Aluminium fast neutron leakage spectrum validation

TL;DR

This study validates aluminum neutron transport libraries by comparing experimental fast neutron spectra and activation reactions with MCNP6.2 simulations across different libraries, highlighting areas of agreement and discrepancy.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive validation of aluminum neutron transport libraries using experimental data and multiple nuclear data libraries, which was previously lacking.

Findings

Most activation reactions matched simulations well.

JEFF-3.3 and ENDF/B-VIII.0 libraries produced similar flux calculations.

The 197Au(n,g)198Au reaction showed unsatisfactory results across all libraries.

Abstract

Aluminum is a crucial material in the nuclear industry, valued for its ability to perform reliably over time. The manuscript focuses on validating aluminum neutron transport libraries. The validation was conducted by activating samples in different positions, and measuring the fast neutron spectrum in the energy range of 0.1 MeV to 1.3 MeV by means of a proportional detector filled with hydrogen and, in the energy range of 1-12 MeV using a scintillation stilbene detector. Validation experiments were performed on the aluminium block with a central hole which was assembled from smaller aluminum plates. The dosimetric reactions studied for validation purposes were 58Ni(n,p)58Co, 197Au(n,g)198Au, 63Cu(n,g)64Cu, 181Ta(n,g)182Ta, 92Mo(n,p)92mNb, natTi(n,X)46Sc, and natTi(n,X)47Sc. All experimental data were compared to MCNP6.2 simulations using the ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.3, and JENDL-5 neutron transport libraries. Activation cross sections were taken from IRDFF-II library. Concerning activation reactions results, unsatisfactory results are achieved for 197Au(n,g)198Au reaction regardless of thickness and library. All other results are reasonable regardless on library. JEFF-3.3 and ENDF/B-VIII.0 fast neutron flux calculations are similar.