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Reactor Fuel Isotopics and Code Validation for Nuclear Applications

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Reactor Fuel Isotopics and Code Validation for Nuclear Applications ORNL/TM-2014/464 Reactor Fuel Isotopics and Code Validation for Nuclear Applications Matthew W. Francis Charles F. Weber Marco T. Pigni Approved for public release; Ian C. Gauld distribution is unlimited. September 2014 DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY Reports produced after January 1, 1996, are generally available free via US Department of Energy (DOE) SciTech Connect. Website http://www.osti.gov/scitech/ Reports produced before January 1, 1996, may be purchased by members of the public from the following source: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone 703-605-6000 (1-800-553-6847) TDD 703-487-4639 Fax 703-605-6900 E-mail [email protected] Website http://www.ntis.gov/help/ordermethods.aspx Reports are available to DOE employees, DOE contractors, Energy Technology Data Exchange representatives, and International Nuclear Information System representatives from the following source: Office of Scientific and Technical Information PO Box 62 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Telephone 865-576-8401 Fax 865-576-5728 E-mail [email protected] Website http://www.osti.gov/contact.html This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. ORNL/TM-2014/464 Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division REACTOR FUEL ISOTOPICS AND CODE VALIDATION FOR NUCLEAR APPLICATIONS Matthew W. Francis Charles F. Weber Marco T. Pigni Ian C. Gauld Date Published: September 2014 Prepared by OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6283 managed by UT-BATTELLE, LLC for the US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... ix ACRONYMS AND UNITS ........................................................................................................................ xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................................... xiii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................ xv 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 OVERVIEW OF REPORT ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PRIMARY SOURCES OF DATA ............................................................................................. 1 1.3 STANDARDIZATION OF FIGURES ....................................................................................... 2 1.4 GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE DATA ................................................................................. 3 2. REACTOR OVERVIEWS ................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 ISOTOPIC PRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 5 2.2 LIGHT WATER MODERATED REACTORS .......................................................................... 6 2.3 HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS ........................................................................ 7 2.4 GRAPHITE-MODERATED REACTORS ................................................................................. 7 3. ACTINIDES ......................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 OVERVIEW OF ACTINIDE PRODUCTION ........................................................................... 9 3.2 URANIUM ISOTOPES .............................................................................................................. 9 3.3 NEPTUNIUM ISOTOPES ....................................................................................................... 15 3.4 PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES ....................................................................................................... 15 3.5 AMERICIUM ISOTOPES ........................................................................................................ 22 3.6 CURIUM ISOTOPES ............................................................................................................... 24 3.7 MODEL VALIDATION OF ACTINIDES .............................................................................. 28 4. FISSION PRODUCT NOBLE GASES .............................................................................................. 33 4.1 OVERVIEW OF FISSION PRODUCT NOBLE GAS PRODUCTION .................................. 33 4.2 MODERN FISSION YIELD INCONSISTENCIES ................................................................ 35 4.3 XENON ISOTOPES ................................................................................................................. 43 4.4 KRYPTON ISOTOPES ............................................................................................................ 46 5. STABLE FISSON PRODUCTS ......................................................................................................... 49 5.1 OVERVIEW OF STABLE FISSION PRODUCT PRODUCTION ......................................... 49 5.2 NEODYMIUM ISOTOPES ...................................................................................................... 50 5.3 SAMARIUM ISOTOPES ......................................................................................................... 54 5.4 LIGHT STABLE FISSION PRODUCTS ................................................................................. 58 5.5 HEAVY STABLE FISSION PRODUCTS ............................................................................... 60 5.6 MODEL VALIDATION OF STABLE FISSION PRODUCTS ............................................... 62 6. RADIOACTIVE FISSION PRODUCTS ........................................................................................... 65 6.1 OVERVIEW OF RADIOACTIVE FISSION PRODUCT PRODUCTION ............................. 65 6.2 ISOTOPES WITH HALF-LIVES SHORTER THAN TWO YEARS ..................................... 66 6.3 ISOTOPES WITH HALF-LIVES BETWEEN TWO AND TEN YEARS .............................. 68 6.4 ISOTOPES WITH HALF-LIVES BETWEEN TEN AND ONE HUNDRED YEARS .......... 72 6.5 ISOTOPES WITH HALF-LIVES GREATER THAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS ................. 74 6.6 MODEL VALIDATION OF RADIOACTIVE FISSION PRODUCTS .................................. 76 7. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................... 79 8. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................... 81 APPENDIX A. CORRECTING FISSION YIELD INCONSISTENCIES ............................................... A-1 A.1 FORMALIZED FISSION YIELD DEFINITIONS ................................................................. A-3 A.2 CORRECTION UTILIZING A BAYESIAN METHOD ........................................................ A-5 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Normalized flux as a function of energy for different moderators. .......................................................... 6 2. Relative fission rates for four primary fissionable isotopes for a generic PWR with 4wt% U-235....... 10 3. Relative fission rates for four primary fissionable isotopes for a generic CANDU with natural uranium. .............................................................................................................................................. 10 4. Buildup of actinides in irradiated reactor fuel. ........................................................................................ 11 5. U-232 concentration as a function of burnup. ......................................................................................... 12 6. U-234 concentration as a function of burnup. ......................................................................................... 12 7. U-235 concentration as a function of burnup. ......................................................................................... 13 8. U-236 concentration as a function of burnup. ......................................................................................... 14 9. U-238 concentration as a function of burnup. ......................................................................................... 14 10. Np-237 concentration as a function of burnup. ....................................................................................
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