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Nuclear fuel elements
355
Journal of Nuclear Materials 115 (1983) 355-356 North-Holland Publishing Company
BOOK REVIEW
Nuclear Fuel Elements, Brian T. Frost (Pergamon US $17.50, f8.25 softcover.
Press, Oxford,
Brian Frost’s opening remarks in the foreword to this book addresses the reader with a note of confipower remains one of the few ecodence: “Nuclear nomically viable and safe options for the supply of electric power, despite vigorous attempts to discredit it.” The important role of the development of nuclear fuel elements in the successful utilization of nuclear power is admirably presented in this timely and important text. The author makes the cogent comment that fuel element technology is a multi-disciplinary subject. He points out that the development of analytical modelling in the 1970s has provided a vehicle for bringing these disciplines together, allocating priorities and testing their validity by comparison with real experiments. This book provides an excellent introduction to fuel element design and modelling. The introductory chapter discusses the general characteristics of nuclear fuel elements and core design, and the stages in their development. Then the author describes the various types of nuclear fuels and their origins, fabrication, and properties. An appendix includes a selection of useful phase diagrams. The important topic of irradiation behavior of fuels is reviewed early in the text. The author has succeeded in covering the most salient features of the phenomena in irradiation behavior of fuels. This survey is quite a challenging task, covering a field that now has a vast literature. In a very useful appendix he provides the reader with a clear guide to the often confusing units of burnup and rating of nuclear fuels. Cladding and duct materials are reviewed in terms of design considerations, selection criteria, properties, compatibility with coolants and fuels, and irradiation effects. The author must have felt very frustrated in writing this section because of continually changing concepts as new data are generated from long-term irradiation tests. Equally frustrating must be the unavailability of important data known to be included in the Nuclear Systems Materials Handbook (US-DOE), because of policy decisions by the US Department of
0022-3 115/83/0000-0000/$03.00
0 1983 North-Holland
1982). Price: US $35.00, f 17.50 hardback;
Energy restricting access to this source of information. (The rationale for this decision is now out-dated and should be re-evaluated.) The section on fuel element design and modelling provides an excellent introduction to the concepts and codes that have been developed over the past decade. The tables and figures are particularly enlightening. The book also surveys (1) fuel element performance and testing qualifications, and (2) experimental techniques and equipment. The author has compiled and unusually detailed guide to suppliers of fuels, cladding, fuel elements, and fuel services, as well as a table listing centers for fuel element research. (General Atomic Company, now called GA-Technology, is inadvertantly omitted.) The author includes a well illustrated review of water reactor performance and summarizes the cumulative experience gained from the operations of over nine million fuel rods. The failure rates of these fuel elements have progressively decreased and are now virtually insignificant. The main factors that have limited fuel performance are listed and the associated problems are discussed. The status of licencing and regulation is suitably included. Gas-cooled reactors, both carbon dioxide-cooled and helium-cooled, are described and their fuel elements are reviewed at some length. The more forgiving nature of these reactor systems and their ability to accommodate loss of coolant flow for long periods of time are well noted. The development and current status of fast breeder reactors and their fuel elements are given the kind of expert coverage that reflects the author’s long association with these systems. The old concerns about the safety and viability of fast breeder reactors should be mitigated by the successful operating experiences in France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the USA. Most of the information on research reactor fuels is well presented. However, the list of references could be improved upon. For example, the reference to TRIGA
3.56
Book ret&w
fuel is the first paper published on this reactor in 1958, whereas several more informative papers have been published in recent years. The final section of the book includes a short discussion of unconventional fuel elements. There is a misprint in the table listing these fuels, on page 267, in that the compound “UB,,” should read “UBe,,“. The author has quoted a pertinent paragraph from Freeman Dyson’s remarkable book “Disturbing the Universe”. The reviewer could also quote a more optimistic
paragraph in Dyson’s book, namely: “One fact that will not change is that mankind will need enormous quantities of energy after the oil runs out. Mankind will see to it that the energy is produced, one way or another. When that day comes, people will need nuclear power reactors cheaper and safer than those we are now building.” Massoud ~~~v~~s~~
T. Simnad
of California, San Diego, &L!G$
Journal of Nuclear Materials 115 (1983) 355-356 North-Holland Publishing Company
BOOK REVIEW
Nuclear Fuel Elements, Brian T. Frost (Pergamon US $17.50, f8.25 softcover.
