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Computational Physics and Engineering Division Nuclear Engineering Applications Section Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Number 16, July 1997
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In This Issue ...
Revised Training Course Schedule for Fall 1997
The SCALE staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will be offering two training courses in the United States in the fall of 1997. The dates have been changed from those announced in the January issue (see the table below). The courses emphasize hands-on experience solving problems on PCs in workgroups of three persons each. All courses are conducted at ORNL. The courses are scheduled so that users may attend both courses if they choose. The registration fee for each course is $1,200. A combined registration fee of $2,000 is available for both courses. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come basis. Registration forms may be submitted via FAX or e-mail to reserve your place. These courses are offered only once per year.Hotel rooms are available at the Garden Plaza Hotel (423-481-2468). More detailed information, including agendas and registration forms are included later in this Newsletter. Additional information about the course can be obtained by FAX or e-mail.
Date Title Description Oct. 28 - 31 SCALE KENO V.a Course In-depth introduction to CSAS/KENO V.a Nov. 3 - 6 SCALE Shielding & Source Terms Course In-depth introduction to SCALE shielding and depletion/decay sequences (including ORIGEN-ARP)
Classes are limited to 24 participants and are subject to cancellation if minimum enrollment is not obtained. Course fees are refundable up to one month before each class.
For further information, contact Steve Bowman, scalehelp@ornl.gov , 423-574-5263.
Download Updates Now Available from SCALE Web Page
Several updates are now available from the "Download" page on the SCALE Web site.In addition, copies of several validation reports have been posted on the "Benchmarks" Web page. These reports are in PDF format for viewing with Acrobat Reader.
Electronic SCALE-4.3 Manual
The final version of the SCALE-4.3 user manual has been published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Our staff has converted the final manual into PDF format. The SCALE manual sections on the SCALE Web page have been updated, and the new manual will be included on the SCALE CDs and tapes distributed by the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC). The new manual contains all tables and figures in electronic format.
The PDF format allows the user to view the documents using Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free program, in a high-quality format that is nearly identical to the printed manual. The final manual includes some new features: a table of contents that can be used to access any section of the manual; thumbnails of each page; and an index that gives the user the capability to search all sections of the manual for a word or phrase. Use of the index feature requires Acrobat Reader 3.0 with Search. This version can be downloaded from Adobe's Web site (www.adobe.com).
Words to the Wise...
Correction to KENO-VI Update
A discrepancy has been identified in the scale43 replacement script that comes with the KENO-VI update (K6.tar.Z from the SCALE Download Web site). The documentation in K6ws.readme stated that the replacement version of the script corrects the link to use the new version (rev04) of the 44-group library (updated May 1996). However, the script still pointed to the old version (rev03) of the library. Anyone who downloaded the KENO-VI workstation update prior to July 29, 1997, should correct their scale43 script to refer to scale.rev04.xn44. The scale43 script in K6.tar.Z has now been corrected.
Correction to Previous Issue
In the previous issue of the SCALE Newsletter, the description of the update to the Standard Composition Library stated that the mass of copper was corrected from atomic mass units to C-12 mass units. It should have stated that the mass of copper was corrected from C-12 mass units to neutron mass units.
Array Placement in KENO-VI
The use of arrays in KENO-VI can sometimes cause difficulties for the user. The portion of the array that is considered part of the problem is the portion contained within the array boundary. The array boundary is defined in the array's region definition vector, which follows the array number and precedes the keyword "place" in the array record. For an array to be considered properly placed, the volume defined by the array boundary must be completely filled with the array. This means the array boundary must be inside the array or on the outer surface of the outermost units. Sometimes, due to the size or offset of the array, a particle is unable to cross an array boundary that is on the outside edge of the array. This may cause the problem to enter into an "infinite loop," where the problem runs continually. This can usually be corrected by moving the array boundary slightly inside the array.
