Graduate Courses in Nuclear Engineering

Course Number

Course Title

Course Description

Times Offered per Year

ENNU 430

Core Course

Fundamentals of Nuclear Reactor Engineering

Fundamental aspects of nuclear physics and nuclear engineering, including nuclear interactions; various types of radiation and their effects on materials and humans; and basic reactor physics topics, including simplified theory of reactor criticality.

1

ENME 431

Nuclear Reactor Systems and Safety

Power reactor system design and analysis, including system specifications and modes of plant operation. Thermalhydraulic response of plant systems. Accident analysis and impact of emergency systems. Containment thermalhydraulic analysis.

1

ENNU 440

Nuclear Technology Laboratory

This course will teach students various techniques of detecting and making measurements of nuclear or high energy radiation through hands-on radiation experiments. A newly installed subcritical 125 kCi Co-60 source and pool type critical reactor are sources of radiation available for the course. Electron generation equipment will also be utilized. Laboratory topics include Geiger Mueller Counter and Counting Statistics, Gamma Ray Spectroscopy, Half Life Determination, Gamma Shielding, and Electron Beam Energy and Range Determination.

1

ENME 472

Product and Process Development

Capstone design course. Integration of product development with the design process. Nuclear topic, which varies each year.

1

ENNU 620

Core Course

Mathematical Techniques for Engineering Analysis and Modeling

Probability and probability distributions; statistics; ordinary differential equations; linear algebra and vectors; Laplace transforms; Fourier analysis; boundary value problems; series solutions to differential equations; partial differential equations; numerical methods.

1

ENNU 625

Degradation of Materials

The goals of this course are to achieve a comprehensive knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms of the degradation of engineering materials.  At the end of the course, the students will understand various degradation mechanisms that can be induced from thermal, mechanical, UV, and ionizing radiation on polymers, metals, semiconductors, and organic/aqueous materials.  The goals of this course are also extended to cover the applications of degradation of materials in advanced manufacturing and environmental remediation.  The course also provides a detailed series of lectures on radiation-induced corrosion in radiation fields.

1

ENNU 630

Core Course

Reactor Physics and Engineering

Introduction to nuclear physics. Neutron transport theory and approximations. The diffusion approximation, and multigroup diffusion theory. Neutron slowing down theory and thermalization. Fundamentals of nuclear reactor kinetics.

1

ENNU 631

Core Course

Advanced Reactor Systems and Safety

Design features of advanced next generation power reactors. Passive and active safety system analysis. Containment heat removal. Introduction to system computer codes (neutronics and accident analysis).

1

ENNU 648R

Risks of Energy Systems

The general purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of what is known and not yet known about the risks, both prompt and delayed (or latent), of various energy systems. This knowledge base is needed by practitioners both in safety assessments and in environmental assessments.

1

ENNU 648A

Reactor Operations

The design and operation of nuclear reactors will be examined at multiple levels of sophistication using reactor concepts that include power from nuclear fission, criticality, reactor control and safety, modifications of reactivity, and energy removal. All operation of the TRIGA reactor will be conducted by the class attendees under the supervision of USNRC licensed operators.

1

ENNU 648B

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Safety

This new course will cover the design and process associated with each step of the nuclear fuel cycle. The fuel scope to be discussed in this course includes the following: Mining and milling, Refining and Conversion, Enrichment, Fuel Fabrication, including mixed oxide fuel (or MOX), Storage (wet and dry) of spent fuel, Transportation of spent fuel, Low level waste, High level waste interim storage and final disposal

1

ENNU 648E

Advanced Nuclear Reactor Systems, Physics, & Engineering

Neutron transport, reactor heat generation, energy conversion, single and two phase flow and heat transfer, design and analysis of nuclear systems (fuel rods, reactor vessel, pressurizer, steam generator, containment) , reactor events simulation, design basis and beyond design basis events, and severe accident phenomena.

1

ENNU 648S

Severe Nuclear Accidents

This course assembles, organizes, and develops instructional materials in: core melt progression, fission products release from the core, various deposition and retention processes, with subsequent release to the containment, including interactions with containment structure, and fission products released from the containment, uptake by the public, deposited on ground or water areas. Emphasis will be made on development of simplified analysis tools including the use of MELCOR.

1

ENNU 651

Risk and Performance Based Technologies

The topics covered are: why study risk, sources of risk, probabilistic risk assessment procedure, factors affecting risk acceptance, statistical risk acceptance analysis, psychometric risk acceptance, perception of risk, comparison of risks, consequence analysis, risk benefit assessment. Several examples such as risk analysis performed for light water reactors, liquid metal fast breeder and high temperature reactors, risks for nuclear material transportation, chemical industry, and dams will be presented and discussed. Several problems of interest will be analyzed and studied in the form of class projects on risk management concepts. Also covered are: Forms of Communication, Basic Rules of Risk Communication, Elements of Effective Risk Communication, Risk Perception.

1

ENNU 655

Core Course

Radiation Engineering

Ionizing radiation, radiation dosimetry and sensors, radiation processing, radiation effects on: polymers, metals, semiconductors, liquids, and gases. Radiation in advanced manufacturing. Radiation-physical technology.

This course provides an in-depth knowledge on the uses of ionizing radiation in advanced manufacturing of polymeric materials and composites, lithography, environmental remediation of toxic materials, sterilization, medicine, and radiation effects on materials and electronics

1