Basic Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory LATEST EDITION 2024/25 GUARANTEED GRADE A+
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Course
Basic Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory
Institution
Basic Nuclear Physics And Reactor Theory
Basic Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory LATEST EDITION 2024/25 GUARANTEED GRADE A+
Describe how a nuclear plant generates electricity:
Nuclear fission creates heat which generates steam, steam rotates turbines, which turns the generator to produce electricity.
Methods to Control Fission Rate: P...
Basic Nuclear Physics and Reactor
Theory LATEST EDITION 2024/25
GUARANTEED GRADE A+
Describe how a nuclear plant generates electricity:
Nuclear fission creates heat which generates steam, steam rotates
turbines, which turns the generator to produce electricity.
Methods to Control Fission Rate: PWR
Control rods inserted from top
boric acid as a moderator
Methods to Control Fission Rate: BWR
Control rods inserted from the bottom
Increasing recirculation pump speed as a moderator (sweeps away steam
bubbles=voids)
Steam Generation: PWR
higher pressure keeps water in reactor from boiling (controlled by
pressurizer)>highly pressurized/heater primary coolant(water) pumped
to heat exchanger (steam generator: contains low pressure water
(secondary coolant))>primary coolant flow in steam generator and
heats up secondary coolant, creating boil>primary coolant flows back
into reactor to be reheated>steam produced in steam generator turns
turbines>steam is condensed and returned to steam generators.
moisture separators @ top part of steam generator
PWR
control of coolant flow require re circulation loops/jet pump around
core
BWR
Steam Generation: BWR
boiling water occurs in reactor>flows through moisture separators and
dryers (located at top of reactor)>steam flows through turbine to
turn
Scattering
AKA moderation or thermalization; A category of neutron interaction
in which a neutron and nucleus reappear with different energy levels
after colliding with each other
Thermal Neutrons
Result from scattering process; higher probability of causing fission
Fission Cross Section
A measure of the probability that an interaction of a given kind will
take place between a nucleus and an incident neutron
Fission Process
, Heavy nucleus is hit with neutron at right energy and gains
"excitation" energy from neutrons mass and kinetic energy>nucleus
splits into 2 light radioactive nuclei (fission fragments, fission
products, daughters)>2-3 other fission neutrons also get released
with heat energy and radiation (gamma rays); Mass from originally
nucleus will be lost when split in the reaction
Fast fission
determines how many additional fission neutrons are generated by fast
(non-thermal) fissions
Fast Non-Leakage
probability that fast neutrons do not escape
Resonance Escape
probability that neutron is NOT absorbed as it slows down to thermal
energy
Thermal Utilization
fraction of thermal neutron absorptions that occur in FUEL
Reproduction
remaining neutrons that cause fission produce next generation (n1) of
2-3 fission neutrons
Critical
State of a reactor when the number of neutrons in each generation
(also, reactor power) remains constant over time; k=1
Supercritical
State of a reactor when the number of neutrons in each generation
(also, reactor power) grows with time; k>1
Subcritical
State of a reactor when the number of neutrons in each generation
(also, reactor power) decreases with time; K<1
Reactivity
change in the reactor that affects neutron multiplication; can be
positive negative or zero
Positive Reactivity
increase neutron multiplication; reactor is moving to supercritical
(withdrawing control rods or creating Pu-239)
Negative Reactivity
removes neutrons and moves reactor to subcritically (withdraw control
rods or deplete U-235 fuel)
Escape
To maintain a chain reaction neutrons must be able to?
slowed down
Neutrons must be ______ in order to fission with heavy nuclei in the
reactor?
delayed neutrons
Bring reactor State up from subcritical to critical
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