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Knief Chapter 1
Knief Chapter 1
American Nuclear Society, Inc. 555 North Kensington Avenue La Grange Park, Illinois 60526 USA
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Knief, Ronald Allen, 1944 Nuclear engineering : theory and technology of commercial nuclear power 0 Ronald Allen Knief. 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-89448-458-3 1. Nuclear engineering. 2. Nuclear energy. I. Title. TK9145.K62 2008 621.48dc22 2008029390
ISBN-10: 0-89448-458-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-89448-458-2 Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 2008029390 ANS Order Number: 350023 2008 American Nuclear Society, Inc. 555 North Kensington Avenue La Grange Park, Illinois 60526 USA All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
xiii
XVll
Overview 1 Introduction
Nuclear Fuel Cycles
Nuclear Power Reactors
3
4
10
22
II
2
67
vii
viii
Contents
87 96
Reactor Physics
99
Infinite Systems 100 Finite Systems 108 Computational Methods 113 Exercises 131 Selected Bibliography 133
135
161
185
III
8
211
241
260
Contents
ix
10
Light-Water Reactors
261
Boiling-Water Reactors 262 268 Pressurized-Water Reactors Exercises 282 284 Selected Bibliography
11
12
313
IV
13
337
14
359
15
417
16
475
Contents
V
17
The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Fuel Cycle, Uranium Processing, and Enrichment
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Uranium 513 Exercises 532 Selected Bibliography 508
507
533
18
535
557
19
559
20
599
VI
21
Fusion Overview 636 643 Magnetic Confinement Inertial Confinement 650 Commercial Aspects 655 Non-Thermonuclear Fusion 659 Exercises 661 Selected Bibliography 662
Contents
xi
The Impending Energy Crisis: A Perspective on the Need for Nuclear Power 677
Energy Crisis 678 683 Options Proposed Solutions 694 Exercises 698 Selected Bibliography 702
IV
707
OVERVIEW
Goals
1. To introduce the basic concepts of both the nuclear fuel cycle and the world's six major nuclear power reactor systems 2. To provide a context for a better understanding of the theoretical concepts presented in Part II
Chapter in Part I
Introduction
1
INTRODUCTION
Objectives
After studying this chapter, the reader should be able to: 1. Explain the two advantages and the two disadvantages of fission as an energy source. 2. Arrange in sequence and describe the intent of each process step of the commercial nuclear fuel cycle. 3. Explain the concept of and physical basis for recycling of nuclear fuel. Distinguish between open and closed fuel cycles. 4. Describe the role of each of the following support activities in the nuclear fuel cycle: transportation, nuclear safety, and nuclear material safeguards. 5. Explain the following terms as they apply to classification of nuclear reactor systems: coolant, number of steam-cycle loops, moderator, neutron energy, and fuel production. State the full name and classify in these terms each of the six reference reactor types: BWR, PWR, CANDU-PHWR, PTGR, HTGR, and LMFBR. 6. Identify the four major elements of reactor multiple-barrier containment for fission products. Describe the fuel assembly employed by each of the reference reactor types and explain how it provides the first two of the barriers. 7. Perform basic calculations related to fuel-cycle material mass balance and energy equivalence.
The current basis for commercial application of nuclear energy is the fission process. Figure 1-1 shows a neutron striking an atom of uranium-235 [ 235 U] to produce a
3
Overview