Courses - Nuclear Engineering Department

Fundamental laws of thermodynamics for simple substances; application to flow processes and to nonreacting mixtures; statistical thermodynamics of ideal gases and crystalline solids; chemical and materials thermodynamics; multiphase and multicomonent equilibria in reacting systems; electrochemistry. (Fall) Wirth » read more

Because of the rapidly changing nature of technology, new and complex ethical issues are emerging which bring into question the ability of society to address, and hopefully resolve them. These new issues are arising in such areas as biotechnology, information technology, nanotechnology and nuclear technology. They range from protecting the health and welfare of the public and the environment, to patenting living organisms and labeling products containing genetically modified organisms, to biological, chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction, to concerns regarding the alteration of the ecology of life. This course focuses on the nature of these emerging technical issues, their ethical, legal and social ramifications, and what individuals and our society value in relation to these issues. We will examine what contemporary philosophy, religion and art, and contemporary views of natural and social science have to say about these issues, and about the relationship between individual and societal values regarding these issues. The goal of this course is to develop awareness in our students of these issues and a basis to pursue future study. (Spring) Kastenberg
& G. Hauser-Kastenberg » read more

This course introduces the concepts of analytic modeling and computer simulation, using small projects drawn from the multidisciplinary areas of Computational Engineering Science. Those areas covered span biology, chemistry, applied mathematics, and physics, as well as all areas of engineering. Models will progress sequentially through problem statement, mathematical model, approximations and analytic solution, discrete model, object-oriented model, implementation and simulation, visualization, and comparison to analysis, experiment and observation. Prerequisites: Junior/Senior/Graduate standing, Engin. 7 (or equiv.), Math 53, Math 54
Verboncoeur » read more

Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. One hour of seminar per week. The Berkeley Seminar Program has bee designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus department, and topics vary from department to department and semister to semister. (Spring/Fall) Professor varies semester to semester.

Introduction to topics and issues in nuclear engineering; nuclear reactions and radiation, radiation protection and control, energy production and utilization, nuclear fuel cycle, reactor theory, nuclear power engineering, reactor operation, controlled fusion, nuclear waste, and medical and other applications of radiation, advanced research topics. (Fall) Wirth

Catalog Description

• Issues in Nuclear Science and Engineering. Two hours of lecture
  per week. Introduction to technical, social, institutional, and
  ethical issues in nuclear engineering; nuclear reactions and radiation,
  radiation protection and control, nuclear energy production and
  utilization, nuclear fuel cycle, reactor safety, controlled fusion,
  nuclear waste, medical, and other applications of radiation, nuclear
  nonproliferation and arms control and engineering ethics.

Course Prerequisite

• None

Prerequisite knowledge and/or skills

• The course provides a general interest introduction to issues
  in nuclear science and engineering and does not require prerequisite
  knowledge or skills:

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

• Nuclear Energy 5th Edn., R.L. Murray, Pergamon Press
  (2001).

Course objectives and outcomes

Course Objectives: » read more

Energetics and kinetics of nuclear reactions and radioactive decay, fission, fusion, and reactions of energetic neutrons, properties of the fission products and the actinides; nuclear models and transition probabilities; interaction of radiation with matter. (Fall) Norman » read more

Basic science of radiation measurement, nuclear instrumentation, neutronics, radiation dosimetry. Two one-hour lectures per week emphasize the principles of radiation detection. A weekly four-hour laboratory applies a variety of radiation detection systems to the practical measurements of interest for nuclear power, nuclear and non-nuclear science, and environmental applications. (Spring) Vetter » read more

Introduction to medical imaging physics and systems, including x-ray computed tomography (CT), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), positron emission tomography (PET), and SPECT; basic principles of tomography and an introduction to unfolding methods; resolution effects of counting statistics, inherent system resolution and human factors. (Fall) Vetter » read more

Effects of irradiation on the atomic and mechanical properties of materials in nuclear reactors. Fission product swelling and release; neutron damage to structural alloys; fabrication and properties of uranium dioxide fuel. (Fall) Wirth » read more

Components and material flow sheets for nuclear fuel cycle, waste characteristics, sources of radioactive wastes, compositions, radioactivity and heat generation; waste treatment technologies; waste disposal technologies; safety assessment of waste disposal. (Fall or Spring) Ahn » read more

