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Nuclear reactor shielding
596
Book reviews
leation centres, The atmospheric aerosol is the subject of chapter 8 and this is a very useful section of the book because it goes into great detail on the major sources and sinks of atmospheric gases and their residence times. Both natural and anthropogenic aerosol particles are studied and the relative assessment of their importance is of great value to environmentalists. Chapter 9 discusses heterogeneous nucleation. Chapter 10 constitutes a very concise but useful discussion of the hydrodynamics of single clouds and particles. The basic governing equations are outlined and solved for a number of simple but practical cases, e.g. spheres, oblate spheroids, etc. Also in this chapter we find the analysis of oscillating raindrops based on the classical liquid drop model. Chapter 11 deals with the cooling of moist air with entrainment and also the governing equation for a onedimensional cloud. The mechanics of atmospheric aerosols is the subject of chapter 12; the aerosol is discussed from various points of view ranging from Brownian motion, shear flow, turbulence and coagulation. In fact, I found this chapter one of the nicest of the book since it goes into great detail on scavenging by thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis and turbulence. It also outlines the basic coagulation equations and shows how they may be solved by various approximation schemes, e.g. self-preserving solutions. This chapter is of great interest to reactor safety analysts. Chapter 13 discusses the diffusional growth and evaporation of water drops and ice crystals; a topic of some interest in deciding on the nature of aerosol source terms. Cloud particle interactions, collision, coalescence and break-up are the subject of chapter 14 wherein are defined the collision efficiency and various methods for calculating the interaction between spheres in various flow regimes. Chapter 15 follows logically and concerns itself with the growth of cloud drops by collision and coalescence and we can see how to calculate the change of average drop radius with time. In this chapter there is a very scholarly discussion of the stochastic aspects of coagulation theory. That is the determination of probability laws for droplet size due to coagulation and break-up. Further solutions to the basic time-dependent coagulation equation are given. Chapter 16 is a more detailed discussion of the subject matter of chapters 13 and 14, namely the microphysics of ice particl~drop interactions. Finally, chapter 17 elaborates on the electrical state of the atmosphere and its effect on cloud physics. In this chapter various corrections to the capture and collision rate are given which are due to electrical attraction and repulsion. In summary, then, this book is a scholarly text, extremely well written, with a very wide range of topics of direct interest to nuclear engineers and reactor safety analysts interested in the behaviour of aerosols within the reactor containment building and in the surrounding environment. The price is very modest considering the value and quantity of the contents.
Professor of Nuclear Enoineerin 9 Queen Mary College London
M. M. R. WILLIAMS
Nuclear Reactor Shielding, W. R. ROUSSIA, L. S. ABBOTT and D. E. BARTINE(Editors), Science Press. Nuclear Reactor Shielding is the edited proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Reactor Shielding, held
at Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1977. Since the first conference of this series, held in Cambridge in 1958, these proceedings have been invaluable summaries of progress and this latest volume is exceptional in the range of problems and new developments considered. In spite of shield design having been a routine part of reactor design for more than twenty years, the practitioners continue to face new demands and to respond with new developments in methods and the assessment of nuclear data. These proceedings contain, in addition to many specific papers, review papers by various authors, including a general review by F. C. Maienschein and invited papers on methods and design by J. Butler and by F. R. Mynett and on design experience by A. F. Avery. Contributed papers highlight desi.gn problems of recent concern; in particular cavity streaming in light water reactors and fast reactors and the particularly demanding problems of dealing with activation products and circuit contamination and consequent occupational doses in light water reactors. Solution of the cavity shielding problem in light water reactors is shown to be complicated by the need not to interfere with flow under loss of coolant accident conditions. Shielding problems associated with planned and conceptual fusion systems also receive significant attention, in particular the radiation damage and activation consequences of streaming through injector ports and divertors, which requires full three dimensional Monte Carlo treatment. A particular feature of the meeting was the close link demonstrated between new methods and the establishment of data requirements, through the use of sensitivity analysis and through international collaboration, in performing 'benchmark' integral tests.
