Spring 2017 CHEM 312: Lecture 16 Nuclear Reactors and in-reactor chemistry

This lecture provides an overview of nuclear reactors and describes the chemistry of actinides and fission products in reactors. A broad overview of nuclear reactors is provided. The essential components of a reactor, fuel, cladding, coolant, and moderators, are described. Characteristics of reactor materials and nuclear fuels are given. A summary of reactor types, generally classified on coolant properties, is provided. The chemistry of nuclear fuel is provided, with an emphasis placed on understanding the phases formed in nuclear fuel. The fission process is reviewed and fuel burnup discussed. Determining fission product and actinide concentration to assess burnup is introduced. The variation of fission product and actinide concentration with burnup and initial fuel composition is provided. Axial and radial distribution of activity, fission products, and actinides is discussed, highlighting the role of neutron flux and energies on the distribution. Conditions necessary for the formation of separate phases in UO2are shown for perovskite and metallic phases, emphasizing the role of oxygen in the process. The behavior of fission products can be grouped into 4 areas: volatile species, metallic precipitates, oxide precipitates, and solid solutions. The lecture is in two parts. Part 1 is length is 36 minutes, part 2 is 32 minutes.  The lecture is assigned 18-Apr-17 and due 23-Apr-17.