Preliminary calculational analysis of the actinide samples from FP-4 exposed in the Dounreay Prototype Fast Reactor

This report discusses the current status of results from an extensive experiment on the irradiation of selected actinides in a fast reactor. These actinides ranged from thorium to curium. They were irradiated in the core of the Dounreay Prototype Fast Reactor. Rates for depletion, transmutation, and fission-product generation were experimentally measured, and, in turn, were calculated using current cross-section and fission-yield data. Much of the emphasis is on the comparison between experimental and calculated values for both actinide and fission-product concentrations. Some of the discussion touches on the adequacy of current cross-section and fission-yield data. However, the main purposes of the report are: to collect in one place the most recent yield data, to discuss the comparisons between the experimental and calculated results, to discuss each sample that was irradiated giving details of any adjustments needed or specific problems encountered, and to give a chronology of the analysis as it pertained to the set of samples (referred to as FP-4 samples) that constitutes the most extensively irradiated and final set. The results and trends reported here, together with those discussions touching on current knowledge about cross sections and fission yields, are intended to serve as a starting point for further analysis. In general, these results are encouraging with regard to the adequacy of much of the currently available nuclear data in this region of the periodic table. But there are some cases where adjustments and improvements can be suggested. However, the application of these results in consolidating current cross-section and fission-yield data must await further analysis