SEDL / STP / STP1228-EB / STP15125S

Analysis of the Venus Out-Of-Core Activation Measurements Using MCBEND

Blaise, PD
Engineer, Brussels,

de Wouters, RM
Neutronics Group Manager, Tractebel Energy Engineering, Brussels,

Abderrahim, HA
Nuclear reactor physicist, fuel research division, SCK-CEN, Mol,

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1994

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Abstract

The VENUS-1 critical assembly simulates a U02-loaded core and the internal structures from the core baffle to the neutron pad, in a generic 3-loop plant. VENUS-2 contained mixed oxide PuO2 — UO2 fuel pins in the eight outer rows. Several out-of-core threshold activation rates (In-115, Np-237, Zn-64, Al-27, Ni-58, U-238, Rh-103) have been measured at numerous locations in water zones and steel structures. From these measurements, “equivalent fission fluxes” have been established by dividing the activation rates by cross-sections weighted by the U-235 fission spectrum. Calculations of equivalent fission fluxes have been carried out with the Monte Carlo transport programme MCBEND. The average ratio calculation/experiment (C/E) in the core barrel, with 80 dosimeters and 7 types of reactions, is 1.02 ± 0.03 (δ). Further away from the core, the average C/E in the neutron pad from 13 measurements is 1.01 ± 0.08 (δ).