Control rod calibration simulation using Monte Carlo code for the IRT-type research reactor

•IRT MEPhI and IRT-T are pool-type university-based research reactors.•Full 3-D models for these reactors using MCU-PTR Monte Carlo code are developed.•Validation of the MCU-PTR code against experimental data is performed.•The measured critical cases during the calibration of the control rods are analyzed.•Satisfactory agreement with the experimental results was found. This paper presents the results of the validation of a research reactor calculation using Monte Carlo code against experimental data. Validation efforts are carried out for two university-based research reactors in Russia: the IRT MEPhI reactor at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI and the IRT-T reactor at the National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University. Calculations were performed using the continuous energy Monte Carlo code MCU-PTR. Full 3-D models for the IRT MEPhI and IRT-T reactors were developed. Measured critical cases during the control rod calibrations are analyzed in benchmarking studies. A procedure for the comparison of the measured and the calculated control rod worth based on the detailed calibration simulation is proposed.