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SINBAD ABSTRACT NEA-1517/104

Winfrith Water/Iron Benchmark Experiment (ASPIS-PCA REPLICA)



 1. Name of Experiment:
    ------------------
    Winfrith Water/Iron Benchmark Experiment (PCA Replica)

 2. Purpose and Phenomena Tested:
    ----------------------------
    Determination of neutron spectra and detector reaction rates at different 
    depth in the ASPIS facility in a water/iron shield reproducing the ex-core 
    radial geometry of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR).
    A replica of the Oak Ridge PCA experiment with a highly enriched fission 
    plate in place of the core source. The cross-sectional area of the fission
    plate was identical to that of the PCA source.

 3. Description of the Source and Experimental Configuration:
    --------------------------------------------------------
    The PCA-REPLICA duplicated precisely the Oak Ridge PCA 12/13 configuration
    (12 and 13 cm of water respectively between the core and thermal shield and
    between the thermal shield and the pressure vessel-RPV) with the exception
    that the reactor source was replaced by a thin fission-plate to provide a
    well characterized neutron source. The fission-plate was irradiated by 
    the NESTOR reactor at UKAEA-Winfrith (30 kW max. power) through a graphite
    thermal column of total thickness 43.91 cm, in the ASPIS shielding 
    facility.

    The REPLICA shielding array was arranged in a large steel tank (square 
    section; side 180.0 cm) filled with water and surrounded by a thick 
    concrete shield. After the first water gap (12.1 cm), there was the 
    stainless steel thermal shield (TS) simulator (5.9 cm thick) and the 
    second water gap (12.7 cm). Then the mild steel RPV simulator (thickness 
    T = 22.5 cm) was located and tightly connected with a void box made of a 
    thin layer of aluminium, simulating the cavity  (thickness = 29.58 cm) 
    between the RPV and the biological shield in a real PWR.

 4. Measurement System and Uncertainties:
    ------------------------------------
    The detectors used were:

    Detector        Diameter  Systematic   Random Error
                      (mm)    Error (%)    (1 sigma) (%)
    ----------------------------------------------------

    Mn-55(n,gamma)    12.7       1.5

    Rh-103(n,n')      *          3.0          1-4

    In-115(n,n')      *          2.0        0.9-1.5

    S-32(n,p)         *          4.0        1.3-1.9

    U-235(n,f)        *          1             3

    SP-2 counter     40.0 (internal diam.)

    NE213 Spectr.   spherical,vol=3.5 ml
    ----------------------------------------------------
    * thin foils, can be neglected in the calculations.

    Hydrogen-filled proportional counters with gas fillings of approximately 
    0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 10.0 atmospheres were used in combination to cover the 
    energy range from 50.0 keV to 1.2 MeV. Neutron fluxes between 1.0 and 10.0
    MeV were determined with a NE213 organic liquid scintillator.


 5. Description of Results and Analysis:
    -----------------------------------
    Threshold detectors were located at 10 different positions: in the water
    gaps 1.91, 7.41, 12.41, 14.01, 19.91, 25.41, 30.41 cm from the fission 
    plate (Rh measurements only) and at 1/4 and 3/4 thickness of the RPV 
    and in the void box (Rh, In, S).
    Spectral measurements were performed at two positions: at 1/4 thickness
    of the RPV and in the void box.
    The spectra were unfolded by the RADAK [6] computer code.
    At least 2-D calculational model has been recommended by the authors.
    Monte-Carlo codes McBEND, TRIPOLI and MCNP-5, -6.1 & -X, and 2-D and 3-D discrete
    ordinates transport code DOT-3.5 TORT-3.2 have been used in refs. [1], [3],
    [4], [9], [11], [12], [13] and [14].

 6. Quality Assessment:
    ------------------
    The Water/Iron experiment or PCA-Replica is ranked as a BENCHMARK QUALITY EXPERIMENT.

    For modern nuclear data validation more experimental information would be useful on:
    - set-up of the activation foils
    - rear wall of the ASPIS cave

    For details see QualityAssess.pdf.


 7. Author/Organizer
    ----------------
    Experiment and analysis:
    J. Butler, M.D. Carter, I.J. Curl, M.R. March, A.K. McCracken, M.F. Murphy, 
    A. Packwood
    AEA Technology
    WINFRITH, Dorchester
    Dorset DT2 8DH
    UK 
   
    Compiler of data for Sinbad:
    I. Kodeli
    UKAEA, CCFE, Abingdon, UK (ivan.kodeli at ukaea.uk)
     & IJS, Ljubljana, Slovenia (ivan.kodeli at ijs.si)

    Reviewer of compiled data:
    M. Pescarini
    ENEA, Via Don Fiammelli 2, 40129 Bologna, Italy
    
