Fast reactor 3D core and burnup analysis using VESTA

Burnup analyses using the VESTA code have been performed on a MOX-fuelled fast reactor model as specified by an IAEA computational benchmark. VESTA is a relatively new code that has been used for burnup credit calculations and thermal reactor models, but not typically for fast reactor applications. The detailed input and results of the IAEA benchmark provides an opportunity to gauge the use of VESTA in a fast reactor application. VESTA employs an ultra-fine multi-group binning approach that accelerates Monte Carlo burnup calculations. Using VESTA to compute the end of cycle (EOC) power fractions by enrichment zone showed agreement with the published values within 5%. When comparing the ultra-fine multi-group binning approach to the tally-based approach, EOC isotopic masses also agree within 5%. Using the ultra-fine multi-group binning approach, we obtain a wall-time speedup factor of 35 when compared to the tally-based approach for computing a k_eff eigenvalue with burnup problem. The authors conclude the use of VESTA's ultra-fine multi-group binning approach with Monte Carlo transport performs accurate depletion calculations for this fast reactor benchmark.