PhD investigating Nuclear Data for the safe and efficient use and handling of next generation Nuclear Reactor fuel

在一个能源需求不断增长的世界里，使用煤炭和天然气的传统能源生产（约占全球能源生产的63%;见图1），需要使用核能和可再生能源生产更多的电力。这个博士学位的重点是需要，并生产，越来越准确的核数据。核数据用于开发下一代核设施模型，估计当前核电厂堆芯反应输出，计算核废料的储存容器尺寸和屏蔽阈值。核反应速率、能谱和截面的精确建模依赖于核理论和核数据的准确性。用于模拟核燃料矩阵和核废料储存的一个重要核数据领域是α粒子能量范围为2-7.5 MeV的（α，n）反应。在核燃料和核废料中发现的衰变钍元素，释放出能量高达~7.5 MeV的α粒子。α粒子将通过（α，n）反应与轻核相互作用，产生高能中子。这种反应对于包含在轻核中的下一代核燃料将越来越重要，因为与当前一代核燃料相比，预计较重的α衰变核的相对数量要高得多，并且中子速率可以从自发裂变中子速率的几分之一变化到许多倍。核模拟和输运程序Sources-4c、THENS和GEANT 4被核设施（如英国核国家实验室）用来计算（α，n）反应率和能谱，以进行屏蔽计算。这些代码使用当前的核数据（复合核的截面数据和核能级）作为输入。如果不存在此数据，并且尚未测量，则使用理论计算（例如GNASH预平衡）。使用计算的光谱导致了10-35%数量级的大不确定性[2]。这些巨大的不确定性意味着任何下一代核反应堆和核废料储存设施的屏蔽将更多地依赖于不确定性的上限。该博士旨在提高已确定的重要核数据的准确性，这将降低下一代核反应堆和核废料储存设施的潜在屏蔽成本。该博士学位由英国核数据网络支持;曼彻斯特大学，萨里大学和约克大学最近建立了合作，并与相关行业和国家实验室建立了联系。G. N. Vlaskin，1 Yu. S. Khomyakov和V.I. Bulanenko，原子能，第117卷，第5期，2015年3月

In a world with growing energy requirements and a progression away from the traditional energy production using coal and Gas (~63% global energy production; see figure 1), more electricity production is needed using nuclear and renewable energy sources. The focus of this PhD is on the need of, and producing, increasingly accurate nuclear data. Nuclear data is used in developing the next generation nuclear facility models, estimating current nuclear power plant core reaction outputs, and calculating storage container size and shielding thresholds for nuclear waste. Accurate modelling of nuclear reaction rates, energy spectra and cross sections are reliant on nuclear theories and the accuracy of nuclear data. An important area of nuclear data for the modelling of nuclear fuel matrixes and nuclear waste storage is the (alpha,n) reaction in the alpha-particle energy range 2-7.5 MeV. The decay Trans-Thorium elements, found in nuclear fuel and nuclear waste, emit alpha-particles with energies up to ~7.5 MeV. The alpha-particles will interact with light nuclei via the (alpha,n) reaction to produce high energy neutrons. This reaction will be increasingly important for next generation nuclear fuels contained in light nuclei as, in comparison to current generation nuclear fuel, the relative number of heavier alpha-decaying nuclei is expected to be much higher and the neutron rate can vary from a fraction to many times the spontaneous fission neutron rate. The nuclear modelling and transport codes Sources-4c, TALYS and GEANT4 are used by nuclear facilities (e.g. UK Nuclear National Laboratory) to calculate the (alpha,n) reaction rates and energy spectra for shielding calculations. The codes use current nuclear data (cross section data and nuclear levels of the compound nucleus) as input. Where this data does not exist, and has not been measured, theoretical calculations are used instead (e.g. GNASH pre-equilibrium). The use of the calculated spectra has resulted in large uncertainties of the order 10-35% [2]. These large uncertainties mean any next generation nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities will more shielding dependent on the upper limit of the uncertainties. This PhD's intention of improving the accuracy of identified important nuclear data will reduce potential shielding costs of next generation nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities. This PhD is supported by the UK nuclear data network; a collaboration which has recently been established between the Universities of Manchester, Surrey and York, and linking to relevant industry and national laboratories.2. G. N. Vlaskin,1 Yu. S. Khomyakov, and V. I. Bulanenko, Atomic Energy, Vol. 117, No. 5, March, 2015