Undergraduate ENGR 1700

Introduction to Nuclear engineering

(3 units)

Description: Introduction to nuclear science and technology, applications of nuclear engineering, careers in the nuclear industry, nuclear history, reactor types, elementary nuclear and reactor physics, nuclear radiation and safety, fuel cycle, and regulations and sustainability.

Prerequisites: CHEM 0970 and PHYS 0175
It is recommended that students take the nuclear engineering courses in sequence for optimum learning.

Textbook: Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power, by Ronald Allen Knief, American Nuclear Society.

Course Objectives:

• To introduce the nuclear fuel cycle and the world's major nuclear power reactor systems
• To introduce basic theoretical concepts of nuclear physics, radiation protection, reactor physics, reactor kinetics, fuel depletion, and energy removal
• To develop fundamental calculational skills that can aid in understanding nuclear energy problems and solutions
• To describe important fuel cycle operations with uranium from exploration through enrichment, including fundamental aspects of spent-fuel reprocessing and fuel-cycle waste management
• To develop knowledge of important social and technical issues related to nuclear science and technology

Topics Covered:

1. Nuclear and reactor physics
2. Nuclear radiation environment
3. Reactor kinetics and control
4. Fuel depletion and energy removal
5. Light water reactors
6. Reactor safety fundamentals: accidents and their lessons
7. The nuclear fuel cycle
8. Social, ethical, and technical issues

Class Schedule: One 150-minute period of lecture per week

Professional Component Contribution: Engineering science and design

Relationship to Program Objectives:

Prepared by: Larry Foulke

Date Prepared: August 15, 2006