Students must enter the course with a knowledge of nuclear reaction cross-sections. They should also be proficient in solving linear, first and second order differential equations, as these arise in formulating neutron balance conditions.

Course Objectives: It is the instructor's intention to...

demonstrate that reactor criticality can be analyzed at different levels of mathematical depth from a heuristically derived formula of six factors to an eigenvalue problem that yields the same result.

demonstrate that a simple principle (neutron conservation, a type of continuity equation) can lead to a rich variety of phenomena in reactor physics.

introduce students to the specific features of light water reactors (LWRs) used commercially in the United States and much of the rest of the world.

show students how to use their mathematical skills (Math 319, 321) to obtain insight into reactor behavior.

Course Outcomes: Students must be able to...

write neutron balance conditions describing the temporal, spectral and spatial behavior of (neutron) multiplying systems.

explain how stability issues manifest themselves in choices of reactor design and operation in light water reactors.

assess whether or not a system containing fissile material is critical.

estimate the lifetime of a core based on the initial excess reactivity; prescribe control materials for maintaining criticality over the core lifetime.

solve simple spectral problems and explain the shape of the neutron spectrum in a light water reactor.

find the spatial neutron distribution and associated power distribution for a given combination of constituent materials using primarily one-group theory.

This is primarily a traditional lecture/discussion course, meeting three times a week.

The following statement indicates which of the following considerations are included in this course: economic, environmental, ethical, political, societal, health and safety, manufacturability, sustainability.

Reactor physics is the fundamental key to nuclear engineering. The average power density in a commercial reactor is quite high, a large part of reactor engineering is fuel engineering, whereby engineers design core loading patterns to minimize the power peaking resulting from non-homogeneous fuel loading and burn-up. In addition, issues of political and societal concern arise over nuclear reactor safety and SNM (special nuclear materials) proliferation. In-class discussions related to plutonium production occur relatively early in the course (during discussion of burn-up and core lifetime). In addition, safety issues arise during the latter part of the course when students are learning about spatial power distributions.

NE 405 is focused on satisfying the NE educational objectives for the undergraduate NE degree by providing an education in a fundamental subject (reactor physics) necessary for a career in nuclear engineering via problem-solving and design-oriented problems. The course also provides an opportunity for the student to consider and discuss NE career choices, since the subject is at the core of most nuclear engineering careers.