On the Validation of Release 3 of ENDF/B-VI Nuclear Data for Light Water Reactor Criticality Analysis

Release 3 of the ENDF/B-VI nuclear data library is validated for use in light water criticality analysis. Eigenvalue and fuel rod fission density results are compared to those corresponding to version V and release 2 of version VI, Twelve critical experiments with varying parameters such as temperature, burnable absorber content and the amount of control poison are simulated with the continuous energy Monte Carlo code MCNP as the basis for comparison, It is found that the ENDF/B-V library yields more accurate results than ENDFjB-VI, releases 2 and 3 for criticality analysis in light water reactors