Benchmarking of stainless steel cube neutron leakage in Research Center Rez

Abstract

The integral experiments covering the neutron leakage from geometrically simple assemblies with a 252Cf source inside are very valuable tools usable in validation of transport cross section data, since geometric uncertainties play a much smaller role in simple geometric assemblies than in complex assemblies as for example reactor pressure vessel geometry. Since 252Cf(s.f.) is standard neutron source, the uncertainties connected with the source neutron spectrum can be even neglected. The paper refers on validation efforts of neutron leakage from stainless steel block ~50 x 50 x50 cm in Research Center Rez. Both the neutron leakage flux at a distance of 1 m from the center of the cubical assembly using stilbene spectrometry and the activation rates at different positions of the assembly were evaluated. In addition to experiments, main sources of uncertainty were identified and evaluated. The results of the stilbene measurements are consistent with the activation measurements results.