ENU 6106: Reactor Analysis

The focus of this course is an understanding of the modern practice of reactor physics.  This entails both an understanding of classic deterministic reactor theory and concepts and governing equations that goes into computational Monte Carlo techniques, and how they are applied to the analysis of real reactors.  

This course will require some facility with programming in a high level language (C++, FORTRAN, Matlab, Python, etc) to solve problems related to radiation transport and to apply concepts learned into applied problems and evaluations (often as self-study or homework, the benefit of such exercises is thus highly dependent on the effort exerted by each student).  You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with these topics.

Classical Reactor Physics

• Overview of Reactor Physics
• Basic Neutronics
• Transport Theory Derivation
• Diffusion Theory and Thermal Diffusion Length
• Reactor Eq. as Diffusion w/Fission Source & Time Coupled Modes
• Solutions of Reactor Eq.  in different Geometries & 1.5 Group Theory
• Reflected Reactors, Self-Shielding, Homogenization
• Perturbation Theory and Intor to Adjoints
• Adjoint Operators and Derivation of Adjoint Transport Eq.
• Feedback and Reactivity Coefficents
• Reactor Kinetics Crash Course
• Further Reactor Kinetics

Advanced Topics 

• Multi-Group Theory
• Core Design
• Fuel Cycle 
• Transport Theory
• Core Power Distributions/Peaking
• Reactivity Control