Catalog Description:

Laboratory and Lecture. Use of nuclear measurement techniques to detect clandestine movement and/or possession of nuclear materials by third parties. Nuclear detection, forensics, signatures, and active and passive interrogation methodologies will be explored. Techniques currently deployed for arms control and treaty verification will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on common elements of detection technology from the viewpoint of resolution of threat signatures from false positives due to naturally occurring radioactive material. Laboratory will involve experiments conducted in the Nucleonics Laboratory featuring passive and active neutron signals, gamma ray detection, fission neutron multiplicity, and U and Pu isotopic identification and age determination. Students should be familiar with alpha, beta, gamma and neutron radiation and basic concepts of nuclear fission. Morse » read more

Neutron interactions, nuclear fission, and chain reacting systematics in thermal and fast nuclear reactors. Diffusion and slowing down of neutrons. Criticality condition and calculations of critical concentrations, mass and dimensions. Nuclear reactor dynamics and reactivity feedbacks. Production and transmutation of radionuclides in nuclear reactors. (Spring) Vujic » read more

Computational methods used to analyze radiation transport described by various differential, integral, and integro-differential equations. Numerical methods include finite difference, finite elements, discrete ordinates, and Monte Carlo. Examples from neutron and photon transport; numerical solutions of neutron/photon diffusion and transport equations. Monte Carlo simulations of photon and neutron transport. An overview of optimization techniques for solving the resulting discrete equations on vector and parallel computer systems. (Spring) Wirth » read more

Energy conversion in nuclear power systems; design of fission reactors; thermal and structural analysis of reactor core and plant components; thermal-hydraulic analysis of accidents in nuclear power plants; safety evaluation and engineered safety systems. (Fall) Peterson » read more

Radiation Biophysics and Dosimetry. Three hours of lectures per week. Interaction of radiation with matter; physical, chemical, and biological effects of radiation on human tissues; dosimetry units and measurements; internal and external radiation fields and dosimetry; radiation exposure regulations; sources of radiation and radioactivity; basic shielding concepts; elements of radiation protection and control; theories and models for cell survival, radiation sensitivity, carcinogenesis and dose calculation. (Spring) Vujic » read more

Principles and methods used in the safety evaluation of nuclear power plants. Safety philosophies, design criteria, and regulations. Deterministic and probabilistic models, reliability analysis, nuclear and thermal-hydraulic transients, radiological consequences, and risk assessment. Design-basis and severe accident analysis, role of engineered safety systems, siting, and licensing. (Fall) Kastenberg » read more

A. DESIGN IN NUCLEAR POWER TECHNOLOGY AND INSTRUMENTATION (3 units)

Design of various fission and fusion power systems and other physically based applications. Each semester a topic will be chosen by the class as a whole. In addition to technology, the design should address issues relationg to economics, the environment and risk assessment. (Spring) Ahn, Vujic

B: NUCLEAR DESIGN: DESIGN IN BIO-NUCLEAR, NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND RADIATION THERAPY
(3 units)

A systems approach to the development of procedures for nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. Each semester a specific procedure will be studied and will entail the development of the biological and physiological basis for a procedure, the chemical and biochemical characteristics of appropriate drugs, dosimetric requirements and limitations, the production and distribution of radionuclides and/or radiation fields to be applied, and the characteristics of the instrumentation to be used. (Spring)Ahn, Vujic » read more

Methodological approaches for the quantification of technological risk and risk based decision-making. Probabilistic safety assessment, human health risks, environmental and ecological risk analysis. (Fall) Peterson » read more

Introduction to energy production by controlled thermonuclear reactions. Nuclear fusion reactions, energy balances for fusion systems, survey of plasma physics, neutral beam injection, RF heating methods, vacuum systems, tritium handling. (Fall) Morse » read more

Course may be repeated for credit. Must be taken on a passed/not-passed basis. Prerequisites: Upper division standing. Group studies of selected topics. (Fall, Spring)

Course may be repeated for credit for a maximum of 4 units per semester. Individual conferences. Must be taken on a passed/not-passed basis. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and major advisor. » read more