nuclear reactor physics basics - 4PMGBPR4

Goal(s)

The course introduces definitions and fundamentals concepts of the reactor physics which will allow later to develop the reactor theory, in particular the reactor neutron balance equations, the feedback effects, the reactor kinetics and dynamics behavior. The elements provides by this course should allow the student to understand the main neutronics phenomena occurring in a nuclear reactor and to make first order of value estimates of relevant neutronics parameters (e.g. neutron cross-sections).

Content(s)

1) Nuclear energy: biding energy, fusion and fission, fisile and fertile nuclides, nuclear fission process, delayed neutron.
2) Neutron interactions with materials: microscopic and macroscopic cross-sections, reaction rates, energy dependency of neutron cross-sections, temperature effet, differential cross-sections.
3) Equilibrium chain reaction: neutron flux, neutron spectrum, chain reaction, reactor criticality and multiplication factor, neutron balance in a PWR, diffusion approximation.
4) Working principles of a nuclear reactor: nuclear reactor core composition, fast and thermal spectrum reactor, operation of a PWR

Nuclear physics
Quantum physics