Criticality Benchmark Guide for Light-Water Reactor Fuel in Transportation

347 Pages·1997·32.2 MB·English

by  Claire J. Creutzfeldt

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NUREG/CR 6361
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ORNL/TM 13211
Criticality Benchmark Guide for
Light-Water-Reactor Fuel in
Transportation and
Storage Packages
Prepared by
J. J. Lichtenwalter, S. M. Bowman, M. D. DeHart, and C. M. Hopper
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Prepared for
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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%
NUREG/CR 6361
%
ORNL/TM 13211
Criticality Benchmark Guide for
Light-Water-Reactor Fuel in
Transportation and
Storage Packages
Manuscript Completed: December 1996
Date Published: March 1997
Prepared by
J. J. Lichtenwalter,* S. M. Bowman, M. D. DeHart, and C. M. Hopper
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp.
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6370
Prepared for
Spent Fuel Project Office
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001
NRC Job Code B0009

*Appointee of U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory Cooperative Postgraduate Research Training Program at
Oak Ridge National Laboratory administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

ABSTRACT
This report is designed as a guide for performing criticality benchmark calculations for light-water-reactor (LWR)
fuel applications. The guide provides documentation of 180 criticality experiments with geometries, materials, and
neutron interaction characteristics representative of transportation packages containing LWR fuel or uranium oxide
pellets or powder. These experiments should benefit the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and
licensees in validation of computational methods used in LWR fuel storage and transportation concerns. The
experiments are classified by key parameters such as enrichment, water/fuel volume, hydrogen-to-fissile ratio
(H/X), and lattice pitch. Groups of experiments with common features such as separator plates, shielding walls, and
soluble boron are also identified. In addition, a sample validation using these experiments and a statistical analysis
of the results are provided. Recommendations for selecting suitable experiments and determination of calculational
bias and uncertainty are presented as part of this benchmark guide.
iii NUREG/CR-6361

CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT ............................................................................ iii
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES....................................................................... x
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................. xiii
1 Introduction .......................................................................... 1

