Engineering topics
Trkov, A.
Publications and source records attributed to Trkov, A..
Progress on the reevaluation and validation of the n+233U neutron cross sections
The set of 233 U resonance parameters of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data library was adopted from the previous ENDF/B-VII.1 evaluation using the external levels to update the thermal values. Adoption of IAEA 2017 thermal standards ( σ f = 533.0 ± 2.2 b, σ c = 44.9 ± 0.9 b, and ν ‾ tot = 2.487 ± 0.011 ) and of the IAEA-recommended thermal-neutron induced prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) with average PFNS energy of 2.030 ± 0.013 MeV requires a re-evaluation of 233 U neutron cross sections in the resolved resonance region. A newly produced evaluation is being tested on benchmarks carefully selected from the Handbook of International Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments (ICSBEP) which are highly sensitive to 233 U data. An important goal of this work was to eliminate the strong negative gradient of the calculated effective multiplication factors with respect to the epithermal fission fraction observed in the validation of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library for those assemblies. A significant improvement in integral performance of critical 233 U solutions is observed for the newly proposed evaluation. Further work addressing the fast neutron region is needed.
Newly Evaluated Neutron Reaction Data on Chromium Isotopes
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
IRDFF-II: A New Neutron Metrology Library
High quality nuclear data is the most fundamental underpinning for all neutron metrology applications. This paper describes the release of version II of the International Reactor Dosimetry and Fusion File (IRDFF-II) that contains a consistent set of nuclear data for fission and fusion neutron metrology applications up to 60 MeV neutron energy. The library is intended to support: a) applications in research reactors; b) safety and regulatory applications in the nuclear power generation in commercial fission reactors; and c) material damage studies in support of the research and development of advanced fusion concepts. The paper describes the contents of the library, documents the thorough verification process used in its preparation, and provides an extensive set of validation data gathered from a wide range of neutron benchmark fields. The new IRDFF-II library includes 119 metrology reactions, four cover material reactions to support self-shielding corrections, five metrology metrics used by the dosimetry community, and cumulative fission products yields for seven fission products in three different neutron energy regions. In support of characterizing the measurement of the residual nuclei from the dosimetry reactions and the fission product decay modes, the present document lists the recommended decay data, particle emission energies and probabilities for 68 activation products. It also includes neutron spectral characterization data for 29 neutron benchmark fields for the validation of the library contents. Additional six reference fields were assessed (four from plutonium critical assemblies, two measured fields for thermal-neutron induced fission on 233U and 239Pu targets) but not used for validation due to systematic discrepancies in C/E reaction rate values or lack of reaction-rate experimental data. Another ten analytical functions are included that can be useful for calculating average cross sections, average energy, thermal spectrum average cross sections and resonance integrals. The IRDFF-II library and comprehensive documentation is available online at www-nds.iaea.org/IRDFF/. Evaluated cross sections can be compared with experimental data and other evaluations at www-nds.iaea.org/exfor/endf.htm. The new library is expected to become the international reference in neutron metrology for multiple applications.
Results of the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organization (CIELO) Project
Simulation of nuclear systems requires complete data that represents the relevant nuclear physics. This requires many types of experimental measurements, theoretical physics, semi-empirical models and software systems, as well as experts to integrate and guide the process. This discipline is collectively known as nuclear data, and separate programmes within various European countries, the USA, Japan, Russia, and other OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) member countries have been operating for many decades. The NEA Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC) exists to improve the quality and completeness of nuclear data by bringing together representatives of the major nuclear data evaluation projects of NEA member countries and selected Invitees. The Sub- and Expert Groups of the WPEC typically focus on specific technical topics, while the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation Pilot Project (CIELO) was established to generate complete evaluations for a selection of the most important isotopes for criticality in nuclear technologies: 235,238 U, 239 Pu, 56 Fe, 16 O and 1 H.
New paradigm for nuclear data evaluation
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Evaluation and Validation of 28,29,30SI Cross Sections in the Resolved Resonance Region
Resonance parameter evaluations of the three stable silicon isotopes 28;29;30 Si, were performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2002 and the results of those evaluations were restored from the archives in 2018. The evaluations also accounted for the contribution of the direct component of the capture cross sections computed over the neutron resonance range. For the most abundant isotope, 28 Si, the value of the thermal capture cross sections was increased by 10% on the basis of analyses devoted to reevaluating the thermal radiative neutron capture cross sections. The contribution of the direct capture cross sections was recomputed for each isotope, and its energy-dependent behavior improved. Results of benchmark calculations performed at the International Atomic Energy Agency showed an excellent agreement with integral measurements.
