EY4003 Nuclear Engineering Syllabus:
EY4003 Nuclear Engineering Syllabus – Anna University PG Syllabus Regulation 2021
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. To elucidate on the physics involved in nuclear reaction and radiation detection
2. To understand the reactor theory and classification of nuclear fuels
3. To comprehend the working of nuclear power plants and economic analysis
4. To understand the application of radioactivity
5. To acquire knowledge on nuclear waste management, storage and regulatory issues.
UNIT- I NUCLEAR PHYSICS, RADIATION SOURCES AND DETECTION
Basic properties of nucleus and nuclear radiations, Nuclear Stability, Binding energy and nuclear stability, Radioactive Decay, Determination of mass of neutrino, Sources of Alpha, beta, gamma radiations, neutron sources, spontaneous fission source Detection techniques – Gas filled ionization detectors – Ionization chambers, proportional counters and GM counters. Pulse height spectra and energy resolution.
UNIT- II NUCLEAR REACTOR THEORY, NUCLEAR REACTOR MATERIALS AND FUELS
Fissile and fertile atoms, conversion of fertile into fissile atoms, Fission power, fission chain, control of fission chain, Effective multiplication factor, concept of criticality, sub criticality and super criticality. Conversion / breeding ratio, fuel burn-up.
Selection of reactor materials – fuel and cladding, corrosion, pressure vessel materials. Nuclear fuels – Properties of Uranium metal, UO2 and UC. Fuel elements- Thermal properties, Stress analysis of fuel elements, Fuel Chemistry, Solid fission products, corrosion in nuclear reactors, primary failure modes of fuel elements. Radio Isotopes
UNIT- III NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING AND ECONOMICS
Principles of conversion – Types of nuclear power plants – Fast breeder reactors- Breeding requirements and fast reactors, Fast reactor system features Economics of nuclear power plants- capital costs, fuel costs and O&M (operations and maintenance) costs, Economics of nuclear vs. other types of power plants.
UNIT- IV APPLICATION OF RADIATION TECHNOLOGY
Applications using gamma ray attenuation & scattering, Borehole logging, Radio gauging principles. Beta transmission gauges for measurements of sheets thickness, density and composition analysis. Xray fluorescence principles. Neutron gauges. Gamma and neutron radiography, radiation processing, food irradiation and power packs.
Material analysis – Basic principles, nuclear techniques for elemental analysis, Rutherford back scattering (RBS) and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA).Medical applications – Projection imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, radiation therapy. Sterilization plants
UNIT- V NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE AND MANAGEMENT
Classification of nuclear waste, environmental impacts of nuclear waste, nuclear decay law, nuclear fuel cycle. Treatment of liquid and solid radioactive wastes, hydraulic cements in waste immobilization and cementation technology.
Storage and disposal – Deep geologic disposal – Design principles and evaluation methods – Repository requirements and site selection – multi-barrier concept – Regulatory environment and community Issues, International scenarios for permanent disposal.
TOTAL: 45 PERIODS
COURSE OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of the course the student will able to
1. Detail the principle of nuclear physics and various radiation detection methods
2. Recognize the significance on proper selection of nuclear reactor materials / fuels
3. Describe the working of various nuclear power plants and evaluate the economics of nuclear power plant
4. Interpret the application of nuclear radiation in diverse fields and devise strategies for application in other diverse fields
5. Explain the challenges involved in treatment and disposal of nuclear waste.
REFERENCES:
1. Kenneth S. Krane, Introductory Nuclear Physics. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1987).
2. G.F.Knoll, Radiation Detection and Measurement, 3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons (2000)
3. S.Garg, F. Ahmed and L.S.Kothari, Physics of Nuclear Reactors, Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi (1986).
4. S. E. Liverhant Elementary Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory ,Publisher: John Wiley and sons, INC, second print (1966)
5. Was and Gary S,Fundamentals of Radiation Materials Science Metals and Alloys,Springer,2017.
6. John Lilley, Nuclear Physics, Principles and Application, John Wiley (2002).
7. James H. Saling, Audeen W. Fentiman, Yu S. Tang, Radioactive Waste Management, Taylor & Francis, 2001.