Undergraduate ENGR 1702

nuclear plant technology

(3 units)

Description: Current and future reactor systems, nuclear power plants, balance of plant configuration, fuel cycle management, reactor operation principles, reactor plant economics, analysis and design of nuclear systems, and design projects

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

Textbook: Fundamentals of Thermodynamics, 7th edition, by Sonntag and Borgnakke, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Course Objectives:

• Define the nuclear island and the turbine island.
• Introduce, identify, and describe the design and operation of systems and components of water-cooled reactors and show their functions.
• Introduce improvements in near-term nuclear plants.
• Critique and compare future designs.
• Introduce the Technical Specifications and Standards for Nuclear Plants.
• Examine current and future technology for the recycle of nuclear fuel.
• Assess the sustainability of the nuclear option.

Topics Covered:

1. The nuclear island
2. Current reactor plant systems
3. Nuclear power plant systems and components for current plants
4. Near-term reactor designs
5. Generation IV reactor concepts
6. Principles of reactor operations
7. Technical specifications and standards
8. Economics of the nuclear fuel cycle

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