Effects of Radiation on Materials in a Nuclear Reactor

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Effects of Radiation on Materials in a Nuclear
Reactor

• Amy Ging
• Van Vleck High School / Van Vleck ISD
• Dr. Lin Shao
• Department of Nuclear Engineering

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Nuclear Reactor
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Effects of Radiation on Steel in the Reactor
Vessel
Steel under radiation
Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking
(IASCC) Radiation Stress Environment
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From the Lab to the Classroom

• In the lab, we are measuring the resistance and
  resistivity of materials before they are exposed
  to radiation and after they are exposed to
  radiation
• Resistivity is a measure of how many defects
  radiation has caused in the material that it has
  come in contact with
• In the classroom, we will perform the same
  experiments and calculate the resistance and
  resistivity of provided samples

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The PlanDay One

• Introduction / Overview
• What is radiation?
• How does it affect us in our daily lives?
• Radiation Applications medical, electricity
• Tie in with IPC class discussion on the periodic
  table and radioactive elements

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Day Two

• What is the South Texas Project?
• What do they do out there?
• How much?
• Who uses it?
• Why do we care?
• What are the concerns?
• Diagram of Plant
• Pictures of Damage
• Homework will be a research project over nuclear
  power in the United States.

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Nuclear Reactor
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Effects of Radiation on Steel in the Reactor
Vessel
Steel under radiation
Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking
(IASCC) Radiation Stress Environment
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Day Three

• Introduction to Resistance and Resistivity
• Resistance VI R
• Resistivity ?2psR
• Homework over both equations, with information
  provided, solving for one variable

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Day Four

• Hands On Day (in IPC lab)
• Looking at periodic table, which sample should
  react the least to radiation? Is this material a
  good choice for use in a reactor?
• Use Four Point Probe to measure resistance of
  provided samples
• Work at least one example together as a class
• Homework over both equations again, this time
  over results found in the lab

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Day Five

• Review of Resistance and Resistivity Activity
• What did the results mean? Which sample would
  react least to radiation?
• Conclusion of Information
• Career opportunities at STP
• Education necessary for those careers
• Salary information for careers
• Possible speaker from STP on this day

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Algebra I TEKS and TAKS Covered

• a(2) Algebraic thinking and symbolic reasoning
• a(3) Function concepts
• a(4) Relationship between equations and
  functions
• b(1)B Gather and record data
• b(1)D Represent relationships
• b(1)E Interpret and make decisions
• b(3)A Use symbols to represent unknowns

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Sample Pre-Test Questions

• Use the following equation to solve problems 4-5,
  Al w
• 4. Solve the equation for l.
• a. lAw c. lA/w
• b. l w A d. lw/A
• 5. Solve the equations for w.
• a. wA/l c. wl A
• b. l A/w d. w l/A

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What did I learn this summer?

• A very broad understanding of the engineering
  field
• A very narrow understanding of nuclear
  engineering, particle acceleration and the
  effects of radiation on materials

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And most importantly

• Research is a slow process, filled with ups and
  downs, starts and stops, successes and failures.
• But there is no such thing as failure in
  research, because we learn from every failure.

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Acknowledgements

• My family
• My co-workers and administration
• E3
• Nuclear Power Institute
• National Science Foundation
• Chevron
• Texas Workforce Commission

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BIG Thanks to.

• Dr. Lin Shao
• Mark Hollander
• Michael Martin, Di Chen, Assel Aitkaliyeva
• Drew Mitchell, Josh Willis, Josey Wallace, Ethan
  Windsor, McIan Amos, Michael General, Alvaro
  Aranibar, Danny Galicki

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