2 Physical Description of Selected Low-Enriched Critical Experiments ............................... 5
2.1 LWR-Type Fuel Pin Lattice Experiments ................................................. 5
2.1.1 Simple Lattice Experiments ...................................................... 5
2.1.1.1 Simple Lattice Experiments from ANS Transactions, Vol. 33 ...................... 5
2.1.1.2 Simple Lattice Experiments from BAW-1484 .................................. 5
2.1.1.3 Simple Lattice Experiments from EPRI NP-196 ................................ 6
2.1.1.4 Simple Lattice Experiments from NS&E, Vol. 71 ............................... 6
2.1.1.5 Simple Lattice Experiments from PNL-2438 .................................. 6
2.1.1.6 Simple Lattice Experiments from PNL-2827 .................................. 7
2.1.1.7 Simple Lattice Experiments from PNL-3314 .................................. 7
2.1.1.8 Simple Lattice Experiments from PNL-3926 .................................. 7
2.1.1.9 Simple Lattice Experiments from PNL-4267 .................................. 7
2.1.1.10 Simple Lattice Experiments from PNL-4976 .................................. 8
2.1.1.11 Simple Lattice Experiments from WCAP-3269 ................................ 8
2.1.1.12 Simple Lattice Experiments from WCAP-3385 ................................ 9
2.1.2 Separator Plate Experiments ..................................................... 9
2.1.2.1 Separator Plate Experiments from ANS Transactions, Vol. 33 ..................... 9
2.1.2.2 Separator Plate Experiments from BAW-1484 ................................. 9
2.1.2.3 Separator Plate Experiments from BAW-1645 ................................ 10
2.1.2.4 Separator Plate Experiments from DSN No. 399/80 ............................ 10
2.1.2.5 Separator Plate Experiments from PNL-2438 ................................. 11
2.1.2.6 Separator Plate Experiments from PNL-2615 ................................. 11
2.1.2.7 Separator Plate Experiments from PNL-3314 ................................. 11
2.1.2.8 Separator Plate Experiments from PNL-6205 and PNL-7176 ..................... 12
2.1.3 Reflecting Wall Experiments ..................................................... 12
2.1.3.1 Reflecting Wall Experiments from PNL-2827 ................................ 12
2.1.3.2 Reflecting Wall Experiments from PNL-3602 ................................ 13
2.1.3.3 Reflecting Wall Experiments from PNL-3926 ................................ 13
2.1.4 Reflecting Wall-Separator Plate Experiments ........................................ 13
2.1.4.1 Reflecting Wall-Separator Plate Experiments from PNL-3602 .................... 13
2.1.4.2 Reflecting Wall-Separator Plate Experiments from PATRAM’80 .................. 14
2.1.5 Burnable Absorber Fuel Rod Experiments........................................... 14
2.1.6 Water Hole Experiments ........................................................ 14
2.1.6.1 Water Hole Experiments from BAW-1810 ................................... 14
v NUREG/CR-6361
2.1.6.2 Water Hole Experiments from NS&E, Vol. 71 ................................ 15
2.1.6.3 Water Hole Experiments from PNL-3314 .................................... 15
2.1.6.4 Water Hole Experiments from WCAP-3269 .................................. 15
2.1.7 Absorber Rod Experiments ...................................................... 16
2.1.7.1 Absorber Rod Experiments from BAW-1484 ................................. 16
2.1.7.2 Absorber Rod Experiments from BAW-1810 ................................. 16
2.1.7.3 Absorber Rod Experiments from WCAP-3269 ................................ 16
2.1.8 Soluble Boron Experiments ...................................................... 17
2.1.8.1 Soluble Boron Experiments from BAW-1231 ................................. 17
2.1.8.2 Soluble Boron Experiments from BAW-1273 ................................. 17
2.1.8.3 Soluble Boron Experiments from BAW-1484 ................................. 18
2.1.8.4 Soluble Boron Experiments from EPRI NP-196 ............................... 18
2.1.8.5 Soluble Boron Experiments from PNL-4267 ................................. 18
2.2 Homogeneous Uranium ............................................................. 19
2.2.1 Homogenized Uranium in Paraffin ................................................ 19
2.2.2 Damp Uranium Oxide Experiments ................................................ 19
3 Validation of the SCALE 44-Group ENDF/B-V Library with the LWR Critical Experiments ........... 139
3.1 Description of the SCALE Code System ............................................... 139
3.2 Modeling and Calculational Techniques ................................................ 140
3.2.1 Fuel Region Modeling ........................................................ 140
3.2.2 KENO V.a Parameter Data .................................................... 140
3.3 Calculational Results Overview ...................................................... 141
3.4 Results for LWR Fuel Pin Lattices .................................................... 141
3.4.1 Simple Lattices .............................................................. 142
3.4.2 Lattices and Separator Plates Only ............................................... 142
3.4.3 Lattices and Reflecting Walls Only ............................................... 142
3.4.4 Lattices with Separator Plates and Reflecting Walls .................................. 142
3.4.5 Lattices with Urania Gadolinia Rods .............................................. 142
3.4.6 Lattices with Water Holes ...................................................... 143
3.4.7 Lattices with B C or Ag-In-Cd Absorber Rods ...................................... 143
4
3.4.8 Simple Lattices with Soluble Boron .............................................. 143
3.5 Results for Homogeneous Uranium Systems ............................................. 143
3.5.1 Homogeneous UF in Paraffin ................................................... 143
4
3.5.2 Damp Oxide ................................................................ 143
4 Determination of Bias and Subcritical Limits ............................................... 157
4.1 Establishment of an Upper Subcritical Limit ............................................ 157
