Benchmark experiments to test plutonium and stainless steel cross sections

Neutronics calculations of physical systems containing fissionable material in various configurations are often necessary to assess criticality safety and economic parameters. Criticality safety of the material must be assured for all configurations in the fuel fabrication, spent fuel reprocessing, and transportation processes. Integral criticality experiments are utilized to evaluate neutron cross sections, test theoretical methods, and validate calculational procedures. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) commissioned Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to ascertain the accuracy of the neutron cross sections for the isotopes of plutonium and the constituents of stainless steel and determine if improvements can be made in application to criticality safety analysis. NRC's particular area of interest is in the transportation of light--water reactor spent fuel assemblies. The project was divided into two tasks. The first task was to define a set of integral experimental measurements (benchmarks). The second task is to use these benchmarks in neutronics calculations such that the accuracy of ENDF/B-IV plutonium and stainless steel cross sections can be assessed. The results of the second task should help to identify deficiencies in the neutron cross sections. The results of the first task are given