MITNE-I 88 NUCLEAR 'GINEERING READING ROM - M.IT. INNUCLEAR ENGINEERING AT RACT 1976 ACT IVITIES IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AT MIT Prepared by the Staff of the Nuclear Engineering Department Massachusetts Institute of Technology September 1976 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction -------------------------------------- 1 2. Summary of Developments Since February 1975 ------- 5 3. Research and Educational Activities ---------------- 14 3.1 Reactor Physics -------------------------------- 14 3.1.1 Subjects of Instruction ---------------- 14 3.1.2 Reactor Theory --------------------------16 3.1.3 Fast Reactor Physics Analysis --------- 19 3.1.4 Thermal Reactor Physics ---------------- 21 3.1.5 Reactor Kinetics ------------------------22 3.1.6 Reactor Physics Constants for Safety Analysis ------------------------------ 24 3.1.7 Reactor Safety Codes ------------------- 25 3.1.8 Rod-Drop Accident Analysis ------------ 26 3.2 Reactor Engineering ---------------------------- 27 3.2.1 Subjects of Instruction ---------------- 27 3.2.2 Reactor Thermal Analysis --------------- 31 3.2.3 Nuclear Power Reactor Safety ---------- 41 3.2.4 Nuclear Reactor and Energy System Design ---------------------------------- 49 3.2.5 Fuel Designs for Plutonium Recycle ---- 51 3.3 Nuclear Materials and Radiation Effects ------ 52 3.3.1 Subjects of Instruction --------------- 52 3.3.2 Irradiation-Induced Stress Relaxation and Creep in Reactor Materials -------- 54 3.3.3 Strength Differential Effects in Zirconium Alloys ------------------------55 3.3.4 Fuel Performance Analysis During Normal and Transient Conditions ------- 56 3.3.5 Simulation of Radiation Effects in Fusion Materials ------------------------56 3.3.6 Interelectrode Insulator Development for MHD Generators -------------------- 57 3.3.7 Engineering Workshop on MHD Materials - 58 3.3.8 Radioactive Corrosion Products in the Primary Coolant Systems of Light Water Power Reactors ------------------- 59 3.3.9 Surface Effects in Fusion Reactors ---- 59 3.3.10 Bulk Irradiation Damage Studies to Simulate CTR Effects ------------------- 60 3.4 Nuclear Chemical Technology ------------------- 60 3.4.1 Subjects of Instruction ---------------- 60 3.5 MIT Reactor Modification ---------------------- 61 3.6 Applied Radiation Physics --------------------- 63 3.6.1 Subjects of Instruction ------------- 63 3.6.2 Neutron Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics in Solids and Fluids ------- 64 3.6.3 Neutron Molecular Spectroscopy ------ 65 3.6.4 Thermal Fluctuations and Transport Phenomena in Gases and Liquids ------ 67 3.6.5 Computer Molecular Dynamics Studies - 69 3.6.6 Light Scattering Study of Structure Motility of Cells --------------------- 70 3.6.7 Thermal Neutron Scattering Studies of Dense Gases -------------- 72 3.7 Applied Nuclear Physics ----------------------- 73 3.7,.l Subjects of Instruction ------------- 73 3.8 Medical Applications of the MIT Reactor and Other Neutron Sources ------------------ 74 3.8.1 Subjects of Instruction -------------- 74 3.8.2 In Vivo Neutron Activation Analysis ------------------------------- 74 3.8.3 Thrombus (Clot) Detection Studies --- 75 3.8.4 Renewed Clinical Trial of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy ------------- 76 3.8.5 Particle Track Etch Method for Pu Assay ------------------------------- 77 3.8.6 The Development of Radiation Synovectomy in Arthritis ------------- 79 3.8.7 In Vitro Activation Analysis -------- 79 3.8.8 The Development of the Osmium- Iridium Radionuclide Generator ------ 80 3.9 Quantum Thermodynamics ------------------------ 81 3.9.1 Subjects of Instruction ------------- 81 3.10 Energy and the Environment -------------------- 82 3.10.1 Subjects of Instruction ------------- 82 3.10.2 Hydrogen Economy Energy and Transmission Storage Technology ----- 83 3.10.3 Waste Heat Disposal -------------------- 84 3.10.4 Reclamation of Coal Strip Mines in Appalachia -------------------------- 87 3.10.5 Assessment of Energy Options -------- 87 3.11 Applied Plasma Physics ------------------------ 89 3.11.1 Subjects of Instruction ------------- 90 3.11.2 Experimental Plasma Physics and Diagnostic Development ---------------- 93 3.11.3 Fusion Reactor Technology ----------- 96 3.11.4 Transport Processes in Fully Ionized Plasmas ------------------------ 103 Page 3.11.5 Fusion Plasma Modelling and Reactor Synthesis ------------------- 105 4. Curriculum -------------------------------------- 107 4.2 Fields of Study ------------------------------108 4.3 Subjects of Instruction --------------------- 109 4.4 Independent Activities Period -------------- 114 4.5 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program -------------------------------------- 115 4.6 Descriptions of New and Revised Subjects --- 115 4.7 Iranian Program ------------------------------119 4.8 Undergraduate Program ----------------------- 121 4.8.2 Subjects of Instruction ------------ 122 5. Research Facilities -------------------------------125 5.1 M.I.T. Reactor -------------------------------125 5.2 Cryogenic Facilities ------------------------ 125 5.3 Texas Nuclear Corporation Neutron Generator ---------------------------------- 126 5.4 Nuclear Engineering Laboratory ------------- 126 5.5 Plasma Research Facilities ------------------ 127 5.6 Computing Facilities ------------------------ 127 6. Department Personnel ------------------------------128 6.1 Faculty ------------------------------------ 128 6.2 Complete Listing of Personnel --------------- 133 7. Department Statistics -----------------------------135 8. Students ---------------------------------------- 136 9. List of Theses ---------------------------------- 143 1 I. INTRODUCTION This report has been prepared by the personnel of the Nuclear Engineering Department at M.I.T. to provide a sum- mary and guide to the Department's educational, research, and other activities. Information is presented on the De- partment's facilities, faculty, personnel, and students. The information has been prepared for the use of the Depart- mental Visiting Committee, past and present students, prospec- tive students interested in applying for admission to the Department, and others. In the last two years there have been several factors which have reduced the projected demands for electricity. The Arab oil embargo and the fixing of oil prices by the OPEC countries have nearly tripled the cost of imported oil into the United States. Despite this, the United States has continued to grow and in several recent months imports rates have exceeded domestic production for the first time. During the period (1974-75) the United States economy has experienced a recession combined with a period of rapid inflation. One effect of the recession and increased costs has been that the historic growth rates in electric demand have leveled off for the last two years, mostly due to re- duced industrial demand. In 1976, with the United State's economy recovering from the recession, initial indications are that electrical demands are increasing again. However, it is too early to tell whether these rates of growth will return to the historic rates of 6 to 7% per year. The re- duction in projected demand has led to the cancelling or delaying of many power plant projects. Nuclear plants have been particularly hard hit because their capital investiment is larger than coal-fired plants. Very few new orders for domestic nuclear plants have been received for the last two years. In the rest of the world, particularly Europe and Japan where there is little coal available, nuclear orders have continued at a fairly high level. There seems little doubt that nuclear power will have to be an important part of the electrical generating capacity of most of the indus- trialized countries for the rest of this century. By that time, it is possible, but by no means assured, that geo- thermal, solar, and fusion may have reached the stage of development where they can begin to make contributions. Nevertheless, it must be recognized that at least for the next few decades coal and nuclear power must continue to be the prime sources of any increased electrical demand. In fact, the United States government has ordered that no new oil or gas-fired plants be built. Today, there are 60 operating nuclear power stations; in 1976 they are expected to produce nearly 10% of the nation's 2 electricity. In New England about 25% of all electricity is produced by nuclear plants. During 1976 the nuclear electric supply of the Chicago area reached 50%. Thus, al- though nuclear power growth has slowed in the last two years there seems little doubt that fission reactors will provide an increasing fraction of the electricity of the United States, Western Europe and Japan for the rest of this century. By the turn of the century it is believed that domestic supplies of high grade uranium will be diminishing and the need for the breeder reactor, which uses uranium about 60 times more efficiently, will develop. This concept, which has already been demonstrated in France and Russia, offers great promise, for it uses U-238, the 99.3% abundant isotope of uranium, as fuel. To illustrate the importance of the breeder one only has to realize that the U-238 already mined and available in the tails from the diffusion plants represents more energy than the entire coal reserves of the United States. Thus, a successful breeder reactor program offers an electric supply with almost unlimited fuel supply. A second possibility for future electric supply is the use of fusion reactions such as those which provide energy from the sun. The fusion program has the