Nuclear reactor physics text recommendation

[MaverickMenzies]

Hi folks, can anyone suggest a good and current reference text on nuclear reactor theory and physics?

I'm a theorist, so mathematically sophisticated presentation is welcome.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

[Astronuc]

I grabbed this list:

• W. M. Stacey, Nuclear Reactor Physics, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 (ISBN: 0-
471-39127-1)

• J. R. Lamarsh, Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory, Addison-Wesley
Pub., 1966, (ISBN: 0-894-48040-5) I used the 1972 edition when I was an undergrad.

Stacey's text is more modern, and perhaps more available.



References:
• J. R. Lamarsh, A. J. Baratta, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 3d ed.,
Prentice-Hall, 2001 (ISBN: 0-201-82498-1) - Good introduction along with the Nuclear Reactor Theory texts.

• J. J. Duderstadt, L. J. Hamilton, Nuclear Reactor Analysis, John Wiley &
Sons, 1976 (ISBN: 0-471-22363-8) - Classic text for graduate students, who if they are undergrad nukes, have probably used Lamarsh or Stacey.

Otts books are more advanced and assume one has had an introduction.

• K. O. Ott, W. A. Bezella, Introductory Nuclear Reactor Statics, American
Nuclear Society, Revised edition (1989), 1989 (ISBN: 0-894-48033-2)

• K. O. Ott, R. J. Neuhold, Introductory Nuclear Reactor Dynamics, American
Nuclear Society, 1985 (ISBN: 0-894-48029-4)


• D. L. Hetrick, Dynamics of Nuclear Reactors, American Nuclear Society,
1993 (ISBN: 0-894-48453-2) advanced text

• E. E. Lewis, W. F. Miller, Computational Methods of Neutron Transport,
American Nuclear Society, 1993 (ISBN: 0-894-48452-4) - advanced text

• J. K. Shultis, R. E. Faw, Fundamentals of Nuclear Science and Engineering,
Marcel Dekker, Inc., 2002 (ISBN: 0-824-70834-2) - this one is new to me. I have all of the above, but this one.

From - http://nuclear.tamu.edu/~pavel/NUEN601S.pdf

[gmax137]

I don't know whether the books I (and apparently AstroNuc) used in school have been superseded by modern treatments, but I would suspect not (due to the decline in interest and hence departments of nuclear engineering since the early 1980s). I can tell you that looking around the engineering offices of *a major reactor vendor* that Lamarsh, Duderstadt&Hamilton, and Hetrick are on alot of bookshelves. See also Glasstone & Sesonke. These (especially the last three) are reactor physics books. If you're interested in the thermal-hydraulics / heat transfer (in addition to the neutronics) see El-Wakil (among others).

[Emfuser]

You can get the info you need by simply going though Lamarsh's Intro to Nuclear Eng book, then to Glasstone & Sesonske, and then to the Ott books. The Ott Reactor Statics book has an intro, but the material starts off presuming that you've had the basic reactor physics education from books like Glasstone & Sesonske.

[Useful nucleus]

Although "J.R.Lamarsh" is a standard in a lot of universities, I don't recommend it. It is a little bit old fashioned and lacks a lot of the numerical technics that are essential for reactor analysis.

I recommend
Nuclear-Reactor Analysis by Allan F. Henry
This book covers the same material in Lamarsh's book but it contains a good introduction for the numerical techniques used in reactor analysis . The last four chapters introduce more advanced approaches and techniques. In my opinion this is an amazing introduction to the subject.It is also the standard text at MIT.
Also Hamilton and Duderstadt is a nice book, and it has the advatage that it covers some related thermal-hydraulics, safety and control topics.