Fostering Flexibility in the Engineering Work Force (1990) / Chapter Skim
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Nuclear Engineering Case Study
Nuclear Engineering Case Study
Pages 129-140
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From page 129... ...
Introduction Any study of nuclear engineering would be incomplete without a review of the history and status of commercial nuclear power, which has been the primary driving Influence on the field One should also note Cat both the federal regulation of the nuclear power industry and the public perception of the risk and benefits of nuclear electric power have had a significant influence on Be commercialization of We technology. Comments on tile venous impacts of such factors on the nuclear engineering discipline are also included here.
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From page 130... ...
A number of academic programs for the study of nuclear eng~neenng were formed initially within existing engineering departments. Between 1955 and 1960 approximately 50 universities had established nuclear engineering degree programs, initially at the graduate level, with an emphasis on neutron diffusion and transport and reactor physics.
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From page 131... ...
Nuclear Engineering Curriculum in the 1960s 3 Hrs 6 Hrs 3 Hrs 3 Hrs 3 Hrs 3 Hrs 3 Hrs 6 Hrs Nuclear and Radiation Physics Reactor Physics (neutron diffusion and kinetics) Laboratory: Radiation Interaction with Matter Laboratory: Reactor Phenomenology Reactor Technology Nuclear Power Thermal Hydraulics Radiation Shielding Advanced Engineering Mathematics (PDE's, integral functions)
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From page 132... ...
vendors required nuclear engineers for nuclear core design, nuclear Herman hydraulic design, nuclear matenals evaluation, and nuclear safety. Growing concern within the federal establishment about the availability of trained nuclear engineers to develop and manage commercial nuclear power led the AEC to take two actions: (~)
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From page 133... ...
Areas that require the nuclear engineering degree include radiation shielding and health physics, reactor neutronics, reactor instrumentation and control, and radiological waste management Common areas of work include project management, operations, and engineering design of components and systems. Recognizing the strong demand for nuclear engineering in the early yes, a number of mechanical and chemical engineering departments initiated a nuclear engineering option program for their undergraduate students.
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From page 134... ...
B.S. Nuclear Engineering Curriculum Semester I Junior Year: Senior Year: Semester II Engineering Maw Atomic and Nuclear Physics Engineering Economics Reactor Technology Engineering Materials Reactor Physics ~ Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics Reactor Safety and Licensing Technical Elective Nuclear Design I Statistics Reactor Physics ~ Fluids and Heat Flow Lab Radiation Measurements Lab Nuclear Materials Nuclear Design II Reactor Laboratory Fusion Technology Technical Elective typically use optional technical electives In the undergraduate curriculum to study nuclear technology.
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From page 135... ...
~ . - -$ O O AS snown In Figure 19 ounng tills period or increasing demand in operation and licensing for nuclear engineers, the negative public perception of nuclear power led to a steady decline in the enrollment in undergraduate nuclear en~neenng programs beginning in 1977 (from a high of 2,121 to about 1,300 today)
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From page 136... ...
Nevertheless, the United States presently has more than 100 commercial nuclear power plants in operation, which generate approximately 20 percent of the its electncal energy supply. Contrary to common perception, the demand for nuclear engineers has remained strong during the past two decades.
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From page 137... ...
Thus he or she has the flexibility to function in many standard nonnuclear engineering jobs such as project management, engineering design, systems analysis, and operations. Training in the fundamentals of engineering science, along with synthesis and engineering design, produces a professional engined with the lifelong ability to acquire new technologies and change career direction.
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From page 138... ...
Sophomore Year: Eng~neenng sciences, including engineering matenals, eng~neenng economics, heat transfer, fluids, statics, electronics, thermodynamics, computer sciences, laboratory experimentation, advanced sciences. Junior Year: Emphasis on core of discipline; for nuclear engineering this would include radiation interaction with matter, neutron diffusion and kinetics, reactor thermal hydraulics, reactor safety and licensing, radiation health physics and shielding, nuclear instrumentation and reactor laboratories.
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From page 139... ...
The goal of nuclear engineering educators must be to continue to produce a product that is based in the fundamentals of nuclear processes and applications, with an underpinning of He core of engineering science fundamentals. References Argonne Universities Association (AUA)
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