Validation of deterministic code OpenNTP for the analysis of the C5G7-1D benchmark with different configurations.

This study was conducted with the aim of verifying that the OpenNTP (Open Neutron Transport Package) code is capable of reproducing high-performance and exact calculation results. Therefore, a thorough analysis of the One-dimensional C5G7 benchmark with different configuration of control rods was performed. This benchmark was chosen because of its strong heterogeneity. For the modelling of the pin cell geometry, different sets of spatial meshes are used to study the sensitivity of the multiplication factors on the spatial and angular discretization. In addition, the influence of the control rods has been studied by analysing the scalar fluxes, the power in each pin cell and the power of the assemblies. It was found that assembly power distribution errors were significant for the Unrodded case of the C5G7 benchmark. The calculation results in the present paper have a good agreement with the reference values, which demonstrates that the OpenNTP code can solve neutronics problems accurately.

First principles calculation for generating new thermal neutron scattering data for Zirconium hydride.

Lattice parameters of materials have the same magnitude as the energy of thermal neutrons in reactors, which directly affects the neutron cross section and its energy. While they are thermalized, incident neutrons can lose or gain energy during their interactions with materials components. Since several decades, methods and models were developed in the aim to generate nuclear data sub-libraries required in correcting neutrons interactions cross sections at thermal energies. However, very few experimental works were dedicated to this field. In this paper we focus our efforts on reviewing the theoretical models and their adequacy in describing thermal scattering events in the aim of proposing new formalisms to calculate the density of states (DOS) and phonon responses of zirconium hydride material, which constitutes an important moderator of neutrons in TRIGA reactors fuel elements. Generally the effects of thermal scattering are provided in nuclear data evaluations by a thermal sub-library ENDF file 7. Data in file 7 are described by the known thermal scattering law S(α,ß) which is a function of momentum transfer and energy transfer parameters α and ß respectively. The thermal scattering law has been used to calculate the double differential cross sections and the corresponding results are presented. Although the comparison with other models shows satisfactory results, no previously personalized use of data may be the raison of its usefulness in some cases and not in others.

The discrete ordinate method for angular flux calculations in slab geometry.

In many deterministic methods, concerning the resolution of the neutron transport equation, a more global and practical representation of the angular flux is needed to provide us with useful and complete information on the neutron population in a reactor core. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reference quality calculation for the angular flux. The discrete ordinate method (S N ) is processed with a new matrix form which is used to model an isotropic and anisotropic multiplicative system in a region, multi-region for one energy group in a cartesian geometry. The obtained results are compared to those obtained by MCNP6 code.

Modeling and simulation of a TRIGA MARK-II research reactor using WIMSD-5B and CITATION codes.

The main objective of this study is to analyse neutronic safety parameters of the Moroccan TRIGA Mark-II research reactor using the WIMSD-5B and CITATION computer codes. New 172-group libraries of multi-group constants for the lattice code WIMSD-5B have been generated for all isotopes presented in the TRIGA reactor core by processing nuclear data from ENDFB-VII.1, JENDL-4.0 and JEFF-3.1.1 using NJOY99. The lattice code WIMSD-5B was employed to generate multi-group cross sections in the suitable format that will be used by the 3-dimensional diffusion code CITATION. This later was used to calculate various neutronic safety parameters of the TRIGA Mark-II research reactor, such as reactivity excess and neutron fluxes profiles. The results of these calculations are compared to the results of Monte Carlo calculation based on MCNP code. A good agreement is achieved and the current computation scheme will be adopted for our further coupling neutronic/thermal-hydraulic study of the Moroccan TRIGA reactor.

NTP-ERSN: A new package for solving the multigroup neutron transport equation in a slab geometry.

The package, called NTP-ERSN (N eutron T ransport P ackage from the R adiations and N uclear S ystems G roup), is an open-source code written in FORTRAN90 for a pedagogical purpose to solve the steady-state multigroup neutron transport equation. This package is based on three classical methods, namely the collision probability (CP) method, the discrete ordinates (SN) method and the method of characteristics (MOC). These methods are employed to obtain scalar and angular flux distributions in homogeneous and heterogeneous slab geometry with isotropic and anisotropic scattering. The source code algorithms are very simple to be comprehensive by engineering students. In addition, NTP-ERSN is a simple framework to add and test new algorithms. On the other hand, a graphical user interface written in Python programing language has been developed to simplify the use of NTP-ERSN. Numerical results are given to illustrate the NTP-ERSN code's accuracy. Finally, the present software can be useful as an academic tool for teaching reactor physics. It is freely available for download on GitHub (https://github.com/mohamedlahdour/NTP-ERSN).