As taught in: Fall 2005
The transmutation of nuclear waste may be a safer and more useful way to dispose of spent nuclear fuel rods. (Image courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory.)
Level:
Undergraduate / Graduate
Instructors:
Prof. Mujid S. Kazimi
Course Features
Course Description
This course provides an in-depth technical and policy analysis of various options for the nuclear fuel cycle. Topics include uranium supply, enrichment fuel fabrication, in-core physics and fuel management of uranium, thorium and other fuel types, reprocessing and waste disposal. Also covered are the principles of fuel cycle economics and the applied reactor physics of both contemporary and proposed thermal and fast reactors. Nonproliferation aspects, disposal of excess weapons plutonium, and transmutation of actinides and selected fission products in spent fuel are examined. Several state-of-the-art computer programs are provided for student use in problem sets and term papers.
