Improvement of proton induced nuclear data for key isotopes needed to design MYRRHA Phase I (MINERVA)

SCK CEN is currently designing phase I of the Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications (MYRRHA). It will be an innovative nuclear reactor driven by an linear accelerator and able to operate in both sub-criticaland critical modes. Such high-energy proton accelerators are sources of radiation along the whole length of the beam line due to beam interactions with materials at targeted positions and beam losses along the line. Shielding is then required to protect workers, public, environment and equipment against prompt radiation. In addition, accurate activation calculations are important in order to properly estimate the doses received by these workers, public, environment and equipment. Reliable nuclear data are then needed in order to perform these activation and shielding calculations. This report will present analysis of existing proton-induced nuclear data for nuclides important for the project and their improvement in order to perform more accurate Monte Carlo transport code calculations for activation and shielding.