DARWIN: An Evolution Code System for a Large Range of Applications

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the main capabilities of an evolution code system, DARWIN, developed at CEA (France). It is devoted to radioactivity studies in various application fields such as nuclear fuel cycle, dismantling, thermonuclear fusion, accelerator driven system, medecine etc. All types of nuclides are dealt with: actinides, fission products, activation products, spallation products. Physical quantities calculated by the code are isotope concentration, isotope mass, activity, radiotoxicity, gamma spectra, beta spectra, alpha spectra, neutron production by spontaneous fission and (o:,n) reaction, residual heating, for any cooling times until geological times. Both analytical and numerical schemes are developed in the PEPIN2 depletion module of DARWIN to solve the generalized coupled differential depletion equations. The depletion module PEPIN2 is automatically linked to international evaluations (JEF2, ENDF /B6, EAF97 ...) both for decay data and cross-sections, and to some transport codes such as TRIPOLI, APOLL02 and ERANOS. These transport codes provide neutronic data as self-shielded cross-sections and neutron fluxes. DARWIN includes a generator of radioisotope chain built automatically from decay modes and nuclear reaction types specified in the evaluation libraries. A "search engine" allows to determine all formation ways of a considered isotope. Several examples are given for illustrating capabilities of DARWIN in different field applications. Some comparisons with other codes such as ORIGEN, FIS PIN and FISP ACT are also presented.

Calculs et mesures de l'activation induite dans les bétons de protection d'un accélérateur d'ions de haute énergie

“…La géométrie de calcul est donnée dans la figure 2. Ce code a été couplé au système DARWINPEPIN2 développé au CEA (Tsilanizara et al, 1999) qui permet de résoudre de manière analytique ou numérique les équations différentielles couplées régissant les filiations radioactives en particulier, celles relatives aux produits d'activation et de spallation. Pour calculer l'activité d'un matériau dans une région donnée, il faut résoudre l'équation régissant le nombre de noyaux Ni(t) d'un isotope i quelconque en fonction du temps.…”

Rigorous-two-Steps scheme of TRIPOLI-4® Monte Carlo code validation for shutdown dose rate calculation

“…MENDEL is the successor of the DARWIN/PEPIN2 code [17]. MENDEL is developed in C++ with an objectoriented architecture allowing other codes to be easily coupled.…”

Analysis and optimization of minor actinides transmutation blankets with regards to neutron and gamma sources

“…Assembly total residence time is 2050 EFPD with a 5-batch management scheme. The ERANOS code system [11] was used for core calculations and the DARWIN code system for depletion calculations [12].…”