The SCALE/AMPX multigroup cross section processing for fast reactor analysis

Kang Seog Kim, Mark L. Williams, Andrew M. Holcomb, Dorothea Wiarda, Byoung Kyu Jeon, Won Sik Yang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

The SCALE/AMPX multigroup (MG) cross section processing procedure has been updated to minimize reactivity differences for fast reactor designs and boiling water reactors (BWRs) with very high void fractions to provide excellent agreement with continuous-energy reference calculations. SCALE MG calculations are widely applied to thermal spectrum light-water reactor (LWR) systems as well as fast spectrum metallic systems of interest to National Nuclear Security Administration. With growing interest from industry and regulators in applying SCALE for the design of fast spectrum reactors, both sodium and molten salt, and in the licensing of power up rates for BWRs, it is desirable to review the SCALE/AMPX procedure for unresolved resonance self-shielded data and high energy neutron spectra. The data were improved by generating MG unresolved resonance data based on the analytic probability table method with the narrow resonance approximation as well as the use of a very fine group structure typically used in fast system analysis. This study focused on verifying the probability table and the SCALE/AMPX MG cross section processing procedure by performing reaction rate analysis and benchmark calculations for various fast reactor and high void BWR systems. Results indicate that the improved SCALE/AMPX MG cross section processing provides excellent results for the fast reactor analysis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)161-171
Number of pages11
JournalAnnals of Nuclear Energy
Volume132
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2019

Funding

This research was supported by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Research.

Keywords

  • Cross section
  • Fast reactor
  • SCALE/AMPX
  • Unresolved probability table

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