The 89 Energy Group Neutron Spectra for the Mk4 and Mk7 Fast Neutron Rod Material Testing Facilities in NRU

Abstract

The NRU reactor at Chalk River provides two types of fast neutron rods (Mark 4 and Mark 7) as irradiation facilities to study the effects of fast neutrons (E> 1 MeV) on zirconium reactor materials for assessing material damage and deformation. There is a need to extend the material testing to Inconel materials which are sensitive to lower neutron energies. This paper describes the 89-group neutron spectra in the two Fast Neutron Rods in NRU, comparisons with the spectra in typical CANDU reactors, and the use of the two spectra for spectral effect predictions on material behavior.