Resonance shielding-factor cross-section processing technique validation based on tungsten decay heat experimental data

This study presents a method to obtain corrected self-shielded radiative capture cross-sections for tungsten isotopes to be used for activation calculations. The approach used is based on the application of the Bondarenko shielding factor method to the 175-group AMPX master library by means of the Bonami–Nitawl scale-4.3 sequence calculation. The ANITA-4M activation code calculates the tungsten radioisotopes production and the decay heat using the self-shielded cross-sections from ENDF/B-VI, JEF-2.2 and JENDL-3.2 data files. Two irradiation scenarios (5 min and 7 h) in the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER)-like neutron flux spectrum defined by the fusion neutron source experiments are analyzed. The unshielded calculations result in discrepancy with experiment up to 70%, while the self-shielding treatment reduces drastically that discrepancy to less than few percents. In comparison to the experimental integral decay heat values provides a validation of the method used to deal with the self-shielding treatment.