On the analysis method of effective delayed neutron fraction at thermal neutron systems

The effective delayed neutron fraction (beta-effective) was numerically analyzed with different analysis methods, and their effects on the results were investigated. The cores investigated in this study were light-water moderated low enriched UO2 lattices, of which the beta-effective had been reported. The effects of transport/diffusion calculation, energy group collapsing, and change of nuclear data library were studied. The study showed that the diffusion calculation with coarse group cross section gave smaller beta-effective than the transport one with fine group cross section, although the difference was not so large, about 2%. On the other hand, the change of nuclear data library from JENDL-3.3 to ENDF/B-VI.8 gave a significant difference, over than 4%. In comparisons with the experiments, it was indicated that the delayed neutron data in JENDL-3.3 are more reliable than those in ENDF/B-VI.8. (authors)