Providing Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis Education Through Benchmark Experiment Evaluation

Providing Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis Education Through Benchmark Experiment Evaluation PDF Author:
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
One of the challenges that today's new workforce of nuclear criticality safety engineers face is the opportunity to provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines without having received significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and/or the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) provides students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills.

Providing Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis Education Through Benchmark Experiment Evaluation

Providing Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis Education Through Benchmark Experiment Evaluation PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
One of the challenges that today's new workforce of nuclear criticality safety engineers face is the opportunity to provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines without having received significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and/or the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) provides students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills.

Educating Next Generation Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineers at the Idaho National Laboratory

Educating Next Generation Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineers at the Idaho National Laboratory PDF Author:
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Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
One of the challenges in educating our next generation of nuclear safety engineers is the limitation of opportunities to receive significant experience or hands-on training prior to graduation. Such training is generally restricted to on-the-job-training before this new engineering workforce can adequately provide assessment of nuclear systems and establish safety guidelines. Participation in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) can provide students and young professionals the opportunity to gain experience and enhance critical engineering skills. The ICSBEP and IRPhEP publish annual handbooks that contain evaluations of experiments along with summarized experimental data and peer-reviewed benchmark specifications to support the validation of neutronics codes, nuclear cross-section data, and the validation of reactor designs. Participation in the benchmark process not only benefits those who use these Handbooks within the international community, but provides the individual with opportunities for professional development, networking with an international community of experts, and valuable experience to be used in future employment. Traditionally students have participated in benchmarking activities via internships at national laboratories, universities, or companies involved with the ICSBEP and IRPhEP programs. Additional programs have been developed to facilitate the nuclear education of students while participating in the benchmark projects. These programs include coordination with the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) Next Degree Program, the Collaboration with the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office to train nuclear and criticality safety engineers, and student evaluations as the basis for their Master's thesis in nuclear engineering.

Investigations and Recommendations on the Use of Existing Experiments in Criticality Safety Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities for Weapons-Grade Plutonium

Investigations and Recommendations on the Use of Existing Experiments in Criticality Safety Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities for Weapons-Grade Plutonium PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 5

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Book Description
Sensitivity and Uncertainty (S/U) methods, recently developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been demonstrated to determine the applicability of critical benchmark experiments to the criticality code validation of design systems. These methods, although still under development, have been recently published in several sources. Development of the techniques used in this report was conducted through joint support from the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to provide a physics-based approach for the establishment of the area of applicability of critical experiments per the requirements of ANSI/ANS-8.1. Use of these methods may allow users to interpolate and extrapolate the traditional area of applicability (AOA) of a given set of critical experiments to include new application areas that may not have been anticipated during the experiment design. The new S/U analytical tools include the SEN1 and SEN3 sensitivity analysis sequences, which will be available with the next release of the Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) code system. These analysis sequences compute the relative change in the system neutron multiplication factor, k{sub eff}, which would be observed for perturbations in the group-wise neutron cross-section data for each reaction of each nuclide in the system. The CANDE code uses sensitivity data determined separately for the design system applications and the individual experiments, along with the cross-section-covariance data, to calculate integral parameters which give a measure of the similarity between a particular design system and an experimental benchmark. A high-valued integral parameter for an experiment application pair indicates that the experiment demonstrates similar properties to the application. Thus, the experiment is applicable for the criticality code validation of the design system. A theoretical basis for the S/U techniques applied in this report is given in Sect. 2. This report pertains to two of the five AOAs identified by the licensee [Duke, Cogema, Stone and Webster (DCS)] for the validation of criticality codes in the design of the Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF). The five AOAs are as follows: (1) Pu-nitrate aqueous solutions (homogeneous systems), (2) Mixed-oxide (MOX) pellets, fuel rods and fuel assemblies (heterogeneous systems), (3) PuO2 powders, (4) MOX powders, and (5) Aqueous solutions of Pu compounds (Pu-oxalate solutions). This report addresses a S/U analysis pertaining to AOA 3, PuO2 powders, and AOA 4, MOX powders. AOA 3 and AOA 4 are the subject of this report since the other AOAs (solutions and heterogeneous systems) appear to be well represented in the documented benchmark experiments used in the criticality safety community. Prior to this work, DCS used traditional criticality validation techniques to identify numerous experimental benchmarks that are applicable to AOAs 3 and 4. Traditional techniques for selection of applicable benchmark experiments essentially consist of evaluating the area of applicability for important design parameters (e.g., Pu content or average neutron energy) and ensuring experiments have similar characteristics that bound or nearly bound the range of conditions requiring design analysis. DCS provided ORNL with compositions and dimensions for critical systems used to establish preliminary mass limits for facility powder and fuel pellet handling areas corresponding to AOAs 3 and 4. ORNL has reviewed existing critical experiments to identify those, which, in addition to those provided by DCS, may be applicable to the criticality code validation for AOAs 3 and 4. A S/U analysis was then performed to calculate the integral parameters used to determine the similarity of each critical experiment to each design system provided by DCS. This report contains a review of the S/U theory, a description of the design systems, a brief description of the critical experiments evaluated for applicability, and the results of the S/U analysis determining the applicability of each experiment to each application.

