Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering

Covers all pertinent aspects of nuclear engineering, including fundamentals of nuclear and reactor physics, fuel engineering, thermal–hydraulics, reactor safety, health physics and radiation protection

Fundamental of Nuclear Engineering is derived from over 25 years of teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on nuclear engineering. The material has been extensively class tested and provides the most comprehensive textbook and reference on the fundamentals of nuclear engineering. It includes a broad range of important areas in the nuclear engineering field; nuclear and atomic theory; nuclear reactor physics, design, control/dynamics, safety and thermal–hydraulics; nuclear fuel engineering; and health physics/radiation protection. It also includes the latest information that is missing in traditional texts, such as space radiation. The aim of the book is to provide a source for upper level undergraduate and graduate students studying nuclear engineering.

Focuses on applied nuclear and atomic theory as well as traditional introductory reactor theory, reactor design, operation with a chapter on reactor safety describing all reactor accidents in the world. Includes novel work on nuclear fuel fabrication, fuel chemistry, performance and management as well as severe fuel damage phenomena. Covers the Candu Reactor; Light Water Reactors (LWRs), Small Nuclear Power Reactors (SMRs), Advanced Nuclear Power Reactors, and Generation IV Designs. 9 Appendices of relevant nuclear and reactor physics data, and fundamental constants. Exercises and problems are presented at the end of each chapter. A companion website provides an extensive solutions manual with solved problems, syllabus information and power point slides for use by adopting professors   www.wiley.com/go/lewisfund118

