NE421 Introduction to Criticality Safety

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Instructor:       Ronald E. Pevey, Ph.D., P.E., M.B.A. 

Office:             248 Zeanah Engineering Building 

Office Hours:  Hour or two before class (or by appointment)

Telephone:       865-643-1568 

Course Description:  This course covers the nomenclature, theory, and practice of nuclear criticality safety.  The principal emphasis will be on giving the student a grounding in the basic ideas and principles of the field.  In addition, the student will acquired experience in using the principal analysis tools in use for criticality safety analyses. 

Required Text: Nuclear Criticality Safety: Theory and Practice, Knief, R. A.; Second printing, 1986. 

Course Objectives:  By taking this course, the student should gain a basic understanding of: 

• Basic concepts of nuclear criticality safety.
• Principal standards and governing regulations of the field.
• Historical criticality accidents that shape current regulations and practice.
• The use of hand-calculations, handbook curves, and modern computer methods for criticality safety analyses.
• Contents and form of modern criticality safety evaluations, and experience in their development.

• 5% -- Obtaining SCALE
• 10% -- Oral report on selected criticality accident 
• 10% -- Homework
• 25% -- Test#1 
• 25% -- Test#2 
• 25% -- Criticality safety evaluation
  

Class preparation: To prepare for each class, you should: 

• Read the class reading assignment from the syllabus
• Review the LECTURE notes and slides for the previous class, doing any exercises that are included.
• Review your notes from previous classes.

Return to Course Outline                                                                                                                   © 2010 by Ronald E. Pevey.  All rights reserved.