Development of a 3D multigroup program for Dancoff factor calculation in pebble bed reactors

• Development of a 3D Monte Carlo based code for pebble bed reactors.
• Dancoff sensitivity to clad, moderator and fuel cross sections is considered.
• Sensitivity of Dancoff to number of energy groups is considered.
• Sensitivity of Dancoff to number of fuel and their arrangement is considered.
• Excellent agreements vs. MCNP code.

The evaluation of multigroup constants in reactor calculations depends on several parameters. One of these parameters is the Dancoff factor which is used for calculating the resonance integral and flux depression in the resonance region in heterogeneous systems. In the current paper, a computer program (MCDAN-3D) is developed for calculating three dimensional black and gray Dancoff coefficients, based on Monte Carlo, escape probability and neutron free flight methods. The developed program is capable to calculate the Dancoff factor for an arbitrary arrangement of fuel and moderator pebbles. Moreover this program can simulate fuels with homogeneous and heterogeneous compositions. It might generate the position of Triso particles in fuel pebbles randomly as well. It could calculate the black and gray Dancoff coefficients since fuel region might have different cross sections. Finally, the effects of clad and moderator are considered and the sensitivity of Dancoff factor with fuels arrangement variation, number of TRISO particles and neutron energy has been studied.