ER371 Nuclear Plant Design
United States Naval Academy
Mechanical Engineering Department
ER371 Nuclear Plant Design
Catalog Description: ER371 Nuclear Plant Design
Credit: 3 (3-0-3)
Fundamentals of nuclear power plant design, with emphasis on basis for light water
reactor design. Topics include power reactor economics, design considerations dealing
with the nuclear fuel cycle, primary and secondary system components and reactor safety.
A term project involving the analysis of a modern nuclear reactor design will be
completed.
Prerequisites: ER301 (Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering)
Corequisites: None
Textbooks: [RAK] - Ronald A. Knief, Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of
Commercial Nuclear Power, 2nd ed., La Grange Park, IL:ANS, 2008
Supplemental Material:
[SG] - Glasstone, S. and Sesonske, A., Nuclear Reactor Engineering, 4th ed., vol II, New
York, NY: Chapman & Hall, 1994
[JW] - Weisman, J., Elements of Nuclear Reactor Design, New York, NY: Elsevier
Scientific, 1977
Course Director: CDR Stu Blair
Course Content:
No.
Topic or Subtopic
1.
Basic Design Process
2.
Reactor Physics Review
3.
Power Reactor Economics
4.
Reactor Fuel Design and Utilization
5.
Light Water Reactors
6.
Advanced Reactor Plants
7.
Reactor Safety and Spent Fuel Management
8.
Naval Nuclear Design Considerations
9.
Term Project
hrs.
2
4
6
6
9
5
8
2
8
Assessment Methods:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Quizzes
Homework
Exams
Laboratory Reports
Oral Presentations
Design Reports/Notebooks
Prototypes/Demonstrations
Projects
Other
YES
X
X
X
NO
X
X
X
X
X
X
1
Course Outcomes :
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basics of the design process
including engineering economics. (A,B,C,F,H)
2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of nuclear plant design considerations
including economic, environmental, safety, reliability and maintenance.
(A,B,C,F,H)
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of reactor plant design history including
generation I through generation IV reactors. (A,B,C)
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the design of the AP1000 PWR
including primary system, secondary system, cooling water system, electrical
generation, containment and shielding, emergency cooling and safety systems,
and refueling and spent fuel storage. (A,B,C)
5. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the design consideration unique to naval
propulsion systems. (A,B,C)
6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the differences between a boiling water
reactor and pressurized water reactor designs. (A,B,C)
7. Students will demonstrate an understanding of other reactor designs including
HTGR’s, LMFBR’s, RTG’s, and SMR’s. (A,B,C)
8. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic methodologies for developing
quantitative risk assessments in support of reactor safety analysis. (A,B,C)
1
Letters in parenthesis refer to the assessment methods listed in previous section.
Program
Outcomes
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(1)
(2)
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Course Outcomes
(3) (4) (5) (6)
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(8)
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(7)
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Date of Latest Revision: 30 NOV 2012
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