Assessment of the 153Eu and 154Eu neutron capture cross sections from the integral data assimilation of used nuclear fuel experiments. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rizzo, Axel; Vaglio-Gaudard, Claire; Noguere, Gilles; Eschbach, Romain; Martin, Julie-Fiona; Grassi, Gabriele
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 124(2019)
• Page Start: 524
• Page End: 532
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: Nuclear data -- DARWIN2.3 -- CONRAD -- Integral data assimilation -- 153Eu -- 154Eu -- Capture cross section; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2018.09.035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Highlights: Our study suggests an increase of both 153-4 Eu(n, γ) of +4.9% and +7.1% respectively. Our work also indicates an underestimation of 153 Eu capture resonance integral. These trends significantly improve fuel inventory depletion calculations. Results are consistent with data from the literature. Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to make the most of a large set of used nuclear fuel experiments for determining integral trends on the 153 Eu(n, γ) and 154 Eu(n, γ) reactions cross sections. The assimilation of the integral trends is based on a linear least-square fitting procedure relying on the Bayes' theorem. Realistic uncertainties are obtained thanks to a marginalization technique. The method is applied to the 153 Eu and 154 Eu capture cross sections recommended in the evaluated nuclear data library JEFF-3.1.1. Our results indicate an underestimation of both capture cross-sections of approximately 4.9% and 7.1%, respectively. For 153 Eu, our study suggests to increase the capture resonance integral from I0 = 1409 barns to I0 = 1502 ± 68 barns. This trend is consistent with the capture resonance integral I0 = 1560 ± 4 barns obtained from recent time-of-flight measurements carried out at the Renssealer Polytechnic Institute. The trend obtained in this work on 154 Eu capture cross section is also consistent with a recent analysis that confirms its underestimation.