CANDU Lattice Uncertainties During Burnup

Abstract

Uncertainties associated with fundamental nuclear data accompany evaluated nuclear data libraries in the form of covariance matrices. As nuclear data are important parameters in reactor physics calculations, any associated uncertainty causes a loss of confidence in the calculation results. The quantification of output uncertainties is necessary to adequately establish safety margins of nuclear facilities. In this work, microscopic cross-section has been propagated through lattice burnup calculations applied to a generic CANDU® model. It was found that substantial uncertainty emerges during burnup even when fission yield fraction and decay rate uncertainties are neglected.