NPRE 556
Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
NPRE 556
COURSE OUTLINE
Course Number: NPRE 556
Title: Reactor Theory II
Catalogue Description: Advanced treatments of the theory of slow-neutron scattering, neutron thermalization, Doppler broadening, fuel depletion and fuel loadings, properties of neutron migration operators, and mathematical neutron transport theory; interpretation of related experiments; advanced topics.
| Principle Topics Covered | Hours (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| Quantum Theory of Slow-neutron Scattering (molecular gases, solids, liquids, practical models for scattering by moderators) | 9 |
| Neutron Thermalization (measurement and calculation of thermal spectra) | 2 |
| Doppler Broadening of Neutron Resonances (Maxwellian distribution of nuclei, effects of solid structure of fuel nuclei) | 2 |
| Fuel Depletion and Fuel Loadings (Implications of neutron thermalization and Doppler broadening for Pu buildup and Pu recycle in thermal reactors, changes in isotopic concentrations with brump, and optimal loadings) | 4 |
| Mathematical Properties of Nuetron Migration Operators (positivity of multigroup and exact diffusion and transport operators, eigenvalue spectra of neutron transport operators) | 6 |
| Mathematical Neutron Transport Theory (Wiener-Hopf solutions, singular eigenfunction solutions, Riemann-Hilbert boundary value problem) | 6 |
| Application of Mathematical Transport Theory to the Analysis of Reactor Physics Experiments (thermal neutron transport theory of pulsed assemblies, theory of neutron waves; space- and time-dependent neutron slowing-down kernels, inelastic slowing-down; fast neutron transport theory in multiplying systems. | 6 |
| Advanced Topics (to be drawn from subjects listed above and/or current research literature) | 10 |
| Total | 45 |
Basic Texts: Basic sources include the research papers published in journals and ERDA R & D reports and overseas R & D reports from England, Germany, France & Italy. Reference books include Parks, Nelkin, Beyster, and Wikner, "Slow-neutron Scattering and Thermalization of Neutrons", 1966, Williams, "Mathematical Methods in Particle Transport Theory", 1971, Wing, "Intro. to Transport Theory", 1962, Proc. Symp. in Applied Math., Vol XI, Amer. Math. Soc., 1961, and the books by Davison; Case and Zweifel; Case, deHoffman and Placzek; Ferziger and Zweifel; Dresner; and Henry which are cited in the NPRE 556 outline.
Prerequisites:
- NPRE 555, Reactor Theory; NucE 421, Nuclear Concepts
- or graduate standing in Physics
- or consent of instructor
Purpose of Course:
- Elective for Nuclear Engineering and other fields of engineering and science if the student meets the prerequisites.
- This course is one of a series of advanced level reactor physics and theory courses for graduate students who want advanced professional study and research preparation in the field of nuclear reactor analysis.
Instructor: Roy Axford
Credit: Semester Hours or 1 Unit
Meeting hours per week: 3
Class registration opacity: 20
Semesters course offered: REFER TO MASTER LISTING
Other notes:
Course last revised: May 2007
© 2009 The Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois