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MECH 483 Nuclear Materials Units: 3.50
A nuclear reactor presents a unique environment in which materials must perform. In addition to the high temperatures and stresses to which materials are subjected in conventional applications, nuclear materials are subjected to various kinds of radiation which affect their performance, and often this dictates a requirement for a unique property (for example, a low cross section for thermal neutron absorption) that is not relevant in conventional applications. The effects of the radiation may be direct (e.g., the displacement of atoms form their normal positions by fast neutrons or fission fragments), or indirect (e.g., a more aggressive chemical environment caused by radiolytic decomposition). This course describes materials and structures typically used in nuclear environments, their manufacture, the unique conditions to which they are subjected, the basic physical phenomena that affect their performance and the resulting design and operational requirements for reactor components. The course includes a field trips to components manufacturers and to Canada's national nuclear research laboratory. Material from MECH 370/371 will be reviewed and students who have not completed those courses may require some additional reading to keep up.
(Lec: 3, Lab: 0, Tut: 0.5)
(Lec: 3, Lab: 0, Tut: 0.5)
Requirements: Prerequisites: MECH 270
Corequisites:
Exclusions:
Offering Term: F
CEAB Units:
Mathematics 0
Natural Sciences 11
Complementary Studies 0
Engineering Science 20
Engineering Design 11
Offering Faculty: Smith Engineering
Course Learning Outcomes:
- Explain and apply a basic knowledge of crystal structure defects texture phase transformation creep fatigue fracture residual stresses in nuclear metals.
- Use nuclear fission and absorption cross-section diagrams to determine materials selection in nuclear reactors and understand their influence on different reactor designs.
- Explain how atomic displacement occurs in a solid under energetic neutron irradiation and demonstrate understanding of defect clustering microstructure evolution as a function of dose accumulation as well as their effects on material performance.
- Describe CANDU reactor design and its major components understand the design principles of CANDU Demonstrate understanding of radiation effects on CANDU major components in particular the pressure boundary and the consequence of pressure tube deformation induced by neutron irradiation resulting from growth and creep.
- Explain the mechanism of growth and creep of pressure tubes under neutron irradiation as functions of material texture grain structure temperature stress and dose rate Understand how SLAR is used in repositioning of spacers with calculation of deformation of fuel channels.
- Explain concept of delayed hydride cracking of pressure tubes Determine factors causing such issues in the nuclear reactor and describe feasible mitigation methods for current pressure tubes in service and fitness for service guidelines.
- Explain the issues existing in other major components Demonstrate understanding of the corrosion mechanisms in steam generator and feeder pipes Describe embrittlement of CANDU spacers during service.
- Explain the design of CANDU fuels Demonstrate the operation of CANDU fuels and understand degradation of performance of fuel bundles.