4.1.1 USL Method 1: Confidence Band with Administrative Margin........................... 158
4.1.2 USL Method 2: Single-Sided Uniform Width Closed Interval Approach.................... 160
4.1.3 Application of Upper Subcritical Limit Methods ..................................... 162
5 Guidelines for Experiment Selection and Areas of Applicability ................................. 179
5.1 Guidelines for Selecting Suitable Experiments ........................................... 179
5.2 Parameterization of Validation Experiments ............................................. 180
6 Summary.......................................................................... 183
7 References ......................................................................... 185
NUREG/CR-6361 vi
Appendix A. SCALE Input File Listings ..................................................... 189
Appendix B. Comparison of 44- and 238-Group Results ......................................... 315
Appendix C. User’s Manual for USLSTATS V1.0 .............................................. 319
C.1 Introduction............................................................. 319
C.2 Background ............................................................. 319
C.3 Input Description......................................................... 319
C.4 Output Description ....................................................... 322
C.5 How to Run USLSTATS ................................................... 322
C.6 How to Obtain USLSTATS ................................................. 322
YLL NUREG/CR-6361
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1.1 Summary of available LWR critical experiments ............................................. 2
2.1 Case descriptions of LWR-type UO fuel pin lattice critical benchmark experiments ................. 20
2
2.2 Properties of fuel rods from ANS Transactions, Vol. 33 ...................................... 26
2.3 Critical data for simple lattice experiment ANS33SLG ....................................... 26
2.4 Properties of fuel rods from BAW-1484 .................................................. 27
2.5 Critical data for simple lattice experiment BW1484SL from BAW-1484 ......................... 27
2.6 Critical data for simple lattice experiments from EPRI NP-196 ................................. 28
2.7 Critical data for simple lattice experiments from NS&E, Vol. 71 ................................ 28
2.8 Critical data for simple lattice experiment P2438SLG from PNL-2438 ........................... 29
2.9 Critical data for simple lattice experiment P2827SLG fromPNL-2827 ........................... 29
2.10 Critical data for simple lattice experiment P3314SLG from PNL-3314 ........................... 29
2.11 Critical data for simple lattice experiments from PNL-3926 ................................... 30
2.12 Critical data for simple lattice experiments from PNL-4267 ................................... 30
2.13 Critical data for simple lattice experiment P49-194 from PNL-4976 ............................. 30
2.14 Properties of fuel rods from WCAP-3269 ................................................. 31
2.15 Critical data for simple lattice experiment from WCAP-3269 .................................. 31
2.16 Properties of fuel rods from WCAP-3385 ................................................. 32
2.17 Critical data for simple lattice experiment from WCAP-3385 .................................. 32
2.18 Critical Data for separator plate experiments from ANS Transactions, Vol. 33 ..................... 33
2.19 Critical data for separator plate experiments from BAW-1484 ................................. 34
2.20 Critical data for separator plate experiments from BAW-1645 ................................. 35
2.21 Critical data for separator plate experiments from DSN No. 399/80 ............................. 36
2.22 Description of separator plates from PNL-2438 ............................................ 37
2.23 Critical data for separator plate experiments from PNL-2438 .................................. 38
2.24 Critical data for separator plate experiments from PNL-2615 .................................. 39
2.25 Criticality data for separator plate experiments from PNL-3314 ................................ 40
2.26 Description of Boral separator plates in experiments from PNL-6205 and PNL-7167 ................ 41
2.27 Critical data for separator plate experiments from PNL-6205 and PNL-7167 ...................... 42
2.28 Modeled assemblies of separator plate experiments from PNL-6205 and PNL-7167 ................. 43
2.29 Critical data for reflecting wall experiments from PNL-2827 ................................... 44
2.30 Critical data for reflecting wall experiments from PNL-3602 ................................... 45
2.31 Critical data for reflecting wall experiments from PNL-3926 ................................... 46
2.32 Critical data for reflecting wall-separator plate experiments from PNL-3602 ....................... 47
2.33 Critical data for reflecting wall-separator plate experiments from PATRAM’80 ..................... 48
2.34 Physical properties of UO fuel rods from BAW-1810 ....................................... 49
2
2.35 Physical properties of UO Gd O fuel rods from BAW-1810 ................................... 49
2 2 3
2.36 Critical data for UO -Gd O rod experiments from BAW-1810 ................................. 50
2 2 3
2.37 Critical data for water hole experiments from BAW-1810 ..................................... 51
2.38 Critical data for NSE71W1 and NSE71W2 water hole experiments ............................. 52
2.39 Critical data for water hole experiments from PNL-3314 ...................................... 53
2.40 Critical data for water hole experiments from WCAP-3269 .................................... 53
2.41 Properties of B C absorber rods from BAW-1484 ........................................... 53
4
2.42 Critical data for B C absorber rod experiments from BAW-1484 ............................... 54
4
2.43 Properties of Ag-In-Cd absorber rods from BAW-1810 ....................................... 55
2.44 Critical data for absorber rod experiments from BAW-1810 ................................... 56
NUREG/CR-6361 YLLL