Introduction to nuclear engineering and reactor technology.
[MECA2600]
[30h + 30h] 5 credits
This course is taught in the 1st semester.
Teacher(s): Hamid Aït Abderrahim
Language: French
Level: Second
Aims
Main themes
in mathematical analysis (integration, power series expansions, ordinary
and partial differential equations) as well as in numerical computation. The
aim of this course is threefold: a description of the basic principles of nuclear
engineering (fuel cycles, reactor types, etc ...), the understanding of the
fundsamental concepts (cross sections, phase space, neutron fluxes and currents,
criticality, etc...) and the development of a model (the multigroup-diffusion
model) allowing to perform reactor computations. By reactor computations, one
generally refers to the determination of the conditions that have to be satisfied
in order to produce energy in steady-state, the space dependence of the energy
production inside the reactor and the time evolution of the energy production if
the steady-state conditions are no longer met. The MECA2600 course is adapted
from the reference "Nuclear Reactor Analysis", by J.J. Duderstadt and L.J.
Hamilton (John Wiley, 1976), chapters 1 to 6.
Content and teaching methods
The aim of this course is threefold: a description of the basic principles of
nuclear engineering (fuel cycles, reactor types, etc ...), the understanding of
the fundsamental concepts (cross sections, phase space, neutron fluxes and currents,
criticality, etc...) and the development of a model (the multigroup-diffusion
model) allowing to perform reactor computations. By reactor computations, one
generally refers to the determination of the conditions that have to be satisfied
in order to produce energy in steady-state, the space dependence of the energy
production inside the reactor and the time evolution of the energy production if
the steady-state conditions are no longer met.
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)
- An introductory course in nuclear physics
- A basic knowledge and skill in mathematical analysis (integration, power series
expansions, ordinary and partial differential equations) as well as in numerical
computation.
References :
The MECA2600 course is adapted from the reference "Nuclear Reactor Analysis", by J.J.
Duderstadt and L.J. Hamilton (John Wiley, 1976), chapters 1 to 6.