NE 406 focuses on the computational aspects of reactor physics and introduces students to University-release versions of production codes used by nuclear utilities to design their core-loading patterns. Students must have a command of the basic theoretical reactor physics concepts of NE 405 in order to carry out the more involved problem sets and projects of NE 406.

Textbook:

J. Duderstand and L. Hamilton, Nuclear Reactor Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, 1976.

References provided to students:

SIMULATE-3 Methodology Manual, Studsvik of America, 1992.

CASMO/TABLES/SIMULATE-3 Reference Manuals, Studsvik of America, 1992.

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

introduce students to the numerical approaches used to solve criticality problems in core design.

introduce students to the concept of neutron importance and explain how importance calculations and neutron distribution calculations can be carried out simultaneously.

illustrate how multi-group distributions of neutrons and importance can be used to find reactivity coefficients.

contrast the simpler finite-difference schemes with the nodal methods used in reactor physics production codes.

provide students with the opportunity to use a University-release of a commercial production code for core design.

discuss additional features of neutron spectra in more detail than could be accomodated in the introductory course (NE 405).

give students computational skills that may be required in the capstone design course, NE 412.

prepare students to take more advanced reactor physics (transport) courses if they so desire.

Course Outcomes: Students must be able to...

solve multi-group diffusion theory problems.

construct simple numerical models illustrating the principles and procedures used to solve differential eigenvalue problems.

evaluate their numerical solutions against closed-form analytical solutions.

use distributions of neutrons and importance to perform reactivity coefficient calculations.

design core loading patterns using the University-release of the CASMO/TABLES/SIMULATE suite of codes.

NE 406 meets twice per week for conventional 50-minute lectures. Students must spend significant time outside of class generating their own computational models and using the computational tools provided.

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

Students are typically given one or two design projects requesting that they modify a given core loading pattern to accomplish stated objectives. The stated objectives include constraints on peak pin power and hot channel factors constrained by safety considerations.

NE 406 includes a "practicum" in using a University-release of a commercial production code to design reactor cores. In addition to providing fundamental knowledge of the field of reactor physics, it provides design experience and the opportunity to work in teams.