3 Credit Hours

This course provides a detailed discussion over nuclear power plant (NPP) systems, including Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), advanced light water reactors (LWR), as well as advanced non-LWRs. Topics to be covered include the PWR/BWR core design, primary loops, auxiliary and emergency systems, containment, reactor control and protection systems, accident and transient behaviors.

Prerequisite(s)

Reactor Analysis and Design (NC State NE 401) AND

Reactor Engineering (NC State NE 402)

Course Objectives

• General – Learn how to apply knowledge in engineering sciences to design and understanding of complex systems.
• Focused – Gain an understanding of nuclear power plant engineering utilizing specific analytical skills acquired in other courses.

Course Requirements

• HOMEWORK: none.
• EXAMINATIONS: two Midterm Exams (75 minutes each) + one Final Exam (3 hours). All exams use Moodle Online Exams.
• PROJECTS: two individual computational projects on using the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Nuclear Reactor Simulators for reactor transient modeling.
• SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS: PC, ability to download files from NC State University course locker and run the IAEA simulators for reactor transient modeling following instructions.

Textbook

None – Class notes and booklets on PWR and BWR published by NSSS vendors will be used.

Updated: 10/16/2025