Nuclear Reactor Systems : a Technical, Historical and Dynamic Approach.

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Introduction to the Nuclear Engineering books series ; Authors; Contents; Foreword; References; Chapter 1. Introduction; 1.1. General introduction; 1.2. The ebullient beginnings; 1.2.1. Prehistory [1-10]; 1.2.2. Uranium enrichment, the deus ex machina; 1.3. Bases for comparison [12, 13]; 1.3.1. Fertile and fissile isotopes; 1.3.2. Moderators; 1.3.3. Coolants; 1.4. The driving forces of selection; 1.5. Today (and tomorrow); 1.5.1. Gas-cooled reactors; 1.5.2. Graphite-moderated and boiling water-cooled reactors RBMK; 1.5.3. Heavy water reactors CANDU.

1.5.4. Light water reactors PWR, BWR and VVER1.5.5. High temperature reactors; 1.5.6. Fast breeders [14]; 1.5.7. Molten salt reactors [1]; 1.6. Biotope, domination and selection; 1.7. From spontaneous selection to a formalized process [14, 15]; 1.7.1. GIF, the Generation IV International Forum; 1.7.2. INPRO, International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors & Fuel Cycles; 1.8. Fusion; 1.9. Conclusion; References; Chapter 2. CO2 gas cooled reactors; 2.1. Introduction; 2.2. General architecture; 2.3. General features of graphite-moderated reactors.

2.3.1. Fuel: natural uranium and magnesium clad (UNGG & Magnox)2.3.2. Graphite moderator; 2.3.3. General physical properties of graphite moderated reactors; 2.4. UNGG; 2.4.1. The French UNGG program; 2.4.2. St Laurent A example; Caisson; Core; 2.5. Magnox; 2.6. Advanced gas cooled reactor AGR; Reference; Chapter 3. RBMK (Reactor Bolchoi Mochtnosti Kanali); 3.1. General; 3.2. General description; Overall design; Cooling; Core; 3.3. Core physics; Principle of RBMK core design; Void and density effects; Instabilities; Analysis of initial RBMK control rod design.

Cavity overpressure protection system3.4. Chernobyl accident; Scenario; Accident sequence and analysis; Initial conditions; 3.5. Changes made to improve RBMK core behavior; References; Chapter 4. Heavy water moderated nuclear reactors; 4.1. Introduction; 4.2. General; 4.2.1. Heavy-water; 4.2.2. Natural uranium; 4.2.3. Pressure tubes; 4.3. Description of a CANDU 6; 4.3.1. Reactor; 4.3.2. Primary system; 4.3.3. Moderator system; 4.3.4. Fuel; 4.3.5. Reactivity control systems; 4.3.6. Safety systems; 4.3.7. Fuel cycle; 4.3.8. The vacuum building.

4.3.9. Difficulties and incidents in the Canadian programme4.3.10. Economy; 4.4. Fuel cycle possibilities; 4.4.1. CANFLEX fuel; 4.4.2. Slightly enriched uranium; 4.4.3. Recycling of the LWR fuel; 4.4.4. Perspectives; References; Appendix 1: Heavy-water production; Appendix 2: A Heavy-water reactor with a reactor pressure vessel; Chapter 5. Nuclear marine propulsion; 5.1. Introduction; 5.2. Main properties required for propulsion; Electricity production on land-based reactors; Navy Applications; 5.3. History and development; USA; USSR; UK; FRANCE; China; 5.4. Naval reactor development [2].

5.5. Civilian fleet.

Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters and index.

The evolution of nuclear reactors since the 1942 Fermi experiment can be described along the lines of natural history, with an initial flourish of uninhibited creativity followed by a severe selection process leading to a handful of surviving species, with light water reactors occupying most of the biotope today. The is book combines four approaches: A descriptive one. This gives an overview of the main strengths and weaknesses of the different reactor systems. A historical approach, from the 1940's to nowadays, with an extrapolation to the near future. The LWR dominance being firmly established, what is the next step? An axiomatic approach. Starting with a set of long term criteria concerning the fuel cycle sustainability, a conceptual solution is established, and then a family of reactor systems is selected for development and qualifycation. A dynamic approach. In the early 2000s, the prevailing image combined a "nuclear renaissance", a strong limitation of the greenhouse gases concentration and a dynamic growth of the world economy. Updating the strategy in the wake of the last decade events requires a sharper understanding of the driving forces as well as of the influence of the post-Fukushima safety framework on the design constraints. All the books of the "Génie Atomique" series have adopted an instructional approach. Initially intended for INSTN's students, they can be greatly helpful to physicists and engineers involved in the development or operational aspects of nuclear power.

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