Reader in Environmental Safety Imperial College London
A. J. H. GODDARD
Nuclear Heavy-lon Reactions, P. E. HODGSON (Oxford Studies in Nuclear Physics), Clarendon Press: Oxford University Press, 558 pp., £18.00. Dr Hodgson's book sets out to summarize for the graduate student the development of the physics of heavy-ion reactions which has occured over the past decade. Following an introductory chapter, which classifies and outlines the physics of various types of reactions, subsequent chapters deal with the methods of calculating heavy-ion potentials, elastic scattering, compound-nucleus reactions, inelastic scattering, theories of nucleon transfer reactions and theories of intermediate structure. Coulomb excitation and heavy-ion fission reactions are specifically excluded, as are any detailed considerations of the extensive studies which have been made of the decay of highly excited nuclear states induced by heavy-ion interactions. The final chapter illustrates current thinking on high energy interactions. At interaction energies of a few hundred MeV the nuclei may pass through each other, losing much energy but retaining most of their nucleons, a process known as deep inelastic scattering. At still higher energies nuclear shock waves perhaps develop, resulting in the nearly complete fragmentation of the colliding nuclei. The book is almost encyclopaedic in its wealth of information and references. It is unfortunate that there is little critical judgement of much of the material, an omission which I suspect might make life a little difficult for the
Book reviews
leation centres, The atmospheric aerosol is the subject of chapter 8 and this is a very useful section of the book because it goes into great detail on the major sources and sinks of atmospheric gases and their residence times. Both natural and anthropogenic aerosol particles are studied and the relative assessment of their importance is of great value to environmentalists. Chapter 9 discusses heterogeneous nucleation. Chapter 10 constitutes a very concise but useful discussion of the hydrodynamics of single clouds and particles. The basic governing equations are outlined and solved for a number of simple but practical cases, e.g. spheres, oblate spheroids, etc. Also in this chapter we find the analysis of oscillating raindrops based on the classical liquid drop model. Chapter 11 deals with the cooling of moist air with entrainment and also the governing equation for a onedimensional cloud. The mechanics of atmospheric aerosols is the subject of chapter 12; the aerosol is discussed from various points of view ranging from Brownian motion, shear flow, turbulence and coagulation. In fact, I found this chapter one of the nicest of the book since it goes into great detail on scavenging by thermophoresis, diffusiophoresis and turbulence. It also outlines the basic coagulation equations and shows how they may be solved by various approximation schemes, e.g. self-preserving solutions. This chapter is of great interest to reactor safety analysts. Chapter 13 discusses the diffusional growth and evaporation of water drops and ice crystals; a topic of some interest in deciding on the nature of aerosol source terms. Cloud particle interactions, collision, coalescence and break-up are the subject of chapter 14 wherein are defined the collision efficiency and various methods for calculating the interaction between spheres in various flow regimes. Chapter 15 follows logically and concerns itself with the growth of cloud drops by collision and coalescence and we can see how to calculate the change of average drop radius with time. In this chapter there is a very scholarly discussion of the stochastic aspects of coagulation theory. That is the determination of probability laws for droplet size due to coagulation and break-up. Further solutions to the basic time-dependent coagulation equation are given. Chapter 16 is a more detailed discussion of the subject matter of chapters 13 and 14, namely the microphysics of ice particl~drop interactions. Finally, chapter 17 elaborates on the electrical state of the atmosphere and its effect on cloud physics. In this chapter various corrections to the capture and collision rate are given which are due to electrical attraction and repulsion. In summary, then, this book is a scholarly text, extremely well written, with a very wide range of topics of direct interest to nuclear engineers and reactor safety analysts interested in the behaviour of aerosols within the reactor containment building and in the surrounding environment. The price is very modest considering the value and quantity of the contents.
Professor of Nuclear Enoineerin 9 Queen Mary College London
M. M. R. WILLIAMS
Nuclear Reactor Shielding, W. R. ROUSSIA, L. S. ABBOTT and D. E. BARTINE(Editors), Science Press. Nuclear Reactor Shielding is the edited proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Reactor Shielding, held
at Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1977. Since the first conference of this series, held in Cambridge in 1958, these proceedings have been invaluable summaries of progress and this latest volume is exceptional in the range of problems and new developments considered. In spite of shield design having been a routine part of reactor design for more than twenty years, the practitioners continue to face new demands and to respond with new developments in methods and the assessment of nuclear data. These proceedings contain, in addition to many specific papers, review papers by various authors, including a general review by F. C. Maienschein and invited papers on methods and design by J. Butler and by F. R. Mynett and on design experience by A. F. Avery. Contributed papers highlight desi.gn problems of recent concern; in particular cavity streaming in light water reactors and fast reactors and the particularly demanding problems of dealing with activation products and circuit contamination and consequent occupational doses in light water reactors. Solution of the cavity shielding problem in light water reactors is shown to be complicated by the need not to interfere with flow under loss of coolant accident conditions. Shielding problems associated with planned and conceptual fusion systems also receive significant attention, in particular the radiation damage and activation consequences of streaming through injector ports and divertors, which requires full three dimensional Monte Carlo treatment. A particular feature of the meeting was the close link demonstrated between new methods and the establishment of data requirements, through the use of sensitivity analysis and through international collaboration, in performing 'benchmark' integral tests.
Reader in Environmental Safety Imperial College London
A. J. H. GODDARD
Nuclear Heavy-lon Reactions, P. E. HODGSON (Oxford Studies in Nuclear Physics), Clarendon Press: Oxford University Press, 558 pp., £18.00. Dr Hodgson's book sets out to summarize for the graduate student the development of the physics of heavy-ion reactions which has occured over the past decade. Following an introductory chapter, which classifies and outlines the physics of various types of reactions, subsequent chapters deal with the methods of calculating heavy-ion potentials, elastic scattering, compound-nucleus reactions, inelastic scattering, theories of nucleon transfer reactions and theories of intermediate structure. Coulomb excitation and heavy-ion fission reactions are specifically excluded, as are any detailed considerations of the extensive studies which have been made of the decay of highly excited nuclear states induced by heavy-ion interactions. The final chapter illustrates current thinking on high energy interactions. At interaction energies of a few hundred MeV the nuclei may pass through each other, losing much energy but retaining most of their nucleons, a process known as deep inelastic scattering. At still higher energies nuclear shock waves perhaps develop, resulting in the nearly complete fragmentation of the colliding nuclei. The book is almost encyclopaedic in its wealth of information and references. It is unfortunate that there is little critical judgement of much of the material, an omission which I suspect might make life a little difficult for the