    Quality assessment:
    A. Milocco, 
    Universita' di Milano-Bicocca, piazza della Scienza 3, Milano, Italy

 8. Availability:
    ------------
    Unrestricted

 9. References:
    ----------
    [1] J. Butler, M.D. Carter, I.J. Curl, M.R. March, A.K. McCracken, M.F.
        Murphy, A. Packwood, The PCA Replica Experiment PART I, Winfrith
        Measurements and Calculations, AEEW-R 1736 (1984)
    [2] J. Butler, The NESTOR Shielding and Dosimetry Improvement Programme
        NESDIP for PWR Applications, PRPWG/P(82)5, Internal UKAEA Document,
        (1982)
    [3] M.D. Carter, I.J. Curl, P.C. Miller, A. Packwood, Light-Water
        Reactor Radial Shield Benchmark Studies of the NESTOR Shielding
        and Dosimetry Improvement Programme (NESDIP), Reactor Dosimetry:
        Methods, Applications, and Standardization, ASTM STP 1001,
        Harry Farrar IV and E.P. Lippincott Editors, ASTM, Philadelphia
    [4] M.J. Grimstone, The RADAK User's Manual, AEEW-M1455 (1976)
    [5] McELROY W. N. (Ed), LWR Pressure Vessel Surveillance Dosimetry
        Improvement Programs: PCA Experiments and Blind Test,
        HEDL-TME 80-87, R5 (NUREG/CR-1861), July 1981
    [6] STALLMANN F. W., Reactor Calculation Benchmark PCA Blind Test Results,
        ORNL/NUREG/TM-428 (NUREG/CR-1872), January 1981
    [7] M.D. Carter, I.J. Curl, NESTOR Shielding and Dosimetry Improvement
        Programme. The ASPIS-PCA Slab Geometry Benchmarks. Blind Test
        Edition. UKAEA Winfrith, June 1986
    [8] P. C. Miller, A Review of LWR Pressure Vessel Dosimetry and Associated
        Shielding Studies, Proceedings, 7th International Conference on Radiation 
        Shielding, Sept. 12-16, 1988, Bournemouth, UK, Vol.1, p.37.
   [9]A) M. Pescarini, DOT 3.5-E (DOT 3.5-E/JEF-1) Analysis of the PCA-Replica
        (H2O/Fe) Shielding Benchmark for the LWR-PV Damage Prediction, 
        ENEA Technical Report, RT/INN/90/21 (1990)
    and,
     B) M. Pescarini, ENDF/B VI Iron Validation on the PCA-Replica (H2O/Fe)
        Shielding Benchmark Experiment, ENEA Technical Report, RT/INN/94/11.
   [10] M. Pescarini, PCA Replica Shielding Benchmark: Final Comparison of the
        Validations of the ENDF/BVI and JEF-2.1 Iron Cross Sections,
        JEF Working Group Meetings, JEF-DOC-392 (1992)
   [11] M. Pescarini, R. Orsi, M. Frisoni, PCA-Replica (H2O/Fe) Neutron Shielding
        Benchmark Experiment – Deterministic Analysis in Cartesian (X,Y,Z) Geometry
        Using the TORT-3.2 3D Transport Code and the BUGJEFF311.BOLIB, BUGENDF70.BOLIB 
        and BUGLE-96 Cross Section Libraries, ENEA-Bologna Technical Report,
        UTFISSM-P9H6-009 (2014).
   [12] P. Console Camprini, K. W. Burn, Calculation of the NEA-SINBAD Experimental
        Benchmark: PCA-Replica, LA-CP-13-00634, ENEA-Bologna Technical Report,
        SICNUC-P000-014 (2017).
   [13] J. C. Nimal, S. H. Zheng, Rapport DMT 94/1616, CEA-Saclay
   [14] A. Milocco, B. Zefran, I. Kodeli. Validation of nuclear data based on the
        ASPIS experimeents from the SINBAD database. V: Proc. RPSD-2018, 20th Topical
        meeting of the radiation protection and shielding division, 26-31 August 2018,
        Santa Fe., American Nuclear Society. 2018.
   [15] A. Milocco, Quality Assessment of SINBAD Evaluated Experiments ASPIS Iron
       (NEA-1517/34), ASPIS Iron-88 (NEA-1517/35), ASPIS Graphite (NEA-1517/36),
       ASPIS Water (NEA-1517/37), ASPIS N/G Water/Steel (NEA-1517/49), ASPIS PCA
       Replica (NEA-1517/75), Dec. 2015.

