A benchmark on the calculation of kinetic parameters based on reactivity effect experiments in the CROCUS reactor

Paratte, J.M.; FRÜH, René; Kasemeyer, U.; Kalugin, M. A.; Timm, W.; Chawla, R.

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2005.09.012

Cited by 35 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…It is composed of two interlocked fuel zones, with oxide uranium enriched at 1.806% in the inner zone and metal uranium enriched at 0.947% at the periphery. The maximum authorized power is 100 W. More information on CROCUS is available in [8,9].…”

Section: Description Of the Experimental Setup 21 Description Of Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Uncertainty propagation for the design study of the PETALE experimental programme in the CROCUS reactor

Laureau

Lamirand

Rochman

et al. 2020

EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol.

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The PETALE experimental programme in the CROCUS reactor intends to provide integral measurements to constrain stainless steel nuclear data. This article presents the tools and the methodology developed to design and optimize the experiments, and its operating principle. Two acceleration techniques have been implemented in the Serpent2 code to perform a Total Monte Carlo uncertainty propagation using variance reduction and correlated sampling technique. Their application to the estimation of the expected reaction rates in dosimeters is also discussed, together with the estimation of the impact of the nuisance parameters of aluminium used in the experiment structures. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ,

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Section: Description Of the Experimental Setup 21 Description Of Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Uncertainty propagation for the design study of the PETALE experimental programme in the CROCUS reactor

Laureau

Lamirand

Rochman

et al. 2020

EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol.

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“…A complete description of the reference core of CROCUS is available in the International Reactor Physics Experiments Handbook (IRPhE) [26], [27]. The reactor has been licensed for operating at a maximum power of 100 W, i.e.…”

Section: A the Crocus Reactormentioning

confidence: 99%

Power calibration methodology at the CROCUS reactor

et al. 2020

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In the present article, we detail the method used to experimentally determine the power of the CROCUS zero-power reactor, and to subsequently calibrate its ex-core monitor fission chambers. Knowledge of the reactor power is a mandatory quantity for a safe operation. Furthermore, most experimental research programs rely on absolute fission rates in design and interpretation – for instance, tally normalization of reaction rate studies in dosimetry, or normalization of power spectral density in neutron noise measurements. The minimization of associated uncertainties is only achieved by an accurate power determination method. The main experiment consists in the irradiation, and therefore, the activation of several axially distributed Au-197 foils in the central axis of the core, which activities are measured with a High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometer. The effective cross sections are determined by MCNP and Serpent Monte Carlo simulations. We quantify the reaction rate of each gold foil, and derive the corresponding fission rate in the reactor. The variance weighted average over the distributed foils then provides a calibration factor for the count rates measured in the fission chambers during the irradiation. We detail the calibration process with minimization of respective uncertainties arising from each sub-step, from power control after reactivity insertion, to the calibration of the HPGe gamma spectrometer. Biases arising from different nuclear data choices are also discussed.

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“…These values then contribute to code validation and nuclear database efforts. The kinetic parameters of the CROCUS zero power reactor core have been successfully determined using reactivity change [1] and non-invasive neutron noise measurements with the Feynman-α and auto and cross power spectral density (APSD/CPSD) methods [2,3]. The measurement station was also successfully used in the MINERVE zero power facility [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current Mode Neutron Noise Measurements in the Zero Power Reactor CROCUS

Pakari

Lamirand²,

Perret

et al. 2018

EPJ Web Conf.

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Abstract-The present article is an overview of developments and results regarding neutron noise measurements in current mode at the CROCUS zero power facility. Neutron noise measurements offer a non-invasive method to determine kinetic reactor parameters such as the prompt decay constant at criticality α = βeff / Λ, the effective delayed neutron fraction βeff, and the mean generation time Λ for code validation efforts. At higher detection rates, i.e. above 2×10 4 cps in the used configuration at 0.1 W, the previously employed pulse charge amplification electronics with BF3 detectors yielded erroneous results due to dead time effects. Future experimental needs call for higher sensitivity in detectors, higher detection rates or higher reactor powers, and thus a generally more versatile measurement system. We, therefore, explored detectors operated with current mode acquisition electronics to accommodate the need. We approached the matter in two ways: 1) By using the two compensated , also within 1σ agreement. The improvements to previous neutron noise measurements include shorter measurement durations that can achieve comparable statistical uncertainties and measurements at higher detection rates.

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A benchmark on the calculation of kinetic parameters based on reactivity effect experiments in the CROCUS reactor

Cited by 35 publications

References 2 publications

Uncertainty propagation for the design study of the PETALE experimental programme in the CROCUS reactor

Uncertainty propagation for the design study of the PETALE experimental programme in the CROCUS reactor

Power calibration methodology at the CROCUS reactor

Current Mode Neutron Noise Measurements in the Zero Power Reactor CROCUS

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