CIELO Collaboration Summary Results: International Evaluations of Neutron Reactions on Uranium, Plutonium, Iron, Oxygen and Hydrogen
The CIELO collaboration has studied neutron cross sections on nuclides that significantly impact criticality in nuclear technologies - 235,238 U, 239 Pu, 56 Fe, 16 O and 1 H - with the aim of improving the accuracy of the data and resolving previous discrepancies in our understanding. This multi-laboratory pilot project, coordinated via the OECD/NEA Working Party on Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC) Subgroup 40 with support also from the IAEA, has motivated experimental and theoretical work and led to suites of new evaluated libraries that accurately reflect measured data and also perform well in integral simulations of criticality. This report summarizes our results on cross sections and preliminary work on covariances, and outlines plans for the next phase of this collaboration.
Evaluation of Neutron Reactions on Iron Isotopes for CIELO and ENDF/B-VIII.0
A new suite of evaluations for {sup 54,56,57,58}Fe has been developed in the framework of the CIELO international collaboration. New resolved resonance ranges were evaluated for {sup 54}Fe and {sup 57}Fe, while modifications were applied to resonances in {sup 56}Fe. The low energy part of the {sup 56}Fe file is almost totally based on measurements. At higher energies in {sup 56}Fe and in the whole fast neutron range for minor isotopes the evaluation consists of model predictions carefully adjusted to available experimental data. We also make use of the high quality and well experimentally-constrained dosimetry evaluations from the IRDFF library. Special attention was dedicated to the elastic angular distributions, which were found to affect results of the integral benchmarking. The new set of iron evaluations was developed in concert with other CIELO evaluations and they were tested together in the integral experiments before being adopted for the ENDF/B-VIII.0 library.
ENDF/B-VIII.0: The 8 th Major Release of the Nuclear Reaction Data Library with CIELO-project Cross Sections, New Standards and Thermal Scattering Data
We describe the new ENDF/B-VIII.0 evaluated nuclear reaction data library. ENDF/B-VIII.0 fully incorporates the new IAEA standards, includes improved thermal neutron scattering data and uses new evaluated data from the CIELO project for neutron reactions on 1 H, 16 O, 56 Fe, 235 U, 238 U and 239 Pu described in companion papers in the present issue of Nuclear Data Sheets. The evaluations benefit from recent experimental data obtained in the U.S. and Europe, and improvements in theory and simulation. Notable advances include updated evaluated data for light nuclei, structural materials, actinides, fission energy release, prompt fission neutron and γ-ray spectra, thermal neutron scattering data, and charged-particle reactions. Integral validation testing is shown for a wide range of criticality, reaction rate, and neutron transmission benchmarks. In general, integral validation performance of the library is improved relative to the previous ENDF/B-VII.1 library.
Evaluation of the Neutron Data Standards
With the need for improving existing nuclear data evaluations, (e.g., ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3 releases) the first step was to evaluate the standards for use in such a library. This new standards evaluation made use of improved experimental data and some developments in the methodology of analysis and evaluation. In addition to the work on the traditional standards, this work produced the extension of some energy ranges and includes new reactions that are called reference cross sections. Since the effort extends beyond the traditional standards, it is called the neutron data standards evaluation. This international effort has produced new evaluations of the following cross section standards: the H(n,n), 6 Li(n,t), 10 B(n,α), 10 B(n,α 1 γ), nat C(n,n), Au(n,γ), 235 U(n,f) and 238 U(n,f). Also in the evaluation process the 238 U(n,γ) and 239 Pu(n,f) cross sections that are not standards were evaluated. Evaluations were also obtained for data that are not traditional standards: the Maxwellian spectrum averaged cross section for the Au(n,γ) cross section at 30 keV; reference cross sections for prompt γ-ray production in fast neutron-induced reactions; reference cross sections for very high energy fission cross sections; the 252 Cf spontaneous fission neutron spectrum and the 235 U prompt fission neutron spectrum induced by thermal incident neutrons; and the thermal neutron constants. The data and covariance matrices of the uncertainties were obtained directly from the evaluation procedure.
IAEA CIELO Evaluation of Neutron-induced Reactions on 235 U and 238 U Targets
Evaluations of nuclear reaction data for the major uranium isotopes 238 U and 235 U were performed within the scope of the CIELO Project on the initiative of the OECD/NEA Data Bank under Working Party on Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC) Subgroup 40 coordinated by the IAEA Nuclear Data Section. Both the mean values and covariances are evaluated from 10 -5 eV up to 30 MeV. The resonance parameters of 238 U and 235 U were re-evaluated with the addition of newly available data to the existing experimental database. The evaluations in the fast neutron range are based on nuclear model calculations with the code EMPIRE–3.2 Malta above the resonance range up to 30 MeV. 235 U(n,f), 238 U(n,f), and 238 U(n,γ) cross sections and 235 U(n th ,f) prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS) were evaluated within the Neutron Standards project and are representative of the experimental state-of-the-art measurements. The Standards cross sections were matched in model calculations as closely as possible to guarantee a good predictive power for cross sections of competing neutron scattering channels. 235 U(n,γ) cross section includes fluctuations observed in recent experiments. 235 U(n,f) PFNS for incident neutron energies from 500 keV to 20 MeV were measured at Los Alamos Chi-Nu facility and re-evaluated using all available experimental data. While respecting the measured differential data, several compensating errors in previous evaluations were identified and removed so that the performance in integral benchmarks was restored or improved. Covariance matrices for 235 U and 238 U cross sections, angular distributions, spectra and neutron multiplicities were evaluated using the GANDR system that combines experimental data with model uncertainties. Unrecognized systematic uncertainties were considered in the uncertainty quantification for fission and capture cross sections above the thermal range, and for neutron multiplicities. Evaluated files were extensively benchmarked to ensure good performance in reactor calculations and fusion-related systems. New comprehensive evaluations show excellent agreement with available differential data and integral performance better than current evaluated data libraries, and represent a step forward in a quest for better nuclear data for applications.
Validation of tungsten cross sections in the neutron energy region up to 100 keV
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
n+ 235 U resonance parameters and neutron multiplicities in the energy region below 100 eV
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Evaluation of the neutron induced reactions on 235 U from 2.25 keV up to 30 MeV
An evaluation of fast neutron induced reactions on 235 U is performed in the 2.25 keV–30 MeV incident energyrangewiththecodeEMPIRE–3.2Malta,combinedwithselectedexperimentaldata.Thereactionmodelincludes a dispersive optical model potential (RIPL 2408) that couples seven levels of the ground-state rotational band and a triple-humped fission barrier with absorption in the wells described within the optical model for fission. EGSM nuclear level densities are used in Hauser-Feshbach calculations of the compound-nuclear decay. The starting values for the modelparameters are retrievedfrom the RIPL-3 data-base. Excellentagreementis achievedwithavailable experimental data for neutron emission, neutron capture and fission, which gives confidence that the quantities for which there is no experimental information are also predicted accurately. In the fast neutron region of the evaluated file, the fission cross section is taken from Neutron Standards, and neutron capture includes fluctuations observed in recent experiments. Other channels are taken directly from model calculations. New evaluation is validated against ICSBEP criticality benchmarks with fast neutron spectra with excellent results.
Modelling Neutron-induced Reactions on 232–237 U from 10 keV up to 30 MeV
Comprehensive calculations of cross sections for neutron-induced reactions on 232–237 U targets are performed in this paper in the 10 keV–30 MeV incident energy range with the code EMPIRE–3.2 Malta. The advanced modelling and consistent calculation scheme are aimed at improving our knowledge of the neutron scattering and emission cross sections, and to assess the consistency of available evaluated libraries for light uranium isotopes. The reaction model considers a dispersive optical potential (RIPL 2408) that couples from five (even targets) to nine (odd targets) levels of the ground-state rotational band, and a triple-humped fission barrier with absorption in the wells described within the optical model for fission. A modified Lorentzian model (MLO) of the radiative strength function and Enhanced Generalized Superfluid Model nuclear level densities are used in Hauser-Feschbach calculations of the compound-nuclear decay that include width fluctuation corrections. The starting values for the model parameters are retrieved from RIPL. Excellent agreement with available experimental data for neutron emission and fission is achieved, giving confidence that the quantities for which there is no experimental information are also accurately predicted. Finally, deficiencies in existing evaluated libraries are highlighted.
The CIELO collaboration: Progress in international evaluations of neutron reactions on Oxygen, Iron, Uranium and Plutonium
The CIELO collaboration has studied neutron cross sections on nuclides that significantly impact criticality in nuclear technologies - 16O, 56Fe, 235;8U and 239Pu - with the aim of improving the accuracy of the data and resolving previous discrepancies in our understanding. This multi-laboratory pilot project, coordinated via the OECD/NEA Working Party on Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC) Subgroup 40 with support also from the IAEA, has motivated experimental and theoretical work and led to suites of new evaluated libraries that accurately reflect measured data and also perform well in integral simulations of criticality.