SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 14 December 2018
STP160820170044

A Case Study into the Effect of Excess Reactivity on the Results of Dosimetry Calculations Performed with Fixed Source Codes

Source

This paper describes a case study investigating the effects of simplifications in a Monte Carlo fixed-source supercell model used to predict the graphite nuclear heating contribution made by an inserted gray control rod in the Dungeness B Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor. These simplifications are known to produce excess reactivity in similar calculations with neutron multiplication included. The investigation compared the results of a series of calculations performed on two-dimensional supercells using fixed-source (MCBEND), reactor physics (WIMS), and criticality (MONK) codes. The effects of actions to reduce the reactivity of the model to a k of unity have been investigated, including increased leakage, reduced enrichment, and increased burn-up. The results have been compared to assess the consistency of three codes in addressing the issue of excess reactivity and to assess the suitability of the original nuclear heating calculations. The importance of core modeling when applying fixed source solutions to in-core dosimetry problems is discussed.

Author Information

Powney, David, J.
Amec Foster Wheeler, Dorchester, GB
Wright, George, A.
Amec Foster Wheeler, Dorchester, GB
Thornton, Dean, A.
Amec Foster Wheeler, Gloucester, GB
Shaw, Simon, E.
Nuclear Technology Branch, EDF Energy Generation Ltd, Nuclear Technology Branch, Gloucester, GB
Bryce, Paul
Nuclear Technology Branch, EDF Energy Generation Ltd, Nuclear Technology Branch, Gloucester, GB
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Details
Developed by Committee: E10
Pages: 484–495
DOI: 10.1520/STP160820170044
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7662-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7661-4