Nuclear Engineering ETDs
Publication Date
Spring 4-14-2022
Abstract
When designing experiments for full-scale reactor systems, MCNP and Whisper can be used to create neutronic models and compare the similarity of two nuclear systems via correlation coefficients for ππππ, effective multiplication factor. This thesis applies this framework to a conceptual heat-pipe, yttrium-hydride moderated microreactor system and experiments. The framework is intended as a supplement to other neutronics/thermal/multiphysics analyses and provides a concrete method to measure the neutronic similarity of two systems. By analyzing the shared nuclear data uncertainty, as well as sensitivity to nuclear data over all neutron energies, highly informative experiments can be designed to aid in the development of microreactor and other advanced reactor technologies and systems.
Keywords
Nuclear microreactor experiment design, MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle code), Whisper, sensitivity/correlation coefficients, neutronics, neutron transport
Document Type
Thesis
Language
English
Degree Name
Nuclear Engineering
Level of Degree
Masters
Department Name
Nuclear Engineering
First Committee Member (Chair)
Christopher Perfetti
Second Committee Member
Holly Trellue
Third Committee Member
Forrest Brown
Recommended Citation
Maldonado, Alexis. "Utilizing Sensitivity and Correlation Coefficients from MCNP and Whisper to Guide Microreactor Experiment Design." (2022). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ne_etds/101