Preface

0 Prologue

1 Atomic and Nuclear Theory

1.1 Historical Review

1.2 Models of the Nucleus

1.2.1 Field Unification Theories

1.2.2 Nuclear Composition and Stability

1.2.3 Mass–Energy Relationships

1.2.4 Decay Schemes

1.2.5 Nuclear Models

1.2.6 Nuclear Transformations

1.2.7 The Fission Process

1.2.8 Nuclear Reactions

1.2.9 Cross Sections and Neutron Activation Reactions

2 Nuclear Reactor Design and Physics

2.1 Overall Concept and Design of Nuclear Reactors

2.1.1 Brief Summary of Type of Reactors

2.1.2 Small Nuclear Power Reactors

2.1.3 Advanced Nuclear Power Reactors

2.1.4 Generation IV Designs

2.2 Neutron Diffusion

2.3 Slowing Down of Neutrons

2.4 Criticality and the Steady State

2.4.1 The Critical Equation

2.4.2 Reflector

2.5 Advanced Reactor Physics

2.5.1 Derivation of the Neutron Transport Equation

2.5.1.1 Neutron Transport Equation

2.5.2 Solution of the Transport and Diffusion equation

3 Nuclear Reactor Dynamics and Control

3.1 Overview of Reactor Kinetics Behaviour

3.2 Point Reactor Model and the Inhour Equation

3.2.1 Reactivity Effects and Poisoning

3.3 Reactor Control

3.4 Nuclear Fuel Management

3.4.1 Isotope Concentrations and Depletion Equations

3.4.2 Production of Fission Products

3.4.3 Effect of Burnup on Reactivity

3.4.4 Thorium Depletion Equations

3.4.5 Refueling Scheme Optimization

4 Nuclear Reactor Materials and Fuel Engineering

4.1 Nuclear Reactor Materials

4.1.1 Fuel Material Properties

4.1.2 Structural Material Properties

4.1.3 Irradiation Effects on Materials

4.1.4 Corrosion and Materials Degradation

4.2 Fuel Production

4.2.1 The Fuel Cycle

4.2.2 Sources of Reactor Fuel Materials

4.2.3 Fuel Production

4.2.4 Fuel Fabrication

4.2.5 Uranium Isotope Enrichment

4.2.6 Reprocessing of Spent Fuel

4.3 Fuel–Element Thermal Performance

4.3.1 Heat Generation

4.3.1.1 Distribution of Heat Generation in a Reactor Core

4.3.1.2 Power Peaking Factor

4.3.1.3 Heat Generation Within a Fuel Element in a Heterogeneous Core (Cylindrical Reactor)

4.3.1.4 Heat Generation During Shutdown

4.3.1.5 Fission Rate

4.3.2 Fuel Material Properties

4.3.2.1 Thermal Conductivity Theory

4.3.2.2 Correlations of Fuel Thermal Properties

4.3.3 Temperature Profiles in Cylindrical Rods

4.4 Fuel Chemistry

4.4.1 Phase Diagram

4.4.2 Defect Structures of Oxides

4.4.3 Oxygen Potentials of (U,Pu)O2

4.4.4 Fuel Vaporization

4.5 Fuel Restructuring

4.6 Fission Product Behaviour

4.6.1 Elemental Yields of Fission Products

4.6.2 Physical State of Fission Products

4.6.3 Swelling Due to Fission Products

4.6.4 Fission Gas Release

4.7 Fuel Performance

4.7.1 Fuel Defect Mechanisms

4.7.2 Fuel Performance Codes

5 Thermalhydraulics

5.1 Choice of coolant

5.2 Definitions and Simple Two–Phase flow Relationships

5.3 Two–Phase Flow

5.3.1 Flow Pattern Maps and Transition of Flow Patterns

5.3.1.1 Transition of Flow Patterns in a Vertical Flow

5.3.1.2 Transition of Flow Patterns in a Horizontal Flow

5.3.2 Void Fraction

5.3.2.1 Definition and Relationship

5.3.2.2 Flow Pattern Transitions based on Void Fractions

5.3.2.3 Void Fraction Correlations

5.3.3 Single– and Two–Phase Conservation Equations

5.3.3.1 Single–Phase Conservation Equations

5.3.3.2 Two–Phase Flow Conservation Equations

5.4 Pressure Drop

5.4.1 Single–Phase Pressure Drop

5.4.1.1 Friction Factor

5.4.1.2 Single–Phase Local Losses

5.4.2 Two–Phase Pressure Drop

5.4.2.1 Two–Phase Frictional Pressure Drop

5.4.2.2 Two–Phase Form Losses for Different Pipe Fixtures

5.5 Heat Transfer

5.5.1 Single Phase Forced Convective Heat Transfer

5.5.1.1 Viscous Flow

5.5.1.2 Boundary Layer

5.5.1.3 Forced Convection Over a Plate (External Flow)

5.5.1.4 Forced Convection in a Pipe (Internal Flow)

5.5.1.5 Forced Convection in Non Circular Pipes and Rod Bundles

5.5.2 Single Phase Natural Convective Heat Transfer

5.5.2.1 Natural Convection Over a Plate

5.5.2.2 Empirical Natural Convective Heat Transfer Correlations for Various Geometries

