Physics of nuclear reactors

A hybrid format will be used for the teaching of this class. 

The Zoom sessions will be recorded and made available through Moodle. The zoom link / password are below:

https://epfl.zoom.us/j/61588013324?pwd=aDRmODRCTldnQm82QzdtcmlxeW1hUT09

Meeting ID: 615 8801 3324

Passcode: 850692

The exercises associated with each lecture will be provided through Moodle each week; their solutions the week after. 

Summary

In this course, one acquires an understanding of the basic neutronics interactions occurring in a nuclear fission reactor as well as the conditions for establishing and controlling a nuclear chain reaction.

Content

• Brief review of nuclear physics
  - Historical: Constitution of the nucleus and discovery of the neutron - Nuclear reactions and radioactivity - Cross sections - Differences between fusion and fission.
• Nuclear fission
  - Characteristics - Nuclear fuel - Introductory elements of neutronics.
  - Fissile and fertile materials - Breeding.
• Neutron diffusion and slowing down
  - Monoenergetic neutrons - Angular and scalar flux
  - Diffusion theory as simplified case of transport theory - Neutron slowing down through elastic scattering.
• Multiplying media (reactors)
  - Multiplication factors - Criticality condition in simple cases.
  - Thermal reactors - Neutron spectra - Multizone reactors - Multigroup theory and general criticality condition - Heterogeneous reactors.
• Reactor kinetics
  - Point reactor model: prompt and delayed transients - Practical applications.
• Reactivity variations and control
  - Short, medium and long term reactivity changes. Different means of control.