Calculation of the VENUS-3 benchmark experiment by response-matrix and Monte Carlo methods

Eric Dorval

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

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    Abstract

    VTT is currently working on the development of the deterministic computer code REMS for reactor dosimetry calculations. The transport solution in REMS is based on a response-matrix formalism, with multi-group responses pre-computed by Serpent 2. In this sense, the Serpent-REMS sequence embodies a two-step approach. Reaction rates for three threshold nuclear reactions were calculated by REMS and compared against measured values in the context of the VENUS-3 benchmark experiment. For the 383 experimental values available, the average and standard deviation of calculated-to-experimental reaction rate ratios were (1.03 ± 0.11). This work also reports on the ongoing validation of the Monte Carlo code Serpent 2 for reactor dosimetry applications. The VENUS-3 benchmark problem was also calculated with Serpent 2. The average reaction rate ratios and standard deviations were (1.02 ± 0.06). Execution times for REMS are considerably lower than those of Serpent 2. Furthermore, parallel scalablitity tests suggest promising prospects for the solution of multi-step irradiation scenarios with REMS. Future work will focus on means of improving the accuracy of the REMS solution by refining the Serpent 2 models used in response-matrix generation, as well as on uncertainty qualification.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number109351
    JournalAnnals of Nuclear Energy
    Volume178
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2022
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Funding

    The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Eric Dorval reports financial support was provided by Finnish National Research Programme on Nuclear Power Plant Safety (SAFIR2022).

    Keywords

    • Benchmark
    • Dosimetry
    • REMS
    • Response matrix
    • Serpent 2
    • VENUS-3

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