Nuclear Physics And Nuclear Reactors

The book covers different aspects of nuclear physics. In chapters 1 to 4 basics of nuclear physics and interactions of elementary particles are considered. Topics covered are atomic structure, elementary particles (Chapter 1), properties of nucleus and nuclear particles (Chapter 2), nuclear transformations (Chapter 3) and interactions (Chapter 4). Chapter 5 talks about moderation of neutrons and thus sets stage for the chapters on nuclear reactors (Chapters 6, 7 & 9). The book also talk about shielding against radiation and dosimetry (Chapter 8). The reactors covered are water cooled graphite moderated, Graphite Gas-Cooled Reactors, Heavy-Water Reactors, Light-Water Reactors, Fast Reactors. The book was translated from the Russian by O. Rudnitskaya, and was first published by Mir Publishers in 1975. CONTENTS Constants 7 Chapter One. ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND ELEMENTARY PARTICLES 9 1.1. Atoms and Atomic Electricity 9 1.2. Nuclear Structure of the Atom 13 1.3. Structure of the Atomic Nucleus 19 1.4. Quantum Mechanics 21 1.5. Relativity Theory Formulae 32 1.6. Nuclear Effective Cross-Sections 38 1.7. Elementary Particles 44 1.8. Positron 54 1.9. Neutrino 56 1.10. Mesons 61 1.11. Antinucleons 69 1.12. Antimatter 72 Chapter Two. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ATOMIC NUCLEI 74 2.1. Nuclear Charge 74 2.2. Nucleus Size 76 2.3. Nuclear Moments 77 2.4. Nuclear Mass and Bond Energy 78 2.5. Nuclear Forces 92 2.6. Nuclear Models 100 2.7. Excited Nuclear States 107 Chapter Three. NUCLEAR TRANSFORMATIONS 112 3.1. Radioactivity 112 3.2. Alpha-Decay 118 3.3. Beta-Decay 127 3.4. Nuclear Gamma-Radiation 137 3.5. Nuclear Reactions 142 3.6. Heavy Nuclei Fission 158 Chapter Four. INTERACTION OF MOVING PARTICLES WITH MATTER 171 4.1. Heavy Charged Particles 172 4.2. Fission Fragments 178 4.3. Electrons 180 4.4. Gamma-Quanta 189 4.5. Neutrons 201 Chapter Five. MODERATION AND DIFFUSION OF NEUTRONS 231 5.1. Moderation of Neutrons 231 5.2. Spectrum of Slowing-Down Neutrons 239 5.3. Thermal Neutron Diffusion 243 5.4. Diffusion of Slowing-Down Neutrons 256 Chapter Six. NUCLEAR REACTOR 265 6.1. Chain Reaction 265 6.2. Multiplication Factor for Infinite Medium 274 6.3. Number of Neutrons per Absorption Act 277 6.4. Thermal Utilization Factor 279 6.5. Resonance Escape Probability 282 6.6. Fast Multiplication Factor 293 6.7. Optimum Parameters of Multiplying Media 294 6.8. Reactor Critical State 296 6.9. Neutron Reflector 313 6.10. Non-Critical Reactor 320 Chapter Seven. PHYSICAL PROCESSES IN ACTUAL REACTORS 331 7.1. Retention of Criticality in Time 331 7.2. Nuclear Fuel Conversion 334 7.3. Radioactive Poisoning of the Reactor 347 7.4. Temperature Coefficient 356 Chapter Eight. MATERIALS. BIOLOGICAL SHIELDING 362 8.1. Materials for Nuclear Reactors 362 8.2. Dosimetry and Shielding 370 Chapter Nine. REACTORS OF ATOMIC POWER PLANTS 376 9.1. Water-Cooled Graphite-Moderated Reactors 376 9.2. Graphite Gas-Cooled Reactors 384 9.3. Heavy-Water Reactors 388 9.4. Light-Water Reactors 390 9.5. Fast Reactors 395 Bibliography 399 Index 401