Theoretical calculation of neutron cross sections for Zr isotopes

Ichihara, Akira 

In JAEA we are in charge of the revision of the Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library, JENDL-4.0. An evaluation activity of the next JENDL project is being carried out for structural materials in nuclear power plants. Zirconium is an important element which is used in the fuel rods and the channel boxes of fuel assemblies in light-water reactors. In this study, we calculated neutron cross sections theoretically in the incident energy range between 0.1 and 20 MeV. In the next JENDL, metastable state production data will be supplemented substantially in order to contribute to the evaluation of radioactivities. By adjusting parameters of nuclear reaction models, we could obtain the metastable state production cross sections which are consistent with the experimental data in the (n,2n) and (n,p) reactions of Zr-90.