Press, Oxford,
Brian Frost’s opening remarks in the foreword to this book addresses the reader with a note of confipower remains one of the few ecodence: “Nuclear nomically viable and safe options for the supply of electric power, despite vigorous attempts to discredit it.” The important role of the development of nuclear fuel elements in the successful utilization of nuclear power is admirably presented in this timely and important text. The author makes the cogent comment that fuel element technology is a multi-disciplinary subject. He points out that the development of analytical modelling in the 1970s has provided a vehicle for bringing these disciplines together, allocating priorities and testing their validity by comparison with real experiments. This book provides an excellent introduction to fuel element design and modelling. The introductory chapter discusses the general characteristics of nuclear fuel elements and core design, and the stages in their development. Then the author describes the various types of nuclear fuels and their origins, fabrication, and properties. An appendix includes a selection of useful phase diagrams. The important topic of irradiation behavior of fuels is reviewed early in the text. The author has succeeded in covering the most salient features of the phenomena in irradiation behavior of fuels. This survey is quite a challenging task, covering a field that now has a vast literature. In a very useful appendix he provides the reader with a clear guide to the often confusing units of burnup and rating of nuclear fuels. Cladding and duct materials are reviewed in terms of design considerations, selection criteria, properties, compatibility with coolants and fuels, and irradiation effects. The author must have felt very frustrated in writing this section because of continually changing concepts as new data are generated from long-term irradiation tests. Equally frustrating must be the unavailability of important data known to be included in the Nuclear Systems Materials Handbook (US-DOE), because of policy decisions by the US Department of
0022-3 115/83/0000-0000/$03.00
0 1983 North-Holland
1982). Price: US $35.00, f 17.50 hardback;
Energy restricting access to this source of information. (The rationale for this decision is now out-dated and should be re-evaluated.) The section on fuel element design and modelling provides an excellent introduction to the concepts and codes that have been developed over the past decade. The tables and figures are particularly enlightening. The book also surveys (1) fuel element performance and testing qualifications, and (2) experimental techniques and equipment. The author has compiled and unusually detailed guide to suppliers of fuels, cladding, fuel elements, and fuel services, as well as a table listing centers for fuel element research. (General Atomic Company, now called GA-Technology, is inadvertantly omitted.) The author includes a well illustrated review of water reactor performance and summarizes the cumulative experience gained from the operations of over nine million fuel rods. The failure rates of these fuel elements have progressively decreased and are now virtually insignificant. The main factors that have limited fuel performance are listed and the associated problems are discussed. The status of licencing and regulation is suitably included. Gas-cooled reactors, both carbon dioxide-cooled and helium-cooled, are described and their fuel elements are reviewed at some length. The more forgiving nature of these reactor systems and their ability to accommodate loss of coolant flow for long periods of time are well noted. The development and current status of fast breeder reactors and their fuel elements are given the kind of expert coverage that reflects the author’s long association with these systems. The old concerns about the safety and viability of fast breeder reactors should be mitigated by the successful operating experiences in France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the USA. Most of the information on research reactor fuels is well presented. However, the list of references could be improved upon. For example, the reference to TRIGA
3.56
Book ret&w
fuel is the first paper published on this reactor in 1958, whereas several more informative papers have been published in recent years. The final section of the book includes a short discussion of unconventional fuel elements. There is a misprint in the table listing these fuels, on page 267, in that the compound “UB,,” should read “UBe,,“. The author has quoted a pertinent paragraph from Freeman Dyson’s remarkable book “Disturbing the Universe”. The reviewer could also quote a more optimistic
paragraph in Dyson’s book, namely: “One fact that will not change is that mankind will need enormous quantities of energy after the oil runs out. Mankind will see to it that the energy is produced, one way or another. When that day comes, people will need nuclear power reactors cheaper and safer than those we are now building.” Massoud ~~~v~~s~~
T. Simnad
of California, San Diego, &L!G$