This lecture provides an overview of nuclear reactors and describes the chemistry of actinides and fission products in reactors. A broad overview of nuclear reactors is provided. The essential components of a reactor, fuel, cladding, coolant, and moderators, are described. Characteristics of reactor materials and nuclear fuels are given. A summary of reactor types, generally classified on coolant properties, is provided. The chemistry of nuclear fuel is provided, with an emphasis placed on understanding the phases formed in nuclear fuel. The fission process is reviewed and fuel burnup discussed. Determining fission product and actinide concentration to assess burnup is introduced. The variation of fission product and actinide concentration with burnup and initial fuel composition is provided. Axial and radial distribution of activity, fission products, and actinides is discussed, highlighting the role of neutron flux and energies on the distribution. Conditions necessary for the formation of separate phases in UO2 are shown for perovskite and metallic phases, emphasizing the role of oxygen in the process. The behavior of fission products can be grouped into 4 areas: volatile species, metallic precipitates, oxide precipitates, and solid solutions. The lecture is in two parts. Part 1 is length is 36 minutes, part 2 is 32 minutes.
The lecture is assigned on Saturday 2 March 2019 and due Saturday 9 March 2019. When you have completed the lecture please comment on the blog and respond to the Lecture 16 PDF quiz
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ReplyDeleteDid you want a calculation for the last question of this quiz? Or am I overthinking/missing something?
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ReplyDeleteQuiz 16 is submitted! I don't know why, but I definitely overcomplicated the last question with the units...
ReplyDeleteI will check it out. Let me know if you want to discuss in detail.
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ReplyDeleteThe answer to question 3 is available. From the lecture the data table shows over 90 % of the uranium remains. One could also google "amount of uranium in used nuclear fuel" and the answer is provided. This question was designed to demonstrate that most of the uranium remains in used fuel. A fast reactor would more efficiently burn uranium, as the higher energy neutrons would fission 238U.
ReplyDeleteQuiz submitted today due to a family emergency.
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