The Impact of Updated Cross Section Libraries on ITER Neutronics Calculations

In ITER, determination of radiation loads such as nuclear heating due to neutrons and photons (gammas) is an important part of the design process. Monte Carlo transport codes need accurate neutron and photon cross section libraries to produce accurate results. Because photon heating dominates the contribution to total nuclear heating for common materials like stainless steel and copper in several key components of ITER, the photon cross section library is particularly important. In this work, two ITER realistic benchmark calculation models are used to determine the impact on nuclear heating by the cross section library used in the calculation. The results show that the nuclear heating can be as much as 5% lower to as much as 6% higher than the nuclear heating calculated using the standard fusion neutron and photon cross section library.