Nuclear Fission Reactors

This book is intended to provide an introduction to the basic principles of nuclear fission reactors for advanced undergraduate or graduate students of physics and engineering. The presentation is also suitable for physicists or engineers who are entering the nuclear power field without previous experience with nuclear reactors. No background knowledge is required beyond that typically acquired in the first two years of an undergraduate program in physics or engineering. Throughout, the emphasis is on explaining why particular reactor systems have evolved in the way they have, without going into great detail about reactor physics or methods of design analysis, which are already covered in a number of excellent specialist texts. The first two chapters serve as an introduction to the basic physics of the atom and the nucleus and to nuclear fission and the nuclear chain reaction. Chapter 3 deals with the fundamentals of nuclear reactor theory, covering neutron slowing down and the spatial dependence of the neutron flux in the reactor, based on the solution of the diffusion equations. The chapter includes a major section on reactor kinetics and control, including'tempera­ ture and void coefficients and xenon poisoning effects in power reactors. Chapter 4 describes various aspects offuel management and fuel cycles, while Chapter 5 considers materials problems for fuel and other constituents of the reactor. The processes of heat generation and removal are covered in Chapter 6.

Table of Contents:
1.Basic Physics of the Atom and the Nucleus.- 1.1. The Nuclear Atom.- 1.2. The Structure of the Atom.- 1.3. Radioactivity.- 1.4. Mass Defect and Binding Energy.- 1.5. Interactions of Neutrons with the Nucleus.- 1.6. Cross Sections for Neutron Reactions.- 1.7. Cross Sections of Particular Importance in Reactor Physics.- 1.8. Experimental Techniques.- 2. Nuclear Fission and the Nuclear Chain Reaction.- 2.1. Nature of the Fission Process.- 2.2. The Products of Fission.- 2.3. Energy Release in Fission.- 2.4. The Nuclear Chain Reaction.- 2.5. The Role of Plutonium in Nuclear Reactors.- 2.6. Nuclear Cross Sections of the Fissile Isotopes.- 3. Elements of Nuclear Reactor Theory.- 3.1. The Neutron Energy Spectrum in a Nuclear Reactor.- 3.2. The Spatial Dependence of the Neutron Flux in a Reactor.- 3.3. The Heterogeneous Reactor.- 3.4. Reactor Kinetics and Control.- 4. Nuclear Fuels and Their Characteristics.- 4.1.Nuclear Properties of Fissile Materials.- 4.2.Buildup of Plutonium in a Natural Uranium Reactor.- 4.3.The Th232—U233 Fuel Cycle.- 4.4.Aspects of Fuel Management in Thermal Reactors.- 5. Materials Problems for Nuclear Reactors.- 5.1. Effects of Irradiation on Reactor Materials.- 5.2. Uranium—Production and Enrichment.- 5.3. Properties of Uranium Metal.- 5.4. Ceramic Uranium Fuel.- 5.5. Dispersion-Type Fuel Elements.- 5.6. Graphite.- 5.7. Stainless Steel.- 5.8. Zirconium.- 5.9. Light and Heavy Water.- 6.Heat Generation and Removal in Nuclear Reactors.- 6.1. Introduction.- 6.2. Maximum Heat Generation Rate in Fuel.- 6.3. Heat Conduction in Fuel Elements.- 6.4. Temperature Distributions along a Coolant Channel.- 6.5. Heat Transfer by Boiling Coolant.- 6.6. Nuclear Power Reactor Cooling Systems.- 7.General Survey of Reactor Types.- 7.1.Introduction.- 7.2.Classificationof Thermal Reactors.- 8. The Gas-Cooled Graphite-Moderated Reactor.- 8.1. General Characteristics of the Gas-Cooled Graphite-Moderated Reactor.- 8.2. The Magnox Natural Uranium Graphite-Moderated Reactor.- 8.3. The Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor.- 8.4. The High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor.- 9. The Light-Water-Moderated Reactor.- 9.1. General Characteristics of the Light-Water-Moderated Reactor.- 9.2. Development of the Light Water Reactor.- 9.3. The Pressurized Water Reactor.- 9.4. The Boiling Water Reactor.- 10. The Heavy-Water-Moderated Reactor.- 10.1. General Characteristics of the Heavy Water Reactor.- 10.2. The CANDU Pressure Tube Heavy Water Reactor.- 11. The Fast Reactor.- 11.1. Introduction.- 11.2. The Physics and Technology of Fast Reactors.- 11.3. Dynamic Behavior and Safety Aspects of the Fast Reactor.- 11.4. The Dounreay Prototype Fast Reactor.- 12. Safety and Environmental Aspects of Nuclear Reactors.- 12.1.The Biological Effects of Radiation.- 12.2. Effects of Routine Release of Radioactivity from the Nuclear Industry.- 12.3. Reactor Accidents: Safety Studies on Light Water Reactors.- 12.4. Reactor Accidents: Thermal Reactors Other than LWRs.- 12.5. The Safety of the Fast Breeder Reactor.- 12.6. Long-term Storage and Disposal of Radioactive Wastes.- 12.7. The Thermal Effects of Nuclear Power Stations.