Diffusion of Neutrons in Nuclear Reactors: An Introductory Textbook for Neutronics

This book provides an introductory exploration of nuclear reactor theory, designed for students, physicists, and engineers entering the field for the first time. It employs simplified models based on diffusion theory to facilitate numerical calculations, with direct applications to pressurized water reactors. A consistent dataset underpins the analyses throughout the text, ensuring coherence across topics.

This book offers a fundamental understanding of key reactor physics concepts, including the fundamental mode, harmonics, point kinetics, adjoint flux and perturbation method. It also examines reactor behavior in subcritical approach conditions, Dynamic Rod Weight Measurement, shadowing and anti-shadowing effects.

To maintain conciseness, the text does not cover the fundamental principles of nuclear physics required for neutronics. Readers are expected to have prior knowledge of essential topics such as the fission process and neutron cross sections. Synthetic presentations of the mathematical and physical concepts used in the book are provided in the different appendices.

Hubert Grard is a graduate engineer of the "Génie Atomique" course, an engineer from JUNIA-ISEN. He is currently an engineer at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), and teaches at National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN). The author has experience in engineering, and PWR operation as former staff of the Chooz NPP operated by EDF. He teaches a wide range of audiences: Chinese students of the French-Chinese institute IFCEN, students of the Master Nuclear Energy, and also professionals of the nuclear industry (engineering, experimental reactor control room Operators). He is the author of "Physique, fonctionnement et sûreté des REP--le réacteur en exploitation" (EDP Sciences 2014), which features especially an in-depth explanation of core control modes and physical phenomena affecting core power distribution, a detailed analysis of transients such as nuclear unit start-up and house load operation, and a functional description of the conventional island.