NE 301:  Fundamentals of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering

The following topics will be presented during the semester. The course format consists of lectures and guest speakers.

1. Introduction to Nuclear and Radiological Engineering

• Energy Sources
• Reactor Uses and Classification
• Environmental Considerations
• History

• The Atom
• Binding Energies

• Decay Processes Review
• Decay Examples

• Fission
• Conversion of Fertile Nuclei

• Heavy and Light Charged Particles
• Gammas, X-Rays, Neutrons
• Radiation Detectors
• Rector Nuclear Instrumentation

• Units and Measurements
• Exposure
• Biological Damage
• Protection Guides
• Midterm Examination

• Cross Sections and Neutron Interactions
• Attenuation
• Cross Sections
• Neutron Flux
• Slowing Down Theory
• Scatter in the COM System
• Log Energy Decrement

• Infinite Multiplication
• Four Factor Equation
• Neutron Life Cycle
• Heterogeneous Cores
• Neutron Current Density
• Diffusion Equation
• Infinite Slab
• Other Geometries

• Neutron Lifetime
• Delayed Neutrons
• Fission Product Poisoning

11. Final Exam

Student Seminars:

Each student is required to give an oral presentation to the entire class on a nuclear or radiological engineering topic that he/she selects. The instructor must pre-approve the topic that can be technical and/or political. The seminar will be graded on oral presentation, technical content, answering of questions, etc. The following format should be used:

Course Grading:

Midterm Exam      30%
Final Exam           30%
Homework           15%*
Quizzes                15%*
Student Seminar   10%
              Total    100%

* Quizzes every Monday on last week's lectures and readings, drop lowest quiz grade
* Homework handed out on Friday and due on Wednesday, drop lowest homework grade
 

Fundamentals of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering (2003)
 

Date	Topic
Chapter 1:  Introduction
Aug. 26	Course Overview
Aug. 28	Energy Sources, Nuclear Fuel
Aug. 31	Fission, Reactor Uses and Classification
Sept. 2	Environmental Considerations, History
Chapter 2:  Atomic Structure
Sept. 4	The Atom, Binding Energies
Sept. 7	No class, Labor Day
Chapter 3: Nuclear Decay
Sept. 9	Decay Processes Review
Sept. 11	Decay Examples
Chapter 4: Nuclear Reactions
Sept. 14	Fission
Sept. 16	Conversion of Fertile Nuclei
Chapter 5: Radiation Detection
Sept. 18	Heavy and Light Charged Particles
Sept. 21	Gammas, X-Rays, Neutrons
Sept. 23	Simple Ion Detector, Ion Chamber, Prop., GM
Sept. 25	Scintillation, Neutron, FC, TLD
Chapter 6: Health Physics and Biological Effects
Sept. 28	Units and Measurements
Sept. 30	Exposure, Biological Damage
Oct. 2	Effects, Protection Guides
Oct. 5	Midterm
Chapter 8: Neutron Interactions
Oct. 7	Cross Sections, Neutron Interactions
Oct. 8	Attenuation, Mean Free Path
Oct. 9	Cross Sections, Energy Distributions, Corrected Cross Sections
Oct. 12	Neutron Flux, Activation
Oct. 14	Flux Determination, Neutron - Capture
Oct. 16	Fall Break, no class
Oct. 19	Slowing Down Theory
Oct. 21	Scatter in the COM System
Oct. 23	Log Energy Decrement
Oct. 26	Average Scattering Angle, Transport Mean Free Path
Chapter 9: Steady State Reactor Core
Oct. 28	Infinite Multiplication, Four Factor Equation
Oct. 30	Neutron Life Cycle, Resonance Escape Probability
Nov. 2	Heterogeneous Cores
Nov. 4	Neutron Current Density
Nov. 6	Diffusion Equation
Nov. 9	Infinite Slab
Nov. 11	Flux Distribution in Parallelepiped
Nov. 13	Spherical Reactor Power, Cylindrical Core
Nov. 16	Reflected Cores
Nov. 18	Spherical Core with Finite Blanket
Chapter 10: Transient Reactor Behavior and Control
Nov. 20	Neutron Lifetime
Nov. 23	Delayed Neutrons
Nov. 25	Fission Product Poisoning
Nov. 27	Thanksgiving, no class
Dec. 7	Review
Dec. 9	Final Exam
Dec. 11	Final Presentations
Dec. 12	Final Presentations (Saturday 12:30-2:30)

 

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