Nuclear engineering Totally Explained

Everything about Nuclear Engineering totally explained

Nuclear engineering is the application of the breakdown of atomic nuclei and/or other sub-atomic physics, based on the principles of nuclear physics. It includes, but isn't limited to, the interaction and maintenance of nuclear fission systems and components— specifically, nuclear reactors, nuclear power plants, and/or nuclear weapons. The field may also include the study of nuclear fusion, medical and other applications of (generally ionizing) radiation, nuclear safety, heat/thermodynamics transport, nuclear fuel and/or other related (for example, waste disposal) technology, nuclear proliferation, and the effect of radioactive waste or radioactivity in the environment.

Typical training

The following is the typical coursework included in most U.S. nuclear engineering degree programs.

College preparation

As with any engineering discipline, college preparation should include mathematics training through the beginnings of calculus, as well as introductory courses in physics and chemistry.

Undergraduate coursework

Undergraduate coursework should begin with a foundation in mechanics and dynamics of partmotion, thermodynamics, introductory computer programming, college level physics and chemistry, and a rigorous training in mathematics through differential equations.
   Midway through undergraduate training a nuclear engineer must choose a specialization within his or her field that he or she'll further study. Further coursework in a nuclear engineering program includes but isn't limited to fluid mechanics, reactor physics, quantum mechanics, thermal hydraulics, linear circuits, radiation effects, and neutron transport.
   Specialization in fission includes the study of nuclear reactors, fission systems, and nuclear power plants, the primary teachings deal with neutronics and thermal-hydraulics for nuclear generated electricity. A firm foundation in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics in addition to hydrodynamics is a must.
   Specialization in nuclear fusion includes electrodynamics and plasmas. This area is very much research oriented and training often terminates with a graduate level degree.
   Specialization in nuclear medicine includes courses dealing with doses and absorption of radiation in bodily tissues. Those who get competency in this area usually move into the medical field. Many nuclear engineers in this specialization go on to become board licensed medical physicists or go to medical school and become a radiation oncologist. Research is also a common choice for graduates.

Naval Nuclear Power School

The US Navy runs a program called Naval Nuclear Power School to train both officers and enlisted sailors for nuclear plant operation. While some officers have undergraduate backgrounds in nuclear engineering, any officers who take the requisite math and science classes are also accepted, whereas most of the enlisted students hold no college degrees at all. Despite this, they're prepared, through a rigorous training program (lasting between 65 weeks for Machinist's Mates and eighteen months for Electronics Technicians and Electrician's Mates), to operate the nuclear and steam plants aboard the navy's submarines and aircraft carriers. This training doesn't carry a Department of Energy certification, although many sailors choose to work at civilian power plants after their six-year obligations are completed. Image:USS Virginia.jpg|USS Virginia, a Virginia-class nuclear attack (SSN) submarine Image:USSRONALDREAGANgoodshot.jpg|USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)), the ninth and penultimate Nimitz-class supercarrier

Professional areas

Nuclear fission

Nuclear fission is the disintegration of a fissionable atom's nucleus into two or more different elements nuclei. An approximate number of ~2.4 neutrons are scattered around per fission. There are two types of nuclear fission. 1-Fast Fission 2-Thermal fission
Generally, thermal fission is used in commercial reactors, if we disregard the Fast Breeder Type of Nuclear Reactors.
The United States gets about 20% of its electricity from nuclear power. This is a massive industry and keeping the supply of nuclear engineers plentiful will ensure its stability. Nuclear engineers in this field generally work, directly or indirectly, in the nuclear power industry or for government labs. Current research in industry is directed at producing economical, proliferation resistant reactor designs with passive safety features. Although government labs research the same areas as industry, they also study a myriad of other issues such as: nuclear fuels and nuclear fuel cycles, advanced reactor designs, and nuclear weapon design and maintenance. A principal pipeline for trained personnel for US reactor facilities is the Navy Nuclear Power Program. Image:Nuclear Power Plant Cattenom.jpg|Nuclear Powerplant Image:B-61 bomb (DOE).jpg|B-61 thermonuclear weapon

Nuclear fusion and plasma physics

Research areas in nuclear fusion and plasma physics include high-temperature, radiation-resistant materials, and plasma dynamics. Internationally, research is currently directed at building a prototype tokamak called ITER. The research at ITER will primarily focus on instabilities and diverter design refinement. Researchers in the USA are also building an inertial confinement experiment called the National Ignition Facility or NIF. NIF will be used to refine neutron transport calculations for the US stockpile stewardship initiative. Image:NIF target chamber.jpg|NIF (National Ignition Facility) target chamber

Nuclear medicine and medical physics

An important field is nuclear medicine. From x-ray machines to MRI to PET, among many others, nuclear medicine provides most of modern medicine's diagnostic capability along with providing many treatment options. Image:X-Ray Skull.jpg|X-Ray Image of a male skull Image:MRI head side.jpg|Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan of a head Image:PET-image.jpg|PET taken with an ECAT Exact HR+ PET Scanner

Nuclear materials and nuclear Fuels

Nuclear materials research focuses on two main subject areas, nuclear fuels and irradiation-induced modification of materials. Improvement of nuclear fuels is crucial for obtaining increased efficiency from nuclear reactors. Irradiation effects studies have many purposes, from studying structural changes to reactor components to studying nano-modification of metals and semiconductors using ion-beams or particle accelerators. Image:Uranium ore square.jpg|Uranium ore, the principal raw material of nuclear fuel Image:Nuclear fuel pellets.jpeg|Nuclear fuel pellets Image:Fib.jpg|A Focused ion beam

Radiation measurements and imaging

Nuclear engineers and radiological scientists are interested in the development of more advanced ionizing radiation measurement and detection systems, and using these to improve imaging technologies. This includes detector design, fabrication and analysis, measurements of fundamental atomic and nuclear parameters, and radiation imaging systems, among other things. Image:Geiger counter.jpg|A modern Geiger counter Image:Crocus-p1020552.jpg|A neutron detector Image:Crocus-p1020567.jpg|Scintillation detector next to Uraninite
Nuclear engineering organizations

American Nuclear Society
International Atomic Energy Agency
Institution of Nuclear Engineers (London)

List of U.S. colleges offering nuclear engineering degrees

College Department (external links) Degrees offered
Air Force Institute of Technology Engineering Physics MS,PhD

Kansas State University Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Georgia Institute of Technology Nuclear and Radiological Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Idaho State University Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nuclear Science and Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Missouri University of Science and Technology Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

North Carolina State University Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Ohio State University Nuclear Engineering MS,PhD

Oregon State University Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics BS,MS,PhD

Pennsylvania State University Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Pennsylvania State University Distance Learning Program in Nuclear Engineering Meng

Purdue University Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Mechanical, Aerospace & Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

South Carolina State University Nuclear Engineering BS

Texas A&M University Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of California, Berkeley Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of Cincinnati Mechanical, Industrial and Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of Florida Nuclear and Radiological Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of Idaho Nuclear Engineering Program MS,PhD

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of Maryland, College Park Materials and Nuclear Engineering MS,PhD

University of Massachusetts Lowell Chemical Engineering BS

University of Michigan Ann Arbor Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences BS,MS,PhD

University of Missouri–Columbia Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute MS,PhD

University of New Mexico Chemical and Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of Tennessee at Knoxville Nuclear Engineering BS,MS,PhD

University of South Carolina Nuclear Engineering ME,MS,PhD

University of Texas at Austin Nuclear and Radiation Engineering MS,PhD

University of Wisconsin-Madison Engineering Physics BS,MS,PhD

United States Naval Academy Nuclear Engineering BS

United States Military Academy Nuclear Engineering BS

List of universities in Canada offering nuclear engineering degrees

College Department (external links) Degrees offered

University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa Nuclear Engineering B.Eng

McMaster University, Hamilton Engineering Nuclear Physics B.Eng.Phys., Dipl.Nuc.Tech, M.Eng, M.A.Sc, Ph.D.

Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering M.Sc, M.A.Sc, M.Eng, PhD

List of colleges in India offering nuclear engineering degrees

College Department (external links) Degrees offered
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur Nuclear Engg and Technology M.Tech,PhD

List of colleges in Pakistan offering nuclear engineering degrees

College Department (external links) Degrees offered
Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad Department of Nuclear Engineering MS,PhD

See also

Atomic physics
Nuclear fuel
Nuclear material
Nuclear physics
Nuclear power
Nuclear reactor
Thermal hydraulics
Nuclear Criticality Safety
Safety engineering
External links

Further Information
Get more info on 'Nuclear Engineering'.

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