NASA-Lewis experiences with multigroup cross sections and shielding calculations

The nuclear reactor shield analysis procedures employed at NASA-Lewis are described. Emphasis is placed on the generation, use, and testing of multigroup cross section data. Although coupled neutron and gamma ray cross section sets are useful in two dimensional Sn transport calculations, much insight has been gained from examination of uncoupled calculations. These have led to experimental and analytic studies of areas deemed to be of first order importance to reactor shield calculations. A discussion is given of problems encountered in using multigroup cross sections in the resolved resonance energy range. The addition to ENDF files of calculated and/or measured neutron-energy-dependent capture gamma ray spectra for shielding calculations is questioned for the resonance region. Anomalies inherent in two dimensional Sn transport calculations which may overwhelm any cross section discrepancies are illustrated.