Contents: 1. Nuclear Power Development. 2. Natural Radioactivity and Radiation Exposures. 3. Neutron Reactions. 4. Nuclear Fission. 5. Chain Reaction and Nuclear Reactors. 6. Types of Nuclear Reactors. 7. Nuclear Fuel Cycle. 8. Nuclear Waste Disposal: Magnitudes of Waste. 9. Storage and Disposal of Nuclear Wastes. 10. Administrative and Policy Issues in Nuclear Waste Disposal. 11. Nuclear Reactor Safety. 12. Nuclear Reactor Accidents. 13. Reactor Safety and Future Nuclear Reactors. 14. Nuclear Energy and Weapons Proliferation. 15. Costs of Electricity from Nuclear Power. 16. The Prospects for Nuclear Power. Appendices.

Nuclear Energy: Principles, Practices, and Prospects

This paper reviews the smallness, modularity and reactor-design aspects of emerging small modular reactors (SMRs). It is shown that small (whether in physical size or power level) reactors are not new, but offer economic and flexibility advantages that allow their use in a variety of applications. The different definitions of modularity are reviewed, including modularity in design, process intensification, manufacturing and construction. It is shown that these forms of modularity when applied to SMRs have some advantages, but also have some challenges that need to be addressed if their full potential is to be realized. Even if these forms of modularity are not fully utilized, the lower power ( ≤ 300 MW electrical) of SMRs allows the formation of larger power plants by incremental addition of reactor units, in the so-called scale modularity. The paper reviews the unique features of emerging SMR designs, and compares them to those of the early era of nuclear power. It is shown that while many modern SMR designs incorporate well-proven features that were tested and proven in early reactors. others introduce aspects of Generation IV reactors, in terms of inherent and/or passive safety. Given the promise of SMRs as means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their ability to supply reliable and base-load power, the licensing of such reactors by national regulators will provide a boost to their acceptability and adaptability as a player in combating climate change.

Emerging small modular nuclear power reactors: A critical review

Core thermal-hydraulic evaluation of a heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor

The aim of this study is to oversee the impact of various techniques on thermal performance of heat pipes and to comprehensively cover the progress made so far in improving thermal performance. Thermal performance of heat pipes has been considerably improved by applying very novel techniques proposed by different investigators. Some major techniques have been reviewed and discussed: use of nanofluids, manufacturing different types of grooves and fins, use of different types of wicks, by inner surface treatment, use of self-rewetting fluids, use of embedded heat pipes that is passive cooling mechanism, using various inclination angles in heat pipes, etc. The presented study concludes that there are diverse methods for thermal performance enhancement of heat pipes each having its own impact level and constraints such as optimized parameters, manufacturing constraints, economic feasibility and commercial barriers. Some techniques show reversion in results when exceeded a certain level, e.g., crossing optimum concentration of nanofluid would reduce thermal performance of heat pipes. This review yields enough knowledge to optimize alteration parameters to get maximum augmentation in results and provides strong insight to decide about, which specific technique should be used for a case.

Heat pipes: progress in thermal performance enhancement for microelectronics

B.H. Yan

Papers

The technology of micro heat pipe cooled reactor: A review

The opportunities and challenges of micro heat piped cooled reactor system with high efficiency energy conversion units

The scaling technology in nuclear reactor thermal hydraulic

The thermal hydraulic phenomenon in tight lattice bundles: A review

Investigation of the density wave oscillation in ocean motions with reduced order models