Generation of ENDF/B-IV based 35 group neutron cross-section library and its application in criticality studies

A 35 group cross-section library with P3-anisotropic scattering matrices and resonance self-shielding factors has been generated from the basic ENDF/B-IV cross-section files for 57 elements. This library covers the neutron energy range from 0.005 ev to 15 MeV and is well suited for the neutronics and safety analysis of fission, fusion and hybrid systems. The library is contained in two well known files, namely, ISOTXS and BRKOXS. In order to test the efficacy of this library and to bring out the importance of resonance self-shielding, a few selected fast critical assemblies representing large dilute oxide and carbide fuelled uranium and plutonium based systems have been analysed. These assemblies include ZPPR2, ZPR-3-48, ZPR-3-53, ZPR-6-6A, ZPR-6-7, ZPR-9-31 and ZEBRA-2 and are amongst those recommended by the US Nuclear Data Evaluation Working Group for testing the accuracy of cross-sections. The evaluated multiplication constants of these assemblies compare favourably with those calculated by others. (author)