Flux-Wire Measurements and Fuel Burn-Up Estimate Comparisons With Simulations for Core-Follow Calculations at Mnr Reactor

Abstract

This work is part of ongoing development activities at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor for a core-follow/reload model set using the OSCAR-4/Serpent-2 codes. Work is being done in collaboration with NECSA staff. At the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, as part of each fuel cycle, a flux wire measurement is performed to provide empirical data for fuel assembly depletion estimates. Comparisons of codes and measurements are presented. Serpent-2 and OSCAR-4 codes were applied in this comparisons. The comparisons were made over number of operational fuel cycles from 2007-2010. The results from OSCAR-4 were found to have the keff for one week of a half-hour simulation within 0.994 to 0.998. Additionally, the codes to measurement flux-wire was found 10-18%. Moreover, the differences against estimated fuel burn-up, from the measurement, were found to be diverged in every cycle due to the neglecting of Pu-239 in the measurement which can also bring energy in the LEU fuel.