NUCLEAR REACTOR THEORY

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: N E 305 and ( MATH 319 , 320 , 321 , or 375 ), or graduate/professional standing, or member of Engineering Guest Students Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Breadth - Physical Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Write neutron balance conditions describing the temporal, spectral and spatial behavior of (neutron) multiplying systems Audience: Undergraduate 2. Explain how stability issues manifest themselves in choices of reactor design and operation in light water reactors Audience: Undergraduate 3. Assess whether or not a system containing fissile material is critical Audience: Undergraduate 4. Estimate the lifetime of a core based on the initial excess reactivity; prescribe control materials for maintaining criticality over the core lifetime Audience: Undergraduate 5. Solve simple temporal reactor kinetics problems and explain the shape of the reactor power curve Audience: Undergraduate 6. Solve simple spectral problems and explain the shape of the neutron spectrum in a light water reactor Audience: Undergraduate 7. Find the spatial neutron distribution and associated power distribution for a given combination of constituent materials using one-group and two-group diffusion theory Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Write neutron balance conditions describing the temporal, spectral and spatial behavior of (neutron) multiplying systems Audience: Undergraduate 2. Explain how stability issues manifest themselves in choices of reactor design and operation in light water reactors Audience: Undergraduate 3. Assess whether or not a system containing fissile material is critical Audience: Undergraduate 4. Estimate the lifetime of a core based on the initial excess reactivity; prescribe control materials for maintaining criticality over the core lifetime Audience: Undergraduate 5. Solve simple temporal reactor kinetics problems and explain the shape of the reactor power curve Audience: Undergraduate 6. Solve simple spectral problems and explain the shape of the neutron spectrum in a light water reactor Audience: Undergraduate 7. Find the spatial neutron distribution and associated power distribution for a given combination of constituent materials using one-group and two-group diffusion theory Audience: Undergraduate