Nuclear Power Generation

Nuclear Power Generation focuses on the use of nuclear reactors as heat sources for electricity generation. This volume explains how nuclear energy can be harnessed to produce power by discussing the fundamental physical facts and the properties of matter underlying the operation of a reactor. This book is comprised of five chapters and opens with an overview of nuclear physics, first by considering the structure of matter and basic physical concepts such as atomic structure and nuclear reactions. The second chapter deals with the requirements of a reactor as a heat source, along with the different types of reactor that have been developed to meet these requirements under varying conditions. The third chapter describes the siting of plant in a developing nuclear power program, paying particular attention to the design of the major items of a nuclear power plant. The fourth chapter covers operational problems and the specialized instrumentation that has been developed for the operational control and protection of reactors. The final chapter examines the techniques that have been developed for reactor commissioning so that essential design and operational data may be obtained. This monograph will be of interest to nuclear engineers and physicists as well as electrical and mechanical engineers.