SCALE-4.3 Minor Modifications
The following minor corrections and updates have been made to the local ORNL version of SCALE-4.3. These changes will be included in the next RSICC release of SCALE. The following minor corrections and updates have been made to the local ORNL version of SCALE-4.3. These changes will be included in the next RSICC release of SCALE.MALOCS: A discrepancy was corrected that caused the storage of invalid data in the temperature array. In the 44-group library this caused the data for the third temperature to be overwritten and to be used for a temperature that is effectively zero degrees Kelvin. (MRR 97-010)
44-Group ENDF/B-V Library: The 44-group neutron cross-section library was recollapsed from the 238-group library using the corrected version of MALOCS. The impact of this discrepancy should be small unless a temperature significantly below room temperature was specified. This should not be the case for any water moderated problems, since the water would have to be frozen at such temperatures. (DRR 97-006)
18-Group Gamma Library: (a) Processed through CORECTOL to mark it as NITAWL-II compatible. Could not be processed by NITAWL-II prior to this correction. (b) Updated to replace the Henderson and Claiborne-Trubey dose factors because the data overestimated the doses by about 25%. The replacement data were taken from the 22n-18g group coupled library. (DRRs 97-002 and 97-007)
SAS2: (a) Updated to correct an error in the mass of the clad when the clad was input as an isotope and the mass was not input as a light element in Data Block 15. (b) A problem was corrected where the atomic densities were not updated with depleted values in the cross-section processing/spectrum calculations when fuel was input to more than one zone (including the cell-weighted mixture 500 zone) and there were more than three zones prior to the mixture 500 zone. For example, consider a BWR Path B model with Gd-poisoned fuel pin, gap, clad, moderator, and mixture 500, where there are four zones prior to the mixture 500 zone. Usually this discrepancy causes only slight errors in the neutronics part of such BWR cases, but could significantly impact the results for some unique fuel models. (MRR 97-011)
KENO-VI: Corrected tracking to allow simultaneous crossing of multiple shared boundaries and to correctly sum fluxes after a collision. Also corrected error related to calculating the x-offset of an array. Changed input logic for ORIGIN and ROTATE data to sum values for an auxiliary keyword for a given geometry record rather than use the last value. This last change was made for compatibility with C5TOC6. (MRR 97-018)
ORIGEN-S: Updated to allow the flux input value for the last time step to be zero. (MRR 97-019)
PICTURE: The module was updated to add option of generating 2-D color GIF plot files of the geometry model input for the SCALE shielding modules MORSE or QAD-CGGP. This capability already exists in the SCALE criticality modules KENO V.a and KENO-VI. (MRR 96-042)
MIPLIB, SUBLIB, UNIXLIB, COMPOZ, MODIFY: Updated to use new direct access routines for character data and replaced references to specific intrinsic FORTRAN functions with their generic names for Fortran 90 compatibility. Also corrected an error in the Dancoff factor calculation that occurs for cylinders in a MULTIREGION problem. This error results in an error in the calculated keff value of approximately 0.1% for a cylinder the size of a typical fuel rod. Note that this error did not occur in the LATTICECELL geometry option. (MRRs 97-002 through 97-006)
XSDRN: Updated to print clearer messages when allocated memory is insufficient. Also, in these cases if some output file could not be written, the associated file was deleted to prevent subsequent calculations from reading it. (MRR 97-016)
SCALE DRIVER: Updated to allow processing the rest of the input data after invalid input data are detected. (MRR 97-017)
KMART: Added this new module to allow post processing of a KENO V.a restart file, along with a working format cross-section library, to generate activities and/or broad group fluxes and compute the fission production activity if the components are available in the working cross-section library for the requested nuclide. A resonance self-shielded value is used for the fission cross section. (MRRs 97-001 and 97-012)
The MRR (or DRR) number refers to the Module (or Dataset) Revision Report that documents the change(s) made under the SCALE Configuration Management Plan. It is provided to assist readers who contact the SCALE staff concerning any of these changes
SCALE Training Courses
The SCALE Training Course has been expanded to two consecutive courses that will separately cover the SCALE criticality codes and the SCALE shielding and source-term codes. The criticality course will focus on KENO V.a and the associated criticality analysis sequences in CSAS. It also will include a brief introduction to KENO-VI. The shielding and source-terms course will emphasize SAS2/ORIGEN-ARP (depletion/source-term generation) and SAS4/MORSE-SGC (3-D Monte Carlo neutron/gamma shielding). It will also cover SAS1/XSDRNPM (1-D neutron/gamma shielding) and QADS/QAD-CGGP (3-D point kernel gamma shielding). Each course will be conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Attendees will gain hands-on experience in problem sessions each afternoon.
The SCALE Criticality Course will be offered October 28 - 31 (Tuesday Friday) and the SCALE Shielding and Source Terms Course will be offered the following week on November 3 - 6 (Monday - Thursday). The courses are scheduled so that users may attend both courses if they choose. The expanded format allows time to more adequately cover each SCALE sequence. It also gives users the opportunity to select the course that best suits their professional needs and interests. This format was offered last fall and was very popular with the attendees. The registration fees are $1,200 for one course or $2,000 for both courses. Preliminary agendas for both courses are listed below. A registration form is attached.
The number of registrants for each course is limited to 24. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come basis. Hotel rooms are available at the Garden Plaza Hotel (423-481-2468). Additional information can be obtained by FAX (423-576-3513 ) or e-mail (scalehelp@ornl.gov).
SCALE Criticality Training Course Agenda
Tuesday
Overview of SCALE
Resonance Self-Shielding
Cross-Section and Material Processing
KENO V.a Data Blocks & Parameters
KENO V.a Geometry, Chord, Array, & Plot Data
Problem Session 1
Wednesday
Review of Problem Session 1
Holes, Array Placement & Array of Arrays
Cell Weighting
Mixing Table
Biasing and Boundary Conditions
Reading KENO V.a Output
Problem Session 2
Thursday
Review of Problem Session 2
Monte Carlo Uncertainties
Start Data
Search Data
Problem Session 3
Friday
Review of Problem Session 3
Validation Issues
Introduction to KENO-VI
Problem Session 4 - Bring your own problem
SCALE Shielding and Source Terms Course Agenda
Monday
Overview of SCALE
Depletion/Decay/Source-Term Sequences
ORIGEN-ARP
SAS2
Problem Session 1
Tuesday
Review of Problem Session 1
SAS1 1-D Shielding Analysis Sequences
1-D Combined Criticality / Shielding Sequence
Problem Session 2
Wednesday
Review of Problem Session 2
SAS4 3-D Monte Carlo Shielding Analysis Sequence
Problem Session 3
Thursday
Review of Problem Session 3
QADS Point Kernel Shielding Analysis Sequence
Problem Session 4
Review of Problem Session 4
Current Topics in Shielding Analysis Applications
SCALE Training Course Registration Form
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
October/November 1997I am registering for the following (check one): __ Criticality Course (KENO-V.a) October 28 - 31 Fee: $1,200 __ Shielding and Source Terms Course November 3 - 6 Fee: $1,200 __ Both Criticality and Shielding Courses Fee: $2,000 Name ___________________________________________________________ Citizenship ___________________________________________________________ Organization ___________________________________________________________ Mailing address ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________ Fax: ________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________________________ 1. Your experience using the following computer programs (circle one for each): Extensive None Criticality CSAS sequences 5 4 3 2 1 0 KENO V.a 5 4 3 2 1 0 Shielding SAS1 5 4 3 2 1 0 SAS4 5 4 3 2 1 0 MORSE 5 4 3 2 1 0 QAD-CGGP 5 4 3 2 1 0 Source Term / Depletion SAS2 5 4 3 2 1 0 ORIGEN-S 5 4 3 2 1 0 2. What are your personal objectives in taking this course (e.g., what do you hope to do or learn at the course)? Please mail and payment of $1,200 registration fee to:SCALE Training Course
c/o Steve Bowman
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008, MS 6370
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6370
NOTE: Course attendance is limited. PLEASE REGISTER EARLY!
Course fees are refundable up to one month before each class. You may send a substitute in your place.
Hotel Registration Form
Several restaurants and shopping locations and the American Museum of Science and Energy are within walking distance of the hotel.
Return to:
GARDEN PLAZA HOTEL
215 S. Illinois Avenue
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
Tel.: 423/481-2468
Fax: 423/481-2474
Please reserve a room in my name in the block of rooms available for the SCALE Training Course.
Block room rate: $62 per night plus tax
Deadline for reserving a room at this special rate is October 6 (Criticality Course) or October 13 (Shielding and Source Terms Course).Name _______________________________________________________________ Organization _______________________________________________________ Credit Card No. ____________________________________________________ Arrival Date & time:_____________Departure Date & Time______________ SCALE Newsletter is published twice a year by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and sponsored by the Spent Fuel Project Office of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and by the Office of Transportation, Emergency Management, and Analytical Services of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Address all correspondence (including address additions or changes) to:
SCALE Newsletter Oak Ridge National Laboratory P.O. Box 2008, MS-6370 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6370
FAX: (423) 576-3513
E-mail: scalehelp@ornl.gov
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Last Modified July 31 1997