Validation study of SRAC2006 code system based on evaluated nuclear data libraries for TRIGA calculations by benchmarking integral parameters of TRX and BAPL lattices of thermal reactors

The goal of this study is to present the validation study of the SRAC2006 code system based on evaluated nuclear data libraries ENDF/B-VII.0 and JENDL-3.3 for neutronics analysis of TRIGA Mark-II Research Reactor at AERE, Bangladesh. This study is achieved through the analysis of integral parameters of TRX and BAPL benchmark lattices of thermal reactors. In integral measurements, the thermal reactor lattices TRX-1, TRX-2, BAPL-UO2-1, BAPL-UO2-2 and BAPL-UO2-3 are treated as standard benchmarks for validating/testing the SRAC2006 code system as well as nuclear data libraries. The integral parameters of the said lattices are calculated using the collision probability transport code PIJ of the SRAC2006 code system at room temperature 20 °C based on the above libraries. The calculated integral parameters are compared to the measured values as well as the MCNP values based on the Chinese evaluated nuclear data library CENDL-3.0. It was found that in most cases, the values of integral parameters demonstrate a good agreement with the experiment and the MCNP results. In addition, the group constants in SRAC format for TRX and BAPL lattices in fast and thermal energy range respectively are compared between the above libraries and it was found that the group constants are identical with very insignificant difference. Therefore, this analysis reflects the validation study of the SRAC2006 code system based on evaluated nuclear data libraries JENDL-3.3 and ENDF/B-VII.0 and can also be essential to implement further neutronics calculations of TRIGA Mark II research reactor at AERE, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

► To validate the SRAC2006 code system for TRIGA neutronics calculations.
► TRX and BAPL lattices are treated as standard benchmarks for this purpose.
► To compare the calculated results with experiment as well as MCNP values in this study.
► The study demonstrates a good agreement with the experiment and the MCNP results.
► Thus, this analysis reflects the validation study of the SRAC2006 code system.