An Engineer's Guide to Nuclear Reactor Core Materials

An Engineer’s Guide to Nuclear Reactor Core Materials details the impact of radiation damage on materials and offers tools for calculating atomic displacement and transmutation, specifically helium and hydrogen gas production using publicly available software from the IAEA website. Additionally, it explains the metallurgical properties of reactor components determined by microstructure and alloying elements, covering the effects of fabrication and subsequent irradiation. The book addresses radiation effects modeling, methods for determining microstructure parameters necessary for modeling, and the impact of radiation on materials such as creep, swelling, and hardening.

Rate theory formulations used in modeling radiation effects are explained, making it accessible for practical applications. It also simplifies tensors with examples and describes properties of common engineering alloys used in nuclear reactors, highlighting key features relevant to reactor operation. This reference is intended for nuclear engineers, reactor operators, academics, and students researching nuclear reactors.