5.5.3 Fundamentals of Phase Change and Boiling

5.5.3.1 Phase Change

5.5.3.2 Classification of Boiling

5.5.3.3 Pool and Forced Convective Boiling

5.5.4 Subcooled Boiling

5.5.4.1 Forced Convection

5.5.4.2 Pool Boiling

5.5.5 Saturated Nucleate Boiling and Forced Convective Evaporation

5.5.5.1 Forced Convection

5.5.5.2 Pool Boiling

5.5.6 Critical Heat Flux

5.5.6.1 CHF Mechanisms for Forced Convective Boiling

5.5.6.2 Parametric Trends for Forced Convective Boiling

5.5.6.3 CHF Prediction Methods for Forced Convective Boiling in Tubes

5.5.6.4 Separate Effects

5.5.6.5 CHF Prediction Methods for Forced Convective Boiling in Rod Bundles

5.5.6.6 Pool Boiling CHF

5.5.7 Post Critical Heat Flux

5.5.7.1 Transition Boiling

5.5.7.2 Minimum Film Boiling

5.5.7.3 Film Boiling

5.5.7.4 Pool Film Boiling

5.5.8 Condensation

5.5.8.1 Film Wise Condensation in Vertical Tubes

5.5.8.2 Film Wise Condensation in Horizontal Tubes

5.5.8.3 Drop Wise Condensation

5.5.8.4 Non Condensable Gases

6 Nuclear Reactor Safety

6.1 Reactor Licensing and Regulation

6.1.1 CANDU Safety Philosophy

6.1.2 Licensing Process in the United States

6.1.3 Civilian/Military Regulation in Other Countries

6.2 General Principles of Reactor Safety

6.2.1 Three Levels of Safety

6.2.2 Multiple Barriers

6.2.3 Reactor Protection System

6.3 Engineered Safety Features

6.3.1 Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS)

6.3.2 Containment Systems

6.3.3 Hydrogen Control

6.4 Reactor Safety Analysis

6.4.1 Loss–of–Coolant Analysis (LOCA)

6.4.2 Thermalhydraulic and Heat Removal Analysis

5.4.2.1 Nuclear Heat Transport

5.4.2.2 Boiling Heat Transfer

5.4.2.3 Blowdown Modelling

6.4.3 Evaluation Computer Codes

6.5 Reliability and Risk assessment

6.6 Nuclear Reactor Accidents

6.6.1 Civilian Reactor Accidents

6.6.1.1 Three Mile Island – Unit 2

6.6.1.2 Chernobyl – Unit 4

6.6.1.3 Fukushima Accident

6.6.1.4 Activity Release in Accidents

6.6.2 Nuclear–Powered Submarine Accidents

6.7 Radiation Dose Calculations

6.7.1 Radiation Exposure Pathways

6.7.2 Standards of Radiation Protection

6.7.3 Meteorology and the Dispersion of Effluents

6.7.4 Diffusion of Effluents

6.7.5 Radiation Doses from Radioactive Effluents

6.7.5.1 Whole–Body Dose: External Dose From Plume

6.7.5.2 Internal Inhalation Dose: Thyroid Dose

6.7.5.3 Doses from Ground–Deposited Radionuclides

6.7.5.4 Direct Gamma–Ray Dose

6.8 Nuclear Emergency Response

6.8.1 Accident Classifications

6.8.2 Dose Projections

6.9 Fission Product Release and Severe Core Damage

6.9.1 Source term Overview

6.9.2 Fission product Release

6.9.2.1 Containment Release of Fission Products

6.9.3 Severe Accident Behaviour

7 Health Physics and Radiation Protection

7.1 Interaction of Radiation with Matter

7.1.1 Charged Particles

7.1.2 Electromagnetic Radiation

7.1.2.1 Linear and Mass Attenuation Coefficients

7.1.2.2 Energy Transfer

7.1.2.3 Range

7.1.3 Neutral Particles: Neutrons

7.2 Health Physics and Radiation Protection

7.2.1 Doses and Units

7.2.2 Radiological Protection

7.2.3 Dosimetry

7.2.4 Microdosimetry

7.3 Biological Effects of Radiation

7.3.1 Biodosimetry

7.3.2 Safety Norms

7.4 Radiation Protection

7.5 Contamination Treatment

7.6 Space Radiation

Appendix A: Physical Constants and Conversion Factors

Appendix B: Table of Atomic Mass Excesses

Appendix C: Some Values of Nuclear Spins and Parities

Appendix D: Reactor Physics Parameters

Appendix E: Physical and Biological Data for Radionuclides

Appendix F: Cross Sections of Some Radionuclides

Appendix G: Properties of Elements and Some Molecules

Appendix H: Isotopic Cross Sections

Appendix I: Direct and Cumulative Thermal Fission Product Yields for Various Fissile Isotopes

Index

Brent J. Lewis, Royal Military College of Canada

E. Nihan Onder, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Andrew A. Prudil, Nuclear Fuel Research Scientist, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories