Comparison of XSUSA and "two-step" approaches for full-core uncertainty quantification

While there are multiple sources of error that are introduced into the standard computational regime for simulating reactor cores, rigorous uncertainty analysis methods are available primarily for quantifying the effects of cross section uncertainties. Two methods for propagating cross section uncertainties through core simulators are the XSUSA statistical approach and the "Two-Step" method. The XSUSA approach, which is based on the SUSA code package, is fundamentally a stochastic sampling method. Alternatively, the Two-Step method utilizes generalized perturbation theory in the first step and stochastic sampling in the second step. The consistency of these two methods in quantifying uncertainties in the multiplication factor and in the core power distribution will be examined in the framework of phase 1-3 of the UAM Benchmark. Using the TMI core as a base model for analysis, the XSUSA and Two-Step methods are applied with certain limitations and the results are compared to those produced by other stochastic sampling-based codes. Based on the uncertainty analysis results, conclusions are made for which method is currently a more viable option for computing uncertainties in burnup and transient calculations.