ER468 Nuclear Plant Engineering
United States Naval Academy
Mechanical Engineering Department
ER468 Nuclear Plant Engineering
Catalog Description: ER468 Nuclear Plant Engineering Credit: 3 (3-0-3)
Fundamentals of the thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer associated with
the design, operation and safety of nuclear power plants are analyzed. Thermal hydraulic
fundamentals are applied to the reactor core, primary and secondary systems. Effects of
reactor transients are also analyzed.
Prerequisites: ER371 (Nuclear Plant Design)
Corequisites: None
Textbooks: Todreas, Neil and Kazimi,Mujid, Nuclear Systems: Thermal and Hydraulic
Fundamentals, vol 1, 2nd edition, Boca Raton, FL: Taylor & Francis, 2012.
Supplemental Material:
DOE Fundamentals Handbook: Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow v1-3
Knief, Ronald, Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear
Power, 2nd ed., La Grange Park, IL: ANS, 2008.
Course Director: CDR Stu Blair
Course Content:
No.
Topic or Subtopic
1.
Basic Plant Design Review
2.
Thermodynamics Basic Rankine Cycle
3.
Regenerative Rankine
4.
Primary Thermodynamics
5.
Steam Generator/Pressurizer Thermodynamics
6.
Secondary Fluid Dynamics
7.
Primary Fluid Dynamics
8.
Pump Performance
9.
Natural Circulation
10.
Conductive Heat Transfer
11.
Convective Heat Transfer (Single Phase and Boiling)
12.
Heat Transfer of Cooling Towers
13.
Transients Effect on Plant Parameters
14.
Thermal Hydraulic Characteristics of Other Coolants
hrs.
3
3
2
5
2
1
5
1
1
6
6
1
3
3
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 basic design of nuclear power plants
including PWR’s, BWR’s and other reactors, and the thermal, hydraulic, safety
and containment issues associated with each. (A,B,C)
2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the thermodynamic basics of the
primary and secondary systems including regenerative Rankine cycles, Steam
Generator and pressurizer transients. (A,B,C)
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of fluid dynamic basics of the primary and
secondary systems including pump performance and natural circulation. (A,B,C)
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding and ability to analyze conductive heat
transfer within nuclear fuel elements. (A,B,C)
5. Students will demonstrate an understanding of convective heat transfer within a
nuclear reactor core through various flow regimes for both water and non-water
based coolants. (A,B,C)
6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of methods in which nuclear reactors
reject heat to the environment in normal and emergency modes to include heat
management for spent fuel assemblies (A,B,C)
7. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the behavior of major plant parameters
under transient and emergency conditions.(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)
Course Outcomes
(3) (4) (5) (6)
(7)
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Date of Latest Revision: 30 NOV 2012
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