Benchmark Experiments, Development and Needs in Support of Advanced Reactor Design

Benchmark Experiments, Development and Needs in Support of Advanced Reactor Design PDF Author: Mark David DeHart
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 283253094X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description


Validation of Criticality Safety Calculations with SCALE 6.2

Validation of Criticality Safety Calculations with SCALE 6.2 PDF Author:
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
SCALE 6.2 provides numerous updates in nuclear data, nuclear data processing, and computational tools utilized in the criticality safety calculational sequences relative to SCALE 6.1. A new 252-group ENDF/B-VII.0 multigroup neutron library, improved ENDF/B-VII.0 continuous energy data, as well as the previously deployed 238-group ENDF/B-VII.0 neutron library are included in SCALE 6.2 for criticality safety analysis. The performance of all three libraries for keff calculations is examined with a broad sampling of critical experiment models covering a range of fuels and moderators. Critical experiments from the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments (IHECSBE) that are available in the SCALE Verified, Archived Library of Inputs and Data (VALID) are used in this validation effort. Over 300 cases are used in the validation of KENO V.a, and a more limited set of approximately 50 configurations are used for KENO-VI validation. Additionally, some KENO V.a cases are converted to KENO-VI models so that an equivalent set of experiments can be used to validate both codes. For continuous-energy calculations, SCALE 6.2 provides improved performance relative to SCALE 6.1 in most areas with notable improvements in fuel pin lattice cases, particularly those with mixed oxide fuel. Multigroup calculations with the 252-group library also demonstrate improved performance for fuel lattices, uranium (high and intermediate enrichment) and plutonium metal experiments, and plutonium solution systems. Overall, SCALE 6.2 provides equivalent or smaller biases than SCALE 6.1, and the two versions of KENO provide similar results on the same suite of problems.

Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power PDF Author: Pavel Tsvetkov
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 9533071109
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 400

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Book Description
The world of the twenty first century is an energy consuming society. Due to increasing population and living standards, each year the world requires more energy and new efficient systems for delivering it. Furthermore, the new systems must be inherently safe and environmentally benign. These realities of today's world are among the reasons that lead to serious interest in deploying nuclear power as a sustainable energy source. Today's nuclear reactors are safe and highly efficient energy systems that offer electricity and a multitude of co-generation energy products ranging from potable water to heat for industrial applications. The goal of the book is to show the current state-of-the-art in the covered technical areas as well as to demonstrate how general engineering principles and methods can be applied to nuclear power systems.

Growth and Expansion of the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project and the Newly Organized International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project

