Probabilistic approach for decay heat uncertainty estimation using URANIE platform and MENDEL depletion code

Abstract The knowledge of the decay heat quantity and the associated uncertainties are important issues for the safety of nuclear facilities. Many codes are available to estimate the decay heat. ORIGEN, FISPACT, DARWIN are part of them. MENDEL is a new depletion code developed at CEA, with new software architecture, devoted to the calculation of physical quantities related to fuel cycle studies, in particular decay heat. The purpose of this paper is to present a probabilistic approach to assess decay heat uncertainty due to the decay data uncertainties from nuclear data evaluation like JEFF-3.1.1 or ENDF/B-VII.1. This probabilistic approach is based both on the MENDEL code and URANIE software which is a CEA uncertainty analysis platform. As preliminary applications, single thermal fission of Uranium 235 and Plutonium 239 are investigated.