Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Nuclear Reactors (eBook)

This revised text covers the fundamentals of thermodynamics required to understand electrical power generation systems and the application of these principles to nuclear reactor power plant systems. The book begins with fundamental definitions of units and dimensions, thermodynamic variables and the Laws of Thermodynamics progressing to sections on specific applications of the Brayton and Rankine cycles for power generation and projected reactor systems design issues. It is not a traditional general thermodynamics text, per se, but a practical thermodynamics volume intended to explain the fundamentals and apply them to the challenges facing actual nuclear power plants systems, where thermal hydraulics comes to play. There have been significant new findings for intercooled systems since the previous edition published and they will be included in this volume.  New technology plans for using a Nuclear Air-Brayton as a storage system for a low carbon grid are presented along with updated component sizes and performance criteria for Small Modular Reactors.

Written in a lucid, straight-forward style while retaining scientific rigor, the content is accessible to upper division undergraduate students and aimed at practicing engineers in nuclear power facilities and engineering scientists and technicians in industry, academic research groups, and national laboratories. The book is also a valuable resource for students and faculty in various engineering programs concerned with nuclear reactors.

Dr. Bahman Zohuri is currently at the Galaxy Advanced Engineering, Inc. a consulting company that he stared himself in 1991 when he left both semiconductor and defense industries after many years working as a chief scientist. After graduating from University of Illinois in field of Physics and Applied Mathematics, he joined Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he performed thermal hydraulic analysis and natural circulation for Inherent Shutdown Heat Removal System (ISHRS) in the core of a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) as a secondary fully inherent shut system for secondary loop heat exchange. All these designs were used for Nuclear Safety and Reliability Engineering for Self-Actuated Shutdown System. He designed the Mercury Heat Pipe and Electromagnetic Pumps for Large Pool Concepts of LMFBR for heat rejection purpose for this reactor around 1978 where he received a patent for it. He later on was transferred to defense division of Westinghouse where he was responsible for the dynamic analysis and method of launch and handling of MX missile out of canister. The results are applied to MX launch seal performance and muzzle blast phenomena analysis (i.e. missile vibration and hydrodynamic shock formation). He also was involved in analytical calculation and computation in the study of Nonlinear Ion Wave in Rarefying Plasma. The results are applied to the propagation of 'Soliton Wave' and the resulting charge collector traces, in the rarefactions characteristic of the corona of the a laser irradiated target pellet. As part of his graduate research work at Argonne National Laboratory, he performed computation and programming of multi-exchange integral in surface physics and solid state physics. He holds different patent in areas such as diffusion processes and design of diffusion furnace while he was senior process engineer working for different semiconductor industries such as Intel, Varian, and National Semiconductor corporations. Later on he joined Lockheed Missile and Aerospace Corporation as Senior Chief Scientist and was responsible Research and Development (R&D) and the study of vulnerability, survivability and both radiation and laser hardening of different components Strategic Defense Initiative known as Star Wars. This included of payload (i.e. IR Sensor) for Defense Support Program (DSP), Boost Surveillance and Tracking Satellite (BSTS) and Space Surveillance and Tracking Satellite (SSTS) against laser or nuclear threat. While in there, he also studied and performed the analysis of characteristics of laser beam and nuclear radiation interaction with materials, Transient Radiation Effects in Electronics (TREE), Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP), System Generated Electromagnetic Pulse (SGEMP), Single-Event Upset (SEU), Blast and, Thermo-mechanical, hardness assurance, maintenance, device technology.

He did few years of consulting under his company Galaxy Advanced Engineering with Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), where he was supporting development of operational hazard assessments for the Air Force Safety Center (AFSC) in connection with other interest parties. Intended use of the results was their eventual inclusion in Air Force Instructions (AFIs) specifically issued for Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) operational safety. He completed the first version of a comprehensive library of detailed laser tools for Airborne Laser (ABL), Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL), Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL), Mobile/Tactical High Energy Laser (M-THEL), etc.

He also was responsible on SDI computer programs involved with Battle Management C3 and artificial Intelligent, and autonomous system. He is author few publications and holds various patents such as Laser Activated Radioactive Decay and Results of Thru-Bulkhead Initiation.

Recently he has published over 24 other books with Springer Publishing Company, CRC, and Francis Taylor on different subjects that they can be, found on Amazon.