Monte Carlo Simulations of Nuclear Fuel Burnup

Monte Carlo Calculations Applied to SLOWPOKE Full-Reactor Analysis

AECL Nuclear Review ◽

10.12943/anr.2012.00017 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 43-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

T.S. Nguyen ◽

G.B. Wilkin ◽

J.E. Atfield

Keyword(s):

Experimental Data ◽

Monte Carlo ◽

Monte Carlo Simulations ◽

Third Party ◽

Fuel Burnup ◽

Mcnp Code ◽

Monte Carlo Calculations ◽

Transport Calculation ◽

Enriched Uranium ◽

Good Agreement

Monte Carlo simulations are applied to the full-reactor analysis of the SLOWPOKE design. The temperature reactivity feedback calculated by using the MCNP code for either the high enriched uranium (HEU) or low enriched uranium (LEU) core is in good agreement with the experimental data, with a k-eff bias of +3.3 mk for a HEU core and +6 mk for a LEU core. Two methods that are based on existing third-party codes have been developed for use in core following: 1) MCNP (for the transport calculation) in conjunction with WIMS-AECL (for fuel burnup advancement), and 2) SERPENT (that combines both transport and burnup capabilities). Both methods show very good agreement with the experimental data for core excess reactivity and detailed power distributions versus burnup and reactivity shim.

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Low-voltage EDS of magnesium ferrite Dendrites in a FEG-SEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100164854 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 478-479

Author(s):

Matthew T. Johnson ◽

Ian M. Anderson ◽

Jim Bentley ◽

C. Barry Carter

Keyword(s):

Monte Carlo ◽

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Monte Carlo Simulations ◽

Cross Section ◽

Spatial Resolution ◽

Low Voltage ◽

Magnesium Ferrite ◽

X Ray ◽

Interaction Volume ◽

Ferrite Spinel

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) performed at low (≤ 5 kV) accelerating voltages in the SEM has the potential for providing quantitative microanalytical information with a spatial resolution of ∼100 nm. In the present work, EDS analyses were performed on magnesium ferrite spinel [(MgxFe1−x)Fe2O4] dendrites embedded in a MgO matrix, as shown in Fig. 1. spatial resolution of X-ray microanalysis at conventional accelerating voltages is insufficient for the quantitative analysis of these dendrites, which have widths of the order of a few hundred nanometers, without deconvolution of contributions from the MgO matrix. However, Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the interaction volume for MgFe2O4 is ∼150 nm at 3 kV accelerating voltage and therefore sufficient to analyze the dendrites without matrix contributions.Single-crystal {001}-oriented MgO was reacted with hematite (Fe2O3) powder for 6 h at 1450°C in air and furnace cooled. The specimen was then cleaved to expose a clean cross-section suitable for microanalysis.

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