The experiments will be basically performed at a nuclear facility, including Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). The students will stay at the facility for the experiments. Basically the criticality experiments and the control rods calibration experiment are performed using light water moderated core. The training for the operation of nuclear reactor and safety check of nuclear facility are also performed.
For the safe use of nuclear energy, it is necessary to understand fundamental theory of reactor physics and maintenance for safety of nuclear facility.
The radiation measurement laboratory offers an opportunity to learn technologies of radiation detectors and related equipment.
This class aims to deepen the understanding of them by the experiments and training.
The radiation measurement laboratory mainly aims at the understanding of operating principles and practical techniques of gamma-ray spectrometry.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Explain the principles of the experiments such as criticality approach, control rod worth measurement.
2. Perform the fundamental safety operation of nuclear facilities
3. Perform critical calculations using group constants
4. Explain the theory of reactor kinetic calculation
5. Explain operating principles of ionizing radiation detectors based on radiation-matter interaction
6. Explain the principle of radiation spectrometry based on multichannel pulse height analyzer systems
7. Perform absolute measurement of radioactivity using scintillation gamma-ray detectors
8. Perform identification of radionuclides by gamma-ray spectroscopy using germanium semiconductor detectors
Reactor physics, Criticality approach, criticality calculation, reactor kinetics
Radiation-matter interaction, Scintillation detector, Germanium semiconductor detector, Multichannel pulse-height analyzer, Energy spectrum
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Pre-experiment lectures are provided before the experiments for the well understanding of the experiments. In the lectures, the outline of experimental apparatus, the principal of experiment, and the experiment procedure are explained. Students are requested to submit pre-report. The measurements and analyses are done by each student group. Each student is requested to submit the experiment reports.
For radiation measurement experiments, instead of a lab report, a written exam is required.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | 1. Criticality approach experiment 2. Period method and compensation method 3. Rod drop method 4. Nuclear reactor operation 5. Gamma-ray measurement using a scintillation detector 6. Gamma-ray measurement using a germanium semiconductor detector | 1.Students must be able to explain about the fundamental theory in critical approach experiment and perform criticality calculation, be able to estimate criticality mass by the inverse multiplication in criticality approach experiment, and be able to judge of criticality of nuclear reactor. 2.Student must be able to calculate control rod worth from the result of experiments by period method and compensation method. 3.Student must be able to calculate control rod worth from the result of experiments by rod drop method. 4.Student must be able to explain about the fundamentals of nuclear reactor operation 5. Students must be able to perform absolute measurement of radioactivity using scintillation gamma-ray detectors 6. Students must be able to perform identification of radionuclides by gamma-ray spectroscopy using germanium semiconductor detectors |
Tsuyosi Misawa, Hironobu Unesaki, Cheolho Pyen, ”Nuclear Reactor Physics Experiments”, Kyoto University Press (2010).
John R. Lamarsh, “Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory”, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. (1965).
James J. Duderstadt, Louis J. Hamilton, “Nuclear Reactor Analysis”, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1976).
George I. Bell, Samuel Glasstone, “Nuclear Reactor Theory”, Robert E. Krieger Publishing Co., Inc. (1970).
Samuel Glasstone, Alexander Sesonske, "Nuclear Reactor Engineering", Chapman & Hall, Inc. (1994).
Weston M. Stacey, “Nuclear Reactor Physics”, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA (2004).
Raymond L. Murray and Keith E. Holbert, "Nuclear Energy: An Introduction to The Concepts, Systems and Application of Nuclear Processes Seventh Edition", Elsevier Ltd. (2013).
E.E. Lewis, “Fundamentals of Nuclear Reactor Physics”, Academic Press (2008). (PDF file of the book can be downloaded from Tokyo Tech library.
Glenn F. Knoll, "Radiation Detection and Measurement", Wiley, ISBN-13:978-0470131480 (2010).
Students are assessed by the understanding of fundamentals of neutron transport theory and nuclear reactor theory.
Pre-experiment report 35%, Experiment report 35%.
Grade of radiation measurement laboratory is evaluated from the students’ understanding of the principles and practical techniques of radiation measurement, based on lab participation and a final written exam.
It is needed to have fundamental knowledge of Nuclear Reactor Theory I and Nuclear Reactor Theory II.
For radiation measurement Laboratory, it is desirable that students have some initial background knowledge on atomic physics.
Prior appointment by e-mail is necessary.