DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR DATA MODULE FOR VERIFY THE CRITICALITY OF VHTR CORE CALCULATION

DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR DATA MODULE FOR VERIFY
THE CRITICALITY OF VHTR CORE CALCULATION

Zuhair, Syafarudin, Ign. Djoko Irianto, Hery Adrial, Maman Mulyaman
Center for Reactor Technology and Nuclear Safety � BATAN
Kompleks Puspiptek Serpong, Tangerang Selatan

ABSTRACT
DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR DATA MODULE FOR VERIFY THE CRITICALITY OF VHTR CORE CALCULATION. A data nuclear module interfacing between the MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle) transport code input and the cross section spectra resulted from experiments or simulations, was developed to support the core criticality calculation of VHTR (very high temperature reactor). The module was equipped by a sub-module converting experimental spectrum into cross section spectrum, and a sub-module of simulation that consists of a package of calculation codes. In the experimental sub-module, all kinematical steps starting from the state of incident particle colliding with atom target until scattering particle is emitted at a certain angle. The simulation sub-module was constructed by embedding the QMD+SDM Quantum Molecular Dynamics + Statistical Decay Model) into the main module. The module was also equipped by a graphical interface for the parameters of TRISO dimensions and the densities of its elements. By this simulation, energy spectra of elastic and inelastic reaction ratio for three major atoms constructing TRISO particle, i.e. C-12, O-16, and Si-32, were obtained. The results show that the lowest elastic ratio is found at the outgoing energy between 3 to 4 MeV, which is identical for those three atoms. This output is expected to become an essential feedback for MCNP calculation theory. However, more intensive studies for other atoms related to this issue are required.

Keywords: MCNP, QMD, SDM, pebble bed, TRISO, VHTR, elastic neutron reaction ratio.
Published: Technical report of Block Grant 2009