Title: Criticality benchmark of VVER-1000 fresh fuel assembly with MCNP

Authors: S.M. Shauddin; M.S. Mahmood; M.J.H. Khan

Addresses: Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology - INST, Atomic Energy Research Establishment - AERE, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh ' Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology - INST, Atomic Energy Research Establishment - AERE, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh ' Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology - INST, Atomic Energy Research Establishment - AERE, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh

Abstract: IAEA benchmark problem for VVER-1000 reactor fresh fuel assemblies has been evaluated through Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Infinite multiplication factor (k_∞) values are calculated for different hexagonal fuel assemblies with 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 3.22 wt% and 3.3 wt% enriched U-235. MC simulations have been performed with the computer code MCNP at different temperatures 120°C, 278°C, 280°C, 302°C and 305°C for three different conditions: (i) 0 ppm soluble boron concentration, (ii) 1000 ppm soluble boron concentration, and (iii) full insertion of control rod clusters (absorber material, B₄C) without boron in the moderator. The results are in good agreement with the deterministic calculations as reported in IAEA-TECDOC-847.

Keywords: criticality benchmark; ENDF/B-VII; evaluated nuclear data file version B-7; MCNP5; VVER-1000; water energetic reactor model 1000.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2017.085775

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2017 Vol.11 No.2, pp.175 - 182

Received: 04 Apr 2017
Accepted: 14 Jun 2017
Published online: 12 Aug 2017 *

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