A lack of data concerning tungsten-based medical shields, specifically unit dose transport pigs, may lead to unnecessary exposure to medical personnel. Available research comparing lead to sintered tungsten shows that tungsten