Investigation of nuclear data accuracy for the accelerator-driven system with minor actinide fuel

Nishihara, Kenji  ; Sugawara, Takanori  ; Iwamoto, Hiroki   ; Alvarez Velarde, F.*; Rineiski, A.*

Accuracy of nuclear data, especially for minor actinides (MAs), is important in neutronics design of advanced reactors for MA transmutation such as an Accelerator-Driven System (ADS). Authors introduce the results of a benchmark activity in the IAEA CRP that revealed a discrepancy among k-effectives by different nuclear data libraries is as large as 3% even for an initial criticality before burn-up. In order to reduce this uncertainty, Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P) with a significant amount of MA is being proposed in the J-PARC project. An expected reduction of the uncertainty of criticality, void reactivity and Doppler coefficient by the TEF-P was numerically evaluated using the cross-section adjustment procedure based on the JENDL3.3. The uncertainty would be reduced from 1.3% to 0.6% if experimental results of the TEF-P and other past critical experiments were utilized to adjust nuclear data.