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2019　Introduction to Nuclear Engineering

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Academic unit or major
Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Instructor(s)
Oguri Yoshiyuki  Obara Toru  Iio Shunji  Akatsuka Hiroshi  Kikura Hiroshige  Katabuchi Tatsuya 
Class Format
Lecture     
Media-enhanced courses
Day/Period(Room No.)
Mon1-2(S222)  Thr1-2(S222)  
Group
-
Course number
TSE.A311
Credits
2
Academic year
2019
Offered quarter
4Q
Syllabus updated
2019/9/13
Lecture notes updated
-
Language used
Japanese
Access Index

Course description and aims

[Outline]
Fission reactor systems and nuclear fusion reactor development in nuclear engineering are taken up in this class. First, basic nuclear characteristics, nuclear decay and radiation, and nuclear reaction physics are explained. Second, criticality, kinetics, and combustion characteristics of fission reactors are explained as well as reactor thermal hydrodynamics, nuclear system safety, and nuclear fuel cycles. Finally, basic plasma physics, nuclear fusion reactions and fusion plasma are explained as well as the history and present status of nuclear fusion reactor development.
[Aim]
To understand and obtain basic knowledge on physics in nuclear engineering, the mechanisms and safety of fission reactors, reactor thermal hydrodynamics, nuclear fuel cycles, fusion plasma, and the present status of nuclear fusion reactor development.

Student learning outcomes

By taking this course, the students are expected to obtain a wide range of basic knowledge on nuclear engineering and to apply that knowledge to understand the content of higher-level courses in nuclear engineering.

Keywords

energy self-sufficiency rate, energy security, nuclear force, nuclear structure, nuclear binding energy, critical, nuclear reactor, safety, innovative nuclear energy systems, nuclear fuel, uranium enrichment, reprocessing of nuclear spent fuel, disposal of nuclear waste

Competencies that will be developed

✔ Specialist skills Intercultural skills Communication skills Critical thinking skills ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

This omnibus course overviewing nuclear engineering, consists of six lecturers from their respective specialist fields.

Course schedule/Required learning

  Course schedule Required learning
Class 1 Outline of this class, Energy situation in Japan Students must be able to explain about the energy security situation of Japan based on energy self-sufficiency rate, etc.
Class 2 Nuclear structure, Nuclear Binding Energy Students must be able to explain about the basic of nuclear engineering such as nuclear force, nuclear structure, nuclear binding energy, etc.
Class 3 Nuclear disintegration and radiation interactions Students must be able to explain about the generation mechanism of nuclear radiations due to the decay of unstable atomic nuclei and the interaction of the radiation with matter.
Class 4 Nuclear reactions and chain reactions of nuclear fission Students must be able to explain about the mechanisms of nuclear reactions and neutron-induced fission of heavy nuclei such as uranium.
Class 5 Criticality of nuclear reactor Students must be able to explain about the principal of criticality in a nuclear reactor and conditions to achieve it.
Class 6 Reactor kinetices Students must be able to explain about the change in reactor power after the change of reactivity.
Class 7 Reactor burn-up Students must be able to explain about the effect by the change of fuel composition by reactor operation.
Class 8 Nuclear reactor systme and safety, Innovative nuclear energy system Student must be able to expain about the outline of nuclear reactor systems and the principal for safety and innovative nuclear energy systems, which can be the reactors of next-generation.
Class 9 Fundamentals of thermal-hydraulics Students must be able to explain about the fundamentals of thermal-hydraulics in nuclear reactors.
Class 10 Thermal-hydraulics in nuclear reactors Students must be able to explain about the thermal-hydraulic characteristic of nuclear reactors such as heat generation, boiling heat transfer, critical heat flux and so on, and to explain the differences of thermal-hydraulics between BWR and PWR.
Class 11 Nuclear fuel cycle Students must be able to explain about the nuclear fuel cycle, i.e. nuclear fuels, uranium enrichment, burn-up in nuclear reactors, reprocessing and disposal of nuclear spent fuels.
Class 12 Fundamentals of plasmas Students must be able to explain about fundamentals of plasma science and engineering. They must be also able to explain about applications of plasma science from the aspect of fundamental natural phenomena and of various industrial applications.
Class 13 Nuclear fusion reactions and magnetic confinement Students must be able to explain about nuclear fusion reactions in stars as a source of energy, and magnetic plasma confinement to achieve fusion reactions on earth.
Class 14 Heating methods and diagnostics of fusion plasmas Students must be able to explain about the heating methods of plasmas to trigger enough fusion reactions and the diagnostic schemes to measure the temperature and density of plasmas.
Class 15 History and present status of fusion reactor development, report themes Students must be able to explain about the history and present status of research and development to realize fusion reactors.

Textbook(s)

None. Material for each class can be provided by the lecturer.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Material for each class can be provided by the lecturer.

Assessment criteria and methods

Quiz in each lecture (60%) and final examination (40%)

Related courses

  • CAP.E361 ： Radiation Chemistry
  • CAP.E362 ： Nuclear Chemical Engineering

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

None

Contact information (e-mail and phone)    Notice : Please replace from "[at]" to "@"(half-width character).

tobara[at]lane.iir.titech.ac.jp (Prof. Obara)

Office hours

Prior appointment by e-mail is necessary.

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