NPRE 412

Engineering at Illinois Engineering at Illinois

Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering

NPRE 412

COURSE OUTLINE

Course Number: NPRE 412

Title: Nuclear Power Econ & Fuel Mgmt

Catalogue Description: Quantitative analysis of the impact of the nuclear power industry; nuclear fuel cycle and capital costs for thermal and fast reactors; optimization of the use of nuclear fuels to provide the lowest energy costs and highest system performance; and comparison between fossil fuel systems, fission systems, and controlled thermonuclear fusion systems. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Junior standing is required.

Course Topics and Hours
Principle Topics Covered Hours (Approximate)
Nuclear Engineering Economy Principles 6
Nuclear Fuel Cycles of Thermal Reactors 2
Nuclear Fuel Cycles of Fast Reactors 2
Mining-Milling and Ore Utilization 2
Fabrication Costs and Design Parameters 3
Reprocessing and Storage 2
Radioactive Waste Disposal and Usable Isotopes 2
Economic Trade Offs in Reactor Design 4
Relationship of Fast Breeder Reactor Core Design with Economic Parameters 5
Fuel Management Scheme 3
Fuel Ownership or Leasing 2
Fuel Management - class project 10
Economics of Controlled Thermonuclear Energy Sources 2
Total 45

Basic Texts: Selected articles:

  • P.H. Heynes "Profitability and Economic Choice
  • G. Taylor "Managerial and Engineering Economy"
  • Glasstone-Sesonske "Nuclear Reactor Engineering"
  • Post-Seale "Water Production Using Nuclear Energy"
  • Hang-Koncel "Economic Effects of Nuclear Fuel Management"
  • American Power Conference Proceedings Vol. 30, 1968 and Vol. 29, 1967
  • Vondy-Rosenthal "A Comparative Evaluation of Advanced Convertors" ORNL 3686
  • Commonwealth Edison "Engineering Economy
  • AIF-ANS "Commercial Plutonium Fuels Conf. 660 308"
  • Assorted others

Prerequisites: Junior standing, NPRE 402 or NPRE 247, or consent of instructor.

Purpose of Course: Elective for all Engineering Disciplines and Physics.

Instructor:

Credit: 3 Semester Hours or 1 Unit

Meeting hours per week:

Class registration capacity:

Semesters course offered: REFER TO MASTER LISTING

Other notes: This will be one of the courses in the Concentration Requirement Area for the NucE MS student, particularly one interested in Economics and Nuclear Safeguards. It also is useful as an elective course for the advanced undergraduate in Engineering who is interested in developing a nuclear option in his own curriculum. It is designed to meet the needs of terminal MS and BS students. Engineering economy principles is a basic decision making concept for this course. Since most students will not have had EE 288 or GE 288, there will be no overlap for them. Those with this background will experience at most four class hours of review.

Course last revised:

Top of page