Fundamentals of CANDU Reactor Physics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Shen ◽  
Benjamin Rouben
Keyword(s):  
First Principles ◽  
Nuclear Physics ◽  
Engineering Application ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Nuclear Engineering ◽  
Safe Operation ◽  
Reactor Physics ◽  
Candu Reactors ◽  
Engineering And Technology

Nuclear Engineering and Technology for the 21st Century - Monograph Series Jovica Riznic, Series Editor With more than 75 years of combined working experience in the area of reactor physics and safety, the intention of the authors of this monograph is to provide a practical book on reactor physics, particularly for the safe operation of aged CANDU reactors, with minimal mathematics or equations. The book gives a glimpse of first principles and their engineering application in reactor physics, for those who are interested in or are working in the Canadian nuclear industry. The book is also ideal as a reference for physicists, operators, regulatory staff, and for those who need to interact with reactor physicists at CANDU sites, nuclear laboratories, institutes, universities, or engineering companies. This book assumes prior knowledge of nuclear physics offered at the secondary level. As very few equations appear in the monograph, it is not considered suitable for specialists whose focus is only on calculations or on the development of software on reactor physics. Such readers should refer to the books listed in the bibliography at the end of the monograph.

Scope

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Wei Shen ◽  
Benjamin Rouben
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Reactor Physics ◽  
Light Water ◽  
Computational Schemes ◽  
The World ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
And Mathematics

From the educational point of view, there are many textbooks on reactor physics used at various universities in the world. However, most of these textbooks focus either on application to Light Water Reactors (LWRs), or on the theory and mathematics, with a significant number of equations and computational schemes. Or else they were written more than 20, or even more than 60, years ago, and therefore they do not reflect the evolution of reactor concepts and engineering requirements since then. All those categories of books are either difficult to follow for non-physicists working in the nuclear industry, or else are of little value for those who are interested in special features of CANDU reactor physics.

A Comparison of Different Communication Tools for Distance Learning in Nuclear Education

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn Harvel ◽  
Wendy Hardman
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Training Model ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Nuclear Engineering ◽  
The Past ◽  
Lecture Method ◽  
Complex Models ◽  
Education Model ◽  
In Transit

Nuclear Engineering Education has seen a recent surge in activity in the past 10 years in Canada due in part to a Nuclear Renaissance. The Nuclear Industry workforce is also aging significantly and requires a significant turnover of staff due to the expected retirements in the next few years. The end result is that more students need to be prepared for work in all aspects of the Nuclear Industry. The traditional training model used for nuclear engineering education has been an option in an existing undergraduate program such as Chemical Engineering, Engineering Physics, or Mechanical Engineering with advanced training in graduate school. The education model was mostly lecture style with a small number of experimental laboratories due to the small number of research reactors that could be used for experimentation. While the traditional education model has worked well in the past, there are significantly more advanced technologies available today that can be used to enhance learning in the classroom. Most of the advancement in nuclear education learning has been through the use of computers and simulation related tasks. These have included use of industry codes, or simpler tools for analysis of the complex models used in the Nuclear Industry. While effective, these tools address the analytical portion of the program and do not address many of the other skills needed for nuclear engineers. In this work, a set of tools are examined that can be used to augment or replace the traditional lecture method. These tools are Mediasite, Adobe Connect, Elluminate, and Camtasia. All four tools have recording capabilities that allow the students to experience the exchange of information in different ways. The students now have more options in how they obtain and share information. Students can receive information in class, review it later at home or while in transit, or view/participate it live at a remote location. These different options allow for more flexibility in delivery of material. The purpose of this paper is to compare recent experiences with each of these tools in providing Nuclear Engineering Education and to determine the various constraints and impacts on delivery.

Numerical Modeling of Stationary, Dynamic Pebbles and Gas Flows in a Pebble Bed Reactor

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Zhao ◽  
Trent Montgomery ◽  
Sijun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Gas Flows ◽  
Nuclear Engineering ◽  
Physical Sciences ◽  
Safe Operation ◽  
Pebble Bed ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Pebble Bed Reactor ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
College Of Engineering

This paper presents a review on the research activities conducted at AAMU (Alabama A&M University) in the last five years. The researchers in College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences of AAMU have been receiving financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy under Massie Chair Excellence Program in Nuclear Engineering from 2008. The main objectives of this project were to improve the capability of understanding the static, dynamic behavior of pebbles and gas flows/heat transfer in a pebble bed reactor (PBR), which is the key to the design, optimization and safe operation of the reactors.

License Renewal and Subsequent License Renewal in the U.S.

