Criticality benchmark of McCARD Monte Carlo code for light-water-reactor fuel in transportation and storage packages

In this paper, McCARD code was verified using various models listed in the NUREG/CR-6361 benchmark guide, which provides specifications for single pin-cells, single assemblies, and the whole core classified depending on the nuclear properties and structural characteristics. McCARD code was verified by comparing its results with those of SCALE code for single pin-cell and single assembly benchmark problems. The difference in the multiplication factor obtained through the two codes did not exceed 90 pcm. The benchmark guide treats a total of 173 whole core experiments. The experiments are categorized as simple lattices, separator plates, reflecting walls, reflecting walls and separator plates, burnable absorber fuel rods, water holes, poison rods, and borated moderator. As a result of numerical simulation using McCARD, the mean value of the multiplication factors is 1.00223 and the standard deviation of the multiplication factors is 285 pcm. The difference between the multiplication factors and the experimental value is in the range of -665 pcm to + 1609 pcm. In addition, statistics of results for experiments categorized by reactor shape, additional structure, burnable poison, etc., are detailed in the main text.