Growth and Expansion of the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project and the Newly Organized International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Since ICNC 2003, the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) has continued to expand its efforts and broaden its scope. Criticality-alarm / shielding type benchmarks and fundamental physics measurements that are relevant to criticality safety applications are not only included in the scope of the project, but benchmark data are also included in the latest version of the handbook. A considerable number of improvements have been made to the searchable database, DICE and the criticality-alarm / shielding benchmarks and fundamental physics measurements have been included in the database. There were 12 countries participating on the ICSBEP in 2003. That number has increased to 18 with recent contributions of data and/or resources from Brazil, Czech Republic, Poland, India, Canada, and China. South Africa, Germany, Argentina, and Australia have been invited to participate. Since ICNC 2003, the contents of the "International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments" have increased from 350 evaluations (28,000 pages) containing benchmark specifications for 3070 critical or subcritical configurations to 442 evaluations (over 38,000 pages) containing benchmark specifications for 3957 critical or subcritical configurations, 23 criticality-alarm-placement / shielding configurations with multiple dose points for each, and 20 configurations that have been categorized as fundamental physics measurements that are relevant to criticality safety applications in the 2006 Edition of the ICSBEP Handbook. Approximately 30 new evaluations and 250 additional configurations are expected to be added to the 2007 Edition of the Handbook. Since ICNC 2003, a reactor physics counterpart to the ICSBEP, The International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) was initiated. Beginning in 1999, the IRPhEP was conducted as a pilot activity by the by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Nuclear Science Committee (NSC). The project was endorsed as an official activity of the NSC in June of 2003. The IRPhEP is patterned after its predecessor, the ICSBEP, but focuses on other integral measurements such as buckling, spectral characteristics, reactivity effects, reactivity coefficients, kinetics measurements, reaction-rate and power distributions, nuclide compositions and other miscellaneous types of measurements in addition to the critical configuration. The two projects are closely coordinated to avoid duplication of effort and to leverage limited resources to achieve a common goal. The purpose of the IRPhEP is to provide an extensively peer reviewed set of reactor physics related integral benchmark data that can be used by reactor designers and safety analysts to validate the analytical tools used to design next generation reactors and establish the safety basis for operation of these reactors. While coordination and administration of the IRPhEP takes place at an international level, each participating country is responsible for the administration, technical direction, and priorities of the project within their respective countries. The work of the IRPhEP is documented in an OECD NEA Handbook entitled, "International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments." The first edition of this Handbook, the 2006 Edition spans over 2000 pages and contains data from 16 different experimental series that were.

International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments

International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments PDF Author: OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 70341

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Growth of the International Criticality Safety and Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Projects

Growth of the International Criticality Safety and Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Projects PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Since the International Conference on Nuclear Criticality Safety (ICNC) 2007, the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP) have continued to expand their efforts and broaden their scope. Eighteen countries participated on the ICSBEP in 2007. Now, there are 20, with recent contributions from Sweden and Argentina. The IRPhEP has also expanded from eight contributing countries in 2007 to 16 in 2011. Since ICNC 2007, the contents of the 'International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments1' have increased from 442 evaluations (38000 pages), containing benchmark specifications for 3955 critical or subcritical configurations to 516 evaluations (nearly 55000 pages), containing benchmark specifications for 4405 critical or subcritical configurations in the 2010 Edition of the ICSBEP Handbook. The contents of the Handbook have also increased from 21 to 24 criticality-alarm-placement/shielding configurations with multiple dose points for each, and from 20 to 200 configurations categorized as fundamental physics measurements relevant to criticality safety applications. Approximately 25 new evaluations and 150 additional configurations are expected to be added to the 2011 edition of the Handbook. Since ICNC 2007, the contents of the 'International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments2' have increased from 16 different experimental series that were performed at 12 different reactor facilities to 53 experimental series that were performed at 30 different reactor facilities in the 2011 edition of the Handbook. Considerable effort has also been made to improve the functionality of the searchable database, DICE (Database for the International Criticality Benchmark Evaluation Project) and verify the accuracy of the data contained therein. DICE will be discussed in separate papers at ICNC 2011. The status of the ICSBEP and the IRPhEP will be discussed in the full paper, selected benchmarks that have been added to the ICSBEP Handbook will be highlighted, and a preview of the new benchmarks that will appear in the September 2011 edition of the Handbook will be provided. Accomplishments of the IRPhEP will also be highlighted and the future of both projects will be discussed. REFERENCES (1) International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments, NEA/NSC/DOC(95)03/I-IX, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development-Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD-NEA), September 2010 Edition, ISBN 978-92-64-99140-8. (2) International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments, NEA/NSC/DOC(2006)1, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development-Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD-NEA), March 2011 Edition, ISBN 978-92-64-99141-5.

Nuclear Criticality Safety

Nuclear Criticality Safety PDF Author: Ronald Allen Knief
Publisher: American Nuclear Society
ISBN:
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
Nuclear criticality safety is the prevention of nuclear chain reactions in fissile materials outside of reactors. This book presents the underlying principles of nuclear criticality safety theory along with descriptions of the principal methods currently used and their in-plant applications. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter to increase understanding of the text.