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry G. Young
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Safe Operation ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Nuclear Plants ◽  
The Status ◽  
License Renewal ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Operating Plant

As of February 2014, the NRC has renewed the operating licenses for 73 nuclear units, allowing for up to 60 years of safe operation. In addition, the NRC has license renewal applications under review for 18 units and 9 additional units have announced plans to submit applications over the next few years [1]. This brings the total of renewed licenses and plans for renewal to 100% of the operating nuclear units in the U.S. By the end of 2014, there will be 38 nuclear plants that will have operated for more than 40 years and will be eligible to seek a subsequent license renewal (or almost 40% of the nuclear units expected to be operating at the end of 2014). In 2013, nuclear plant owners of 5 units shutdown operation or announced plans to shutdown by the end of 2014. However, most of the remaining operating plant owners are keeping the option open for long term operation beyond 60 years. NRC and the U.S. nuclear industry have made significant progress in preparing the way for subsequent license renewal applications. This paper presents the status of the U.S. license renewal process and issues being addressed for possible applications for subsequent renewals for up to 80 years of operation.

scholarly journals Implications for Deriving Regional Fossil Fuel CO2 Estimates from Atmospheric Observations in a Hot Spot of Nuclear Power Plant 14CO2 Emissions

Radiocarbon ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 1556-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix R Vogel ◽  
Ingeborg Levin ◽  
Doug E J Worthy
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Local Concentration ◽  
Candu Reactors ◽  
Global Emission ◽  
Observational Site ◽  
Pseudo Data

Using Δ14C observations to infer the local concentration excess of CO2 due to the burning of fossil fuels (ΔFFCO2) is a promising technique to monitor anthropogenic CO2 emissions. A recent study showed that 14CO2 emissions from the nuclear industry can significantly alter the local atmospheric 14CO2 concentration and thus mask the Δ14C depletion due to ΔFFCO2. In this study, we investigate the relevance of this effect for the vicinity of Toronto, Canada, a hot spot of anthropogenic 14CO2 emissions. Comparing the measured emissions from local power plants to a global emission inventory highlighted significant deviations on interannual timescales. Although the previously assumed emission factor of 1.6 TBq(GWa)-1 agrees with the observed long-term average for all CANDU reactors of 1.50 ± 0.18 TBq(GWa)-1. This power-based parameterization neglects the different emission ratios for individual reactors, which range from 3.4 ± 0.82 to 0.65 ± 0.09 TBq(GWa)-1. This causes a mean difference of-14% in 14CO2 concentrations in our simulations at our observational site in Egbert, Canada. On an annual time basis, this additional 14CO2 masks the equivalent of 27–82% of the total annual FFCO2 offset. A pseudo-data experiment suggests that the interannual variability in the masked fraction may cause spurious trends in the ΔFFCO2 estimates of the order of 30% from 2006–2010. In addition, a comparison of the modeled Δ14C levels with our observational time series from 2008–2010 underlines that incorporating the best available 14CO2 emissions significantly increases the agreement. There were also short periods with significant observed Δ14C offsets, which were found to be linked with maintenance periods conducted on these nuclear reactors.

scholarly journals FORMALISMS, ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH POPULATION INVERSION OF MATERIALS

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Milesa Ž. Srećković ◽  
Andrei A. Ionin ◽  
Aco J. Janićijević ◽  
Aleksandar R. Bugarinović ◽  
Stanko M. Ostojić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Physics ◽  
Population Inversion ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Laser Energy ◽  
Laser System ◽  
Active Material ◽  
Kinetic Equations ◽  
Engineering Application ◽  
State Theory ◽  
Practical Reasons

During six decades of quantum electronics, a vast majority of new types of quantum generators have been developed. Although the principle of population inversion has united different ranges of electromagnetic spectra (and respective quantum generators), the existence of the title laser without the population inversion, makes that the exception had confirmed the rule, i. e. that this title deserves to be discussed further. Developing of formalisms describing the operation of quantum generators, by now have produced several approaches, which must have a quantum mechanics base. For the practical reasons, negative coefficient of absorption is acquired using classic electromagnetics as well, however for the population purposes, quantum representation must be entered. A few levels of formalisms will be set in this paper, linked to quantum generators accenting the optical portion of the spectra. The lowest level descriptions are based on lumped circuits. This could be expanded to equivalents of other physical problems, using program packages developed for the electrical engineering application purposes (Spice, etc.). Schematics are defined at the macro as well as micro equivalent levels (atomic – electronic levels). The kinetic equations with simpler approach will be considered as well as simplified laser equations based on quantum/ semi-quantum approach. The use of Fourier analysis or other appropriate transformations leads to formulating the main five laser equations which serve as the base for various working regimes of quantum generators and amplifiers (free generation regime, Q switch, synchronization, operation with filters, two modes regime, regime with losses, etc.). The Lyapunov stability theorem has to be included here, etc. For some of the chosen types of quantum generator, analytical modeling will be analyzed as well as the results of program packages developed for the lasers dynamics, regimes and parameters. The systems pumped with electronic beams (relativistic) will be considered and the nuclear physics statements discussed which must be included at the beginning, in order to consider further necessary parts of the condensed – solid state theory and laser techniques, after slowing down towards thermal energies. Existing program packages provide fast modeling and visualization of laser energy distribution, temperature, modes, etc. in active material with or without the resonator. A modeling will be performed for the specified geometries and a temperature distribution in active material will be captured during operation of a chosen laser system. Different pump geometries will be compared. Contemporary lasers with the shortest existing pulse durations demand new formalisms. Areas of nonlinear optics and quantum electrody-namics, Glauber states and similar, are areas that have to be included. Two main formalisms thermodynamical and quantum mechanical with transition probabilities using perturbation methods and secondary quantization naturally had to be complemented if the Brillouin, Raman, Compton, soliton, fiber and other lasers are included more generally.

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