Last | Top | Next

Nuclear Reactor Theory
List of Available Lecture Notes

There is a large amount of formal lecture material available for the Nuclear Reactor Theory course. This page provides a brief overview of the organization of the these materials, with links to the various pdf files containing the Formal Lecture Notes (the slides used in the classroom presentations are available from the next page). The given outline helps you identify the order in which you should study these materials, and it shows how the various resources relate to one another.

The three main topic areas include the Neutron Balance Equation, Steady State Reactor Theory, and the Time-Dependent Reactor -- and the Course Lecture Notes are listed below within these three categories.

There is a lot of "good stuff" here -- Enjoy!!!

The Neutron Balance Equation
Classroom Lectures: Lessons 0 - 2 (PowerPoint presentations converted to pdf files -- see next page)

Formal Lecture Notes:
flux_spectrum.pdf -- Concerning the Flux Spectrum in Thermal Systems

multigrp_balance_eqn.pdf -- The Multigroup Neutron Balance Equation -- This file formally develops the neutron balance equation with special emphasis on the so-called Diffusion Equation. The diffusion equation is used extensively as the basis for our discussion of steady-state reactor theory and the time-dependent reactor. A good understanding of this material is essential before moving on to the remainder of the course material.


Steady-State Reactor Theory
Classroom Lectures: Lessons 3 - 9 (PowerPoint presentations converted to pdf files -- see next page)

Formal Lecture Notes:
solutions_diffusion_eqn.pdf -- Solutions to the Steady State Diffusion Equation -- This is the primary summary file for this section of the course. It provides a road-map for organizing and studying the many individual topics of interest here, with reference to the following separate files/programs:
  • slabmm_theory.pdf -- Planar Source in a Moderating Medium (also provides documentation for the slabmm_gui program)
  • spheremm_theory.pdf -- Point Source in a Moderating Medium (also provides documentation for the spheremm_gui program)
  • two_regions_theory -- Two-Region Slab with a Planar Source at the Interface (also provides documentation for the two-regions_gui program)
  • two_planar_sources_theory.pdf -- Two Planar Sources in an Infinite Moderating Medium (also provides documentation for the two_planar_sources_gui program)
  • diffusion_length.pdf -- Interpretation of the Diffusion Length
  • cross_sections_theory.pdf -- Cross Section Data for Preliminary Calculations (also provides documentation for the cross_sections_gui program)
  • ptsrc2g_theory.pdf -- A 2-Group Example: Point Source of Fast Neutrons in an Infinite Moderating Medium
  • core_refl1g_theory.pdf -- 1-D Bare and Reflected Critical Systems Using 1-Group Diffusion Theory (also provides documentation for the core_refl1g_gui program)
  • bessel_overview.pdf -- Overview of Bessel Functions
  • critical_finite_cylinder.pdf -- The Bare Critical Finite Cylindrical Reactor
  • diluteh_theory.pdf -- 2-Group Diffusion Theory for Critical Systems (also provides documentation for the diluteh_gui program)

The Time-Dependent Reactor
Classroom Lectures: Lessons 10 - 12 (PowerPoint presentations converted to pdf files -- see next page)

Formal Lecture Notes:
time_dependent_reactor.pdf -- The Time-Dependent Reactor -- This is the primary summary file for this section of the course. It provides a road-map for organizing and studying the many individual topics of interest here, with reference to the following separate files/programs:

Last updated by Prof. John R. White (February 2020)

Last | Top | Next

  
 
Main | Current | Courses | Research | Vitae | Goodies