10. Data and Format:
    ---------------
  
      Filename       Size[bytes]  Content
    ---------------- ----------- -------------
  1 repl-abs.htm         14.921  This information file 
  2 repl-exp.htm         34.855  Description of Experiment 
  3 REPL-1V.TIF          47.024  Fig. 1: NESTOR Neutron Source Reactor (high quality) 
  4 REPL-2V.TIF          35.034  Fig. 2: ASPIS Shielding Facility (high quality) 
  5 REPL-3V.TIF          15.834  Fig. 3: REPLICA Layout of the 12/13 Configuration (high quality) 
  6 REPL-4V.TIF          18.394  Fig. 4: Detail of the REPLICA Fission-plate (high quality) 
  7 REPL-5AV.TIF          9.326  Fig. 5a: Co-ordinate System (high quality) 
  8 REPL-5BV.TIF         80.792  Fig. 5b: Mn Foil Measurements (high quality) 
  9 REPL-6V.TIF          77.104  Fig. 6: Fuel Tablet Arrangement in a Fission Plate Element (high quality) 
 10 REPL-1V.gif          26.090  Fig. 1: NESTOR Neutron Source Reactor (preview) 
 11 REPL-2V.gif          21.736  Fig. 2: ASPIS Shielding Facility (preview) 
 12 REPL-3V.gif          11.126  Fig. 3: REPLICA Layout of the 12/13 Configuration (preview) 
 13 REPL-4V.gif          13.751  Fig. 4: Detail of the REPLICA Fission-plate (preview) 
 14 REPL-5AV.gif          6.860  Fig. 5a: Co-ordinate System (preview) 
 15 REPL-5BV.gif         15.052  Fig. 5b: Mn Foil Measurements (preview) 
 16 REPL-6V.gif          14.212  Fig. 6: Fuel Tablet Arrangement in a Fission Plate Element (preview) 
 17 replica-mcnp61.inp   50.083  Input data for MCNP6.1 calculations (P. Console Camprini/ENEA)
 18 in75.i               27.747  MCNPX(5) input model with In detector (A. Milocco, Uni. Milano-Bicocca)
 19 mn75.i               31.273  MCNPX(5) input model with Mn detector (A. Milocco, Uni. Milano-Bicocca)
 20 rh75.i               31.683  MCNPX(5) input model with Rh detector (A. Milocco, Uni. Milano-Bicocca)
 21 s75.i                29.322  MCNPX(5) input with Sulphur detector (A. Milocco, Uni. Milano-Bicocca)
 22 tripoli4rep_r.inp    24.573  Input for TRIPOLI4 fast neutron calculations (C. Jouanne, CEA)
 24 tripoli4rep_t.inp    27.961  Input for TRIPOLI4 thermal neutron calculations (C. Jouanne, CEA)
 25 tripoli3rep.inp      11.232  Input for TRIPOLI3 calculations (S.H.Zheng, CEA)
 26 replica_tort32.inp   47.159  Input data for TORT-3.2 (X,Y,Z) calculations (M. Pescarini/ENEA)
 27 REPL-XZ.INP          29.728  Input data for DOT-3.5 (X,Z) calculations (M. Pescarini)
 28 REPL-YZ.INP          29.318  Input data for DOT-3.5 (Y-Z) calculations (M. Pescarini)
 29 REPL-Z.INP           25.790  Input data for DOT-3.5 Z calculations (M. Pescarini)
 30 REP_1.pdf         2.708.595  Reference
 31 radak.pdf          1110.016  Reference
 32 ML010400029.pdf   1.365.606  Reference
 33 aspis_0.pdf         608.178  Reference 
 34 REP_3A.pdf        2.665.843  Reference 
 35 REP_3B.pdf        1.392.429  Reference 
 36 JEF_392.pdf       1.307.352  Reference 
 37 UTFISSM-P9H6-009_rev0.pdf  3.719.168  Reference
 38 SICNUC-P000-014.pdf  10.012.472  Reference
 39 REP_9.pdf           659.402  Reference
 40 rpsd18.pdf        4.323.119  Reference
 41 QualityAssess.pdf 6.851.768  Document on quality assessment of ASPIS experiments


    Figures describing the geometry of the experiment are included in 
    TIFF4 image and GIF (preview) format.

     TABLES:
    
    1. Fission Product Activity at Certain Positions in the Fission Plate
    2. Axial Variation of the Mean Fission-Rate Profile 
    3. Source Distribution in the 0.6 cm Thick Fission Plate
    4. Cylindrical Representation of Fission-Source
    5. Dimensions and Materials in PCA-REPLICA
    6. Chemical Analysis of the REPLICA Materials
    7. Investigation of the Al Plate Bowing
    8. Centreline Activation Measurements: Rh-103, In-115, S-32
    9. Fluxes of NE213 Spectrometer 
    10,11. Activation Measurements on Horizontal Axis: Rh-103, S-32
    12. Cosine Fits 
    13. Estimation of NESTOR Background
    14. Activation Measurements on Horizontal Axis: Mn-55
    
SINBAD Benchmark Generation Date: 1995
SINBAD Benchmark Last Update: March 2020