Study of Radiation Effect on

RPV Steel Using Monte

Carlo Method
Topan Setiadipura, Elfrida Saragi,
Khairina Ns
tsdipura@batan.go.id

Computational Division
Center for Development of Nuclear
Informatics
BATAN –INDONESIA
Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung
 Preview
 Objective
 Introduction:
- radiation damage issue of RPV
- multiscale computing
 Computational Method
- Monte Carlo or MCNP model
- Tally
 Results
 Conclusion and Discussion

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Objective
 To demonstrate the application of
monte carlo method as particle
transport and reaction simulation in
radiation effect simulation.
 As preliminary calculation of nuclear
parameter in material subjected to
neutron irradiation.

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Introduction
 The safety of commercial light-water
reactors is highly dependent on the
structural integrity of the RPV. The
degrading effects of neutron
irradiation on carbon and low-alloy
pressure vessel steels have been
recognized and investigated since the
early 1950s.
• In those steels at RPV operating
temperatures (260~288°C), radiation
damage is produced when neutrons
of sufficient energy displace atoms
from their lattice sites.
Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung
 Introduction (cont’d)
• The synergistic
effects of neutron
fluence, flux, and
spectrum, the
irradiation
temperature, and
the chemical
composition and
microstructure of
the steel must be
understood to
reduce the
uncertainties
associated with the
development of
predictive models
of embrittlement.
Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung
Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung
Multiscale Physics and Modelling

An illustration of the sequence

of basic embrittlement
processes: (a) creation of
primary radiation damage
defects: (b) formation of
nanoscale solute and defect
clusters (iron atoms not
shown); (c) pinning of
dislocations and hardening
by nanofeatures; (d)
hardening enhanced
cleavage fracture; at a (e)
stress concentration.

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Monte Carlo Method
Simulation approach
to particle transport
:
“Faithfully simulate the hystory
of a single particle from birth
to death.
Random walk for
single particle
- Model collisions using physics
equations & cross-section
data.
- Model free-flight between
collisions using computational
geometry.
- Tally the occurences of events
in each region Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung
Track Length Estimate of Cell Flux
(F4 Tally)

 The quantity N(r,E,t)ds may be thought of

as a track length density; thus, the
average flux can be estimated by
summing track lengths.
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 Material Composition

Materi
al C Si Mn P S Ni Cr Cu Mo Fe density
JRQ 0.18 0.24 1.42 0.017 0.004 0.84 0.12 0.14 0.51 96.529 7.765087
Steel A 0.19 0.3 1.3 0.015 0.01 0.68 0.17 0.16 0.53 96.645 7.750524
Steel B 0.19 0.19 1.43 0.004 0.001 0.65 0.13 0.04 0.5 96.865 7.771709
Steel L 0.17 0.24 1.36 0.003 0.003 0.61 0.07 0.02 0.47 97.054 7.768824

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Results
Neutron Fluence Distribution

6.60E-03
6.40E-03
6.20E-03
6.00E-03 JRQ
5.80E-03 Steel L
5.60E-03
5.40E-03
5.20E-03
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Depth/layer

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Distribution of (n,H) reaction

4.70E-05
4.60E-05
4.50E-05
4.40E-05
4.30E-05 JRQ
4.20E-05
4.10E-05 Steel L
4.00E-05
3.90E-05
3.80E-05
3.70E-05
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Depth/layer

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Distribution of (n,gamma) reaction

3.10E-07
3.00E-07
2.90E-07
2.80E-07
JRQ
2.70E-07
Steel L
2.60E-07
2.50E-07
2.40E-07
2.30E-07
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
Depth/layer

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Distribution of (n,d) reactions

1.75E-06
1.70E-06
1.65E-06
1.60E-06 JRQ
1.55E-06 Steel L
1.50E-06
1.45E-06
1.40E-06
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Depth/layer

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Distribution of (n,alpha) reactions

1.35E-05
1.30E-05
1.25E-05
JRQ
1.20E-05
Steel L
1.15E-05
1.10E-05
1.05E-05
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Depth/layer

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Total Cross Section

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Elastic Cross Section

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Absorption Cross Section

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung

 Conclusion
 Preliminary calculation have been performed by Monte
Carlo method using the continous energy MCNP 5 transport
code to determine the nuclear parameters in the RPV steel
as an effect of neutron radiation.
 The parameters include the high energy neutron fluence
distribution, the defect production in form of H,D, and He
atoms, photon production and primary knock-on atoms,
nuclear heating, yield of the nuclear reaction on certain
isotop.
 Further calculation to determine the primary damage and
its transport/diffusion on the steel because of the neutron
radiation is needed.
 Further analyses of the effect of each particle resulted
haven’t been discussed, it need a co-operation with other
division.

Asian Physics Symposium 2007 Bandung