRA (K-HRA), have respectively suggested their own approaches to the HRA recovery analysis. However, there are a couple of limitations to treating recovery actions using only the current HRA methods available. The biggest limitation is that the existing recovery analysis does not explicitly consider a variety of recovery action types and recovery sequences as they occur in actual NPPs. To handle the limitations of existing recovery analysis, this study proposes a simulation-based recovery analysis method using the Event Modeling Risk Assessment Using Linked Diagram (EMRALD) software. The EMRALD software is a dynamic simulation tool for PSA. It supports realistic and dynamic modeling of human actions as they would be performed at NPPs. It is also favorable to simultaneously model the specific moment at which an action is performed, the time it takes to perform the action, and the failure probability of that action. In this paper, a detailed methodology for modeling recovery actions in the simulation platform is proposed with a couple of examples. Then, outputs from the simulation are discussed as reviewing if this novel approach can complement the challenges of existing recovery analyses.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Fast-Spectrum Critical Assemblies with a Pb-HEU Core Surrounded by a Copper Reflector

The Department of Energy invests tens of millions of dollars each year to develop the next generation of nuclear engineering modeling & simulation (M&S) tools. These M&S tools are used to analyze advanced reactor designs and the safety of current nuclear operations. As computers become more powerful, we are able to enhance resolution in our calculations. This improved resolution is taking us to a point where the limitations of simulation capability are in the quality of data, including our ability to quantify the uncertainty and sensitivity of the data. In order to accurately model systems of interest, the industry must improve key nuclear data measurements and our confidence of how well we understand the data. Thus, M&S tools need evaluated and quality-assured experimental data for validation purposes. The International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) compiles benchmark experiment data in a handbook that can be used by criticality safety engineers to validate computer codes and cross-section libraries at nuclear facilities. Both critical and subcritical experiments are included in the handbook. Figure 1 organizes all the benchmark evaluations that have been performed by the isotope of interest, in this case Pb, and the neutron energy within the system. Compared to other isotopes of interest for nuclear applications, there are few benchmark evaluations for Pb systems. This has caused the latest nuclear cross-section libraries to over/underestimate changes in the neutron population compared to experimental results. Therefore, this evaluation fills an important knowledge gap in benchmark evaluations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Complex radius in the R-matrix algorithm for inclusion of direct capture component [Slides]

In the low-energy range there are two possible physical mechanisms for γ-ray emissions. While both mechanisms emit γ-rays, the compound radiative capture (CRC) process is generated by the formation of a compound nucleus state before γ-emission. CRC has a characteristic resonance structure in the cross section, The direct radiative capture (DRC) process goes to the final state by the electromagnetic radiation of the incident neutron. DRC has a smooth behavior in the cross section. For light nuclei, a non-negligible component of the neutron capture process can be often associated to DRC process. Although these two mechanisms should be described by a unified theoretical formalism, in the nuclear data libraries, the CRC and DRC components are evaluated and reported separately. The updated R-matrix algorithm will allow the ability to implicitly include correlations between CRC and DRC mechanisms, to improve the quality of nuclear data evaluations, and to facilitate simple large-scale applicability to current nuclear data evaluations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Effect of Nuclear Data Covariances on Integral Experiment Design with Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) uses MCNP6.2 and the Whisper code for criticality safety analyses of the Hanford Tank Farm. Together the codes derive baseline upper subcritical limits (USLs) for the waste models using experimental benchmarks. Whisper returns higher USLs, i.e. , has less of a conservative penalty, when the neutronic similarity of the experimental benchmarks to the application is high. Unfortunately, few critical benchmarks have high similarity to the Hanford tanks. The waste in the tanks is highly dilute in plutonium and contains large masses of weakly neutron-absorbing elements like iron and manganese. Experimental benchmarks typically have low sensitivity to these absorbers because they are present as structural materials. Lacking similar benchmarks, new Thermal Epithermal eXperiment (TEX) configurations with high Pu content and interstitial iron absorbers have been designed for the criticality safety validation. The features of the design have been iterated upon to maximize the similarity between the experiment and different Hanford waste models. The similarity is quantified with sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification using the representativity coefficient, or c k . The representativity calculation requires nuclear data covariances, which may differ between nuclear data libraries and between library versions. Because of these variations, the optimal design may depend on the nuclear data covariances library. A scenario can be envisioned where an experiment is designed, and c k is maximized, with one set of covariance data. However, when the covariance data is changed, say from ENDF/B-VII.1 to ENDF/B-VIII.0, and the benchmark is used in a criticality safety evaluation, the experiment becomes suboptimal with respect to c k . In this paper, we present how the optimal design of the new TEX experiments varied depending on the nuclear data covariances used to calculate c k . We compare ENDF/B-VII.1 and ENDF/B-VIII.0, as if the library had been updated since the design of the experiment. Additionally, we use JEFF3.3 to simulate if the covariance data of a different library had been used. The results show that the covariances do have an important effect on the designs, less so for thermal systems (where the data are more consistent between evaluations) and more so for epithermal systems where more differences exist.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Deployment of Gaussian Surrogate Model for Ad-Hoc Adjustments to Elastic Scattering Angular Distributions [Slides]

This presentation is on the deployment of gaussian surrogate model for ad-hoc adjustments to elastic scattering angular distributions. Discussed throughout the presentation is motivation for this lecture. Specifically, the gaussian surrogate models, validation of method with Pb-208, and the application on Be-9 are highlighted. The presentation concludes with a summary.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Smart Packaging for Critical Energy Shipment (SPaCES)

Recent technical advances have brought forth revolutionary Smart Packaging (SP) technology. SP incorporates multiple electronics, chemical, and mechanical sensing technologies into packaging materials, and utilizes them to monitor and display package content status. SP can also employ embedded micro actuators to react to undesirable package conditions such as moisture/temperature anomalies or harmful chemical reactions and neutralize it. When further integrated with wireless sensing and secure networking, SP provides wholistic system-wide remote situation awareness capability for real-time crisis management. Finally, we also see that SP can be further integrated with 3D printing technology to offer form-factor customization and application specific solutions suitable for DOE (Department of Energy) NNSA’s (National Nuclear Security Administration) R/N (radiological/nuclear) material shipment and management needs; this has the potential to improve safety, security, and overall operation process quality. This report surveys SP technology as the state of the art (SOTA) and analyzes how it can integrate with cybersecurity and 3D printing to address NNSA’s critical R/N material shipment and storage requirements. This report further presents our FY23/24 investigation plan describing project background, goal, motivation, proposed work, and statement of work and cost.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Consistent Nuclear Data Evaluations for Criticality Safety

Evaluations of nuclear data are based on statistical analysis of available experimental data and their uncertainties plus model calculations and their uncertainties. As the models are currently rather limited, the evaluations are heavily biassed toward experimental data, with the caveat that a thorough analysis is also required to understand possible discrepancies between data sets. Hence, as new experimental data become available, they are incorporated into the evaluation procedure. Recent measurements of the 233 U capture to fission cross section ratio at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center have prompted a re-evaluation of the capture cross section in the resonance and fast regions up to 250 keV. We will discuss the challenges of including the new fast neutron experimental data in an evaluation that is consistent with the resonance region. We will also discuss our consistent evaluation procedure based on the Hauser-Feshbach statistical model for nuclear reactions and its application to the evaluations of 239 Pu and 139 La neutron-induced reactions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Rossi-alpha Analysis of Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments Optimized for Polyethylene Thermal Neutron Scattering

Accurate nuclear data is the foundation for predictive simulations and design of new experimental in the nuclear community. The criticality safety community has particular interest in benchmarking assemblies with thermal neutron data. To address such needs the Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP) funded the Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) campaigns that were to be completed between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Specifically, analysis of plutonium with a thermal neutron spectrum expands on previous work to help validate thermal scattering law data, which can have larger impacts in thermal applications. The first of these experiments were successfully conducted in 2018, but this paper will focus on the 2021 measurement focused on investigating the the thermal scattering law (TSL) for polyethylene. These experiments were successfully conducted at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) using the Planet vertical lift critical assembly machine. Polethylene plates were layered with trays of Zero Power Physics Reactor (ZPPR) 24 plates in a 12" by 12" square. The ZPPR plates were 2" by 3" by 0.125" bearing weapons grade plutonium. The polyethylene moderator was either 2" or 1.6875" thick. This work builds on the Rossi-alpha calculations done by McKenzie et al. for the same detector-assembly system and will only focus on the Rossi-alpha neutron noise method. This work will aim to further validate the results of the experiment through a novel neutron noise python package. Following similar methodology to the previous analysis, analysis of TEX evaluated the prompt neutron decay constant at delayed critical, $α_{DC}$ using Rossi-alpha for different polyethylene moderator thicknesses. These results will help improve understanding of TSL in critical experiments. Alpha (α), is the prompt neutron decay constant of the measured system and allows for the evaluation of a systems propensity to sustain fission chains via prompt neutrons. The single value description of the assemblies allow for comparison between experiments regardless of composition, geometry, and reflectors/moderators. Rossi-alpha measurements were performed on the polyethylene moderated TEX experiments to estimate $α_{DC}$.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Design and License Application Development for TRISO-X (Final Scientific Technical Report)

This is the final progress report submitted by X-energy, LLC (XE) to the Department of Energy in support of cooperative agreement DE-NE0008745. This report provides a high-level summary of the work performed during the entire period of performance, running from August 24, 2018 – August 22, 2022. This span of time covers the original 3-year award and a one year no-cost extension. There were five tasks within this project: (1) project management, (2) systems engineering and studies, (3) TRISO-X Facility design, (4) facility license application development, and (5) support to application review. Detailed reporting during execution of the project was provided by a total of 16 quarterly reports, voluntary monthly update presentations, and annual summary presentations. Technical work products include 103 X-energy technical reports, 38 subcontractor (Centrus technical reports), 75 Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluations/Calculation reports, and 272 miscellaneous design documents (e.g., Engineering Service Orders, Engineering Component Specifications, Procedures, Guidelines/Policies, Design and Interface Requirements documents, and Drawings). All 29 of the X Energy milestones/deliverables were met early or on time and are archived in the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Program Information Control System: Nuclear Energy under Fiscal Year 2018, Work Breakdown Structure F.OA – Industry FOA FY 2018 Awards, F.03 – X-Energy TRISO-X Project. All other work products are available to DOE upon request.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Status of HEU-Pb in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook

The Department of Energy invests tens of millions of dollars each year to develop the next generation of nuclear engineering modeling & simulation (M&S) tools. These tools are used to analyze advanced reactor designs and the safety of current nuclear operations. As computers become more powerful, we are able to enhance resolution in our calculations. This improved resolution is taking us to a point where the limitations of simulation capability are in the quality of data, including our ability to quantify the uncertainty and sensitivity of the data. In order to model systems of interest with increasing accuracy, the industry must improve key nuclear data measurements. Thus, M&S tools need evaluated and quality-assured experimental data for validation purposes. The International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) compiles and evaluates experiment data in a handbook that can be used by criticality safety engineers and others to validate computer codes and cross-section libraries at nuclear facilities. Both critical and subcritical experiments are included in the handbook. Figure 1 organizes all the benchmark evaluations that have been performed by the isotope of interest, in this case Pb, and the average neutron energy the system. Compared to other isotopes of interest for nuclear applications, there are few benchmark evaluations for Pb systems. The lack of integral measurements to determine errors in Pb cross-section data has caused the latest nuclear cross-section libraries to over/underestimate k eff compared to experimental results. Therefore, this evaluation fills an important knowledge gap in benchmark evaluations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclear Data: From Measurement, Evaluation, Processing to Practical Applications [Slides]

Any analysis, design of a nuclear system will be as good as the knowledge of the nuclear data used whether differential and integral. ORNL is engaged in generating high level nuclear data for reactor, shielding, and safety applications. Nuclear data remains a major source of data uncertainties. Uncertainties on nuclear data rely upon measurements and evaluations. Tight connections with experimental facilities around the world have helped ORNL to address issues on ND and uncertainty. It is extremely important for ORNL to retain expertise on nuclear data in support of the research and expertise activities.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