Development of sensitivity analysis with the use of TSUNAMI-3D sensitivity coefficients for benchmark uncertainty analysis

The uncertainty of a critical benchmark experiment is a very important result. This value tells how well each parameter in the system is known and therefore how well the multiplication factor is known. The current method of uncertainty analysis for benchmark evaluations is tedious and time consuming. If the time required for the uncertainty analysis can be decreased and also offer a robust analysis, this would greatly enhance the results produced from the benchmark experiments. Four experiments were chosen for evaluation in the work. The direct uncertainty analysis was performed as described in the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments Uncertainty Guidelines. The process was duplicated from the benchmark evaluations to ensure the process was well understood as well as validate the computer code and cross section library used in this work. First order derivative equations were developed to correlate the direct uncertainty analysis values with the sensitivity coefficients produced from the TSUNAMI-3D computer code. TSUNAMI-3D produces sensitivities to the nuclear data, while the direct uncertainty analysis required sensitivities to the material, and physical properties. The goal of this work was to implement the sensitivities in the nuclear data with the first order derivative equations to offer a robust uncertainty analysis that required less time and produces a better analysis than current processes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Nuclear Engineering

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nuclear Engineering

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Barber, Allison

Contributors dc:contributor

• Busch, Robert D.
• Prinja, Anil K.
• Harms, Gary A.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ne_etds/22

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalrepository.unm.edu:ne_etds-1021