NUC-3650 Reactor Fundamentals
This course is a study of fundamentals associated with neutron properties and behavior in light water reactors. Course content includes mass-energy relationships, binding energy, radioactivity, neutron reactions with matter, neutron cross sections, flux, neutron reaction rates, fissionable and fissile fuels, fission reaction, neutron production, neutron life cycle, four-factor and six-factor formula, the effect of reactivity on neutron multiplication, neutron flux and reactor power, reactivity, subcritical multiplication, prompt and delay neutron factors, and neutron sources. The course topics also include reactor period, reactivity coefficients, control rod worth, fission product poisons, and fuel burn up and decay heat removal when the reactor is shut down.
Advisory: It is strongly recommended that you do not take any of the Nuclear Engineering Technology and Radiation Protection area of study courses unless your math skills, up to and including derivatives and integrals, are current. Students are responsible for making sure that they have the necessary knowledge.