Engineering Nuclear Engineering Nuclear Reactor Physics and Design
Nuclear Reactor Physics and Design
Nuclear Reactor Physics and Design is the foundational discipline within nuclear engineering that explores the behavior of neutrons in a nuclear reactor to achieve and control a self-sustaining fission chain reaction. This field applies the principles of neutron transport, interaction, and diffusion to analyze and predict the state of a reactor core, a condition known as criticality. These physical models are then used to inform the engineering design of the reactor, including the selection and arrangement of fuel, moderator, coolant, and control systems, with the ultimate goal of creating a safe, stable, and efficient system for generating power or serving research purposes.
1.1.
Atomic and Nuclear Structure
1.1.1.
Atomic Structure
1.1.1.6. Electron Shells and Energy Levels
1.1.2.
Nuclear Structure
1.1.2.1.1. Strong Nuclear Force
1.1.2.1.2. Coulomb Force in Nucleus
1.1.2.1.3. Nuclear Force Range and Characteristics
1.1.2.2.1. Liquid Drop Model
1.1.2.2.3. Collective Model
1.1.2.3. Nuclear Radius and Density
1.1.2.4. Nuclear Stability
1.1.2.4.1. Valley of Beta Stability
1.1.2.4.3. Stability Criteria
1.1.3.
Isotopes and Nuclides
1.1.3.1. Definition of Isotopes
1.1.4.
Binding Energy and Mass Defect
1.1.4.1. Mass-Energy Equivalence
1.1.4.2. Calculation of Mass Defect
1.1.4.3. Nuclear Binding Energy per Nucleon
1.1.4.4. Binding Energy Curve
1.1.4.5. Significance for Fission and Fusion
1.2.
Radioactivity and Nuclear Decay
1.2.1.
Radioactive Decay Law
1.2.1.1. Exponential Decay
1.2.1.5. Activity and Specific Activity
1.2.2.
Modes of Radioactive Decay
1.2.2.1.1. Alpha Particle Properties
1.2.2.1.2. Energy Spectrum
1.2.2.1.3. Geiger-Nuttal Rule
1.2.2.2.1. Beta-minus Decay
1.2.2.2.2. Beta-plus Decay
1.2.2.2.3. Electron Capture
1.2.2.2.4. Neutrino Emission
1.2.2.2.5. Beta Energy Spectrum
1.2.2.3.1. Gamma Ray Properties
1.2.2.3.2. Internal Conversion
1.2.2.3.3. Isomeric Transitions
1.2.3.
Decay Chains
1.2.3.1. Natural Decay Series
1.2.3.2. Secular Equilibrium
1.2.3.3. Transient Equilibrium
1.3.
Nuclear Reactions
1.3.1.
Types of Nuclear Reactions
1.3.1.1. Scattering Reactions
1.3.1.2. Absorption Reactions
1.3.1.3. Fission Reactions
1.3.2.
Reaction Kinematics
1.3.2.1. Conservation Laws
1.3.2.1.1. Energy Conservation
1.3.2.1.2. Momentum Conservation
1.3.2.1.3. Charge Conservation
1.3.2.1.4. Baryon Number Conservation
1.3.2.3. Center of Mass System
1.3.3.
Q-value of Reactions
1.3.3.1. Calculation Methods
1.3.3.2. Exothermic Reactions
1.3.3.3. Endothermic Reactions
1.3.3.4. Relationship to Binding Energy
1.4.
The Fission Process
1.4.1.
Mechanism of Nuclear Fission
1.4.1.1. Liquid Drop Model of Fission
1.4.1.4. Spontaneous Fission
1.4.2.
Fissile and Fissionable Materials
1.4.2.2. Fissionable Nuclides
1.4.2.3. Fertile Materials
1.4.2.3.1. Conversion to Fissile Materials
1.4.3.
Fission Products and Energy Release
1.4.3.1. Fission Fragment Mass Distribution
1.4.3.2.1. Kinetic Energy of Fragments
1.4.3.2.2. Prompt Neutron Energy
1.4.3.2.3. Prompt Gamma Energy
1.4.3.2.4. Beta Decay Energy
1.4.3.2.5. Neutrino Energy
1.4.3.3.1. Time Dependence
1.4.3.3.2. Fission Product Contribution
1.4.4.
Fission Neutrons
1.4.4.1.1. Emission Time Scale
1.4.4.1.2. Energy Spectrum
1.4.4.2.1. Delayed Neutron Precursors
1.4.4.2.2. Delayed Neutron Groups
1.4.4.2.3. Delayed Neutron Fraction
1.4.4.2.4. Importance for Reactor Control
1.4.5.
Fission Yield
1.4.5.1. Independent Yield
1.4.5.4. Mass and Charge Distribution
1.5.
Neutron Interactions with Matter
1.5.1.
Cross Sections
1.5.1.1. Microscopic Cross Sections
1.5.1.1.1. Definition and Units
1.5.1.1.2. Physical Interpretation
1.5.1.2. Macroscopic Cross Sections
1.5.1.2.1. Definition and Calculation
1.5.1.2.2. Relationship to Microscopic Cross Section
1.5.1.3. Energy Dependence of Cross Sections
1.5.1.3.2. Resonance Region
1.5.2.
Types of Neutron Interactions
1.5.2.1. Elastic Scattering
1.5.2.1.2. Angular Distribution
1.5.2.1.3. Energy Transfer
1.5.2.2. Inelastic Scattering
1.5.2.2.1. Threshold Energy
1.5.2.2.2. Excitation of Nuclear Levels
1.5.2.3. Radiative Capture
1.5.2.3.1. Thermal Capture
1.5.2.3.2. Resonance Capture
1.5.2.4. Fission Cross Sections
1.5.2.4.1. Energy Dependence
1.5.2.4.2. Fissile vs Fissionable Materials
1.5.2.5.1. (n,p) Reactions
1.5.2.5.2. (n,α) Reactions
1.5.2.5.3. (n,2n) Reactions
1.5.3.
Resonance Phenomena
1.5.3.1. Breit-Wigner Formula
1.5.3.2. Resonance Parameters
1.5.3.2.1. Resonance Energy
1.5.3.2.4. Radiation Width
1.5.3.3. Doppler Broadening
1.5.3.3.1. Temperature Effects
1.5.3.3.2. Doppler Coefficient
1.5.3.4. Resonance Integrals
1.5.3.4.1. Effective Resonance Integral
1.5.3.4.2. Self-Shielding Effects