Calculation and experimental analysis of benchmark experiments with a fast neutron spectrum and models of sodium and lead cooled fast reactors using different evaluated nuclear data libraries

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of criticality calculations using a Monte-Carlo code with the BNAB-93 and BNAB-RF neutron group constants, as well as with evaluated neutron data files from the Russian ROSFOND evaluated nuclear data library and other evaluated nuclear data libraries (ENDF, JEFF, JENDL) from different years. A set of integral experiments on BFS critical assemblies carried out in different years at the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (60 different critical configurations) was analyzed. The considered integral experiments are included in the database of evaluated experimental neutronic data used to justify the neutronic performance of sodium and lead cooled fast reactors, to verify codes and nuclear data as well as to estimate uncertainties in neutronic parameters due to the nuclear data uncertainties. It has been shown that the ROSFOND evaluated nuclear data library is a library that minimizes the calculation and experimental discrepancies for the considered set of integral experiments. The paper also presents the results of criticality calculations for models of sodium and lead cooled fast reactors based on different evaluated neutron data libraries and provides estimates for the uncertainty in criticality associated with nuclear data.