Mb. Chadwick et al., Cross-section evaluations to 150 MeV for accelerator-driven systems and implementation in MCNPX, NUCL SCI EN, 131(3), 1999, pp. 293-328
New accelerator-driven technologies that utilize spallation neutrons, such
as the production of tritium and the transmutation of radioactive waste, re
quire accurate nuclear data to model the performance of the target/blanket
assembly and To predict neutron production, activation, heating, shielding
requirements, and material damage. To meet these needs, nuclear-data evalua
tions and libraries up to 150 MeV have been developed for use in transport
calculations to guide engineering design. By using advanced nuclear models
that account for details of nuclear structure and the quantum,nature of the
nuclear scattering, significant gains in accuracy can be achieved below 15
0 MeV where intranuclear cascade calculations become less accurate. Evaluat
ions are in ENDF-6 format for important target/blanket and shielding materi
als (isotopes of H, C, N, O, Al, Si, P, Ca, Ci; Fe, Ni, Cu, Nb, W: Hg, and
Pb) for both incident neutrons and incident protons. The evaluations are ba
sed on measured da:ta as well as predictions from the GNASH nuclear model c
ode, which calculates cross sections using Hauser-Feshbach, exciton, and Fe
shbach-Kerman-Koonin preequilibrium models. Elastic scattering distribution
s and direct reactions are calculated from the optical model. All evaluatio
ns specify production cross sections and energy-angle correlated spectra of
secondary light particles as well as production cross sections and energy
distributions of heavy recoils and gamma rays. A formalism developed to cal
culate recoil energy distributions is presented. The use of these nuclear d
ata in the MCNPX radiation transport code is also briefly described. This c
ode merges essential elements of the LAHET and MCNP codes and uses these ne
w data below 150 MeV and intranuclear cascade collision physics at higher e
nergies. Extensive comparisons are shown between the evaluated results and
experimental cross-section data to benchmark and validate the evaluated lib
rary. In addition, integral benchmarks of calculated and measured kerma coe
fficients for neutron energy deposition and neutron transmission through an
iron slab compared with MCNPX calculations are provided. These evaluations
have been accepted into the ENDF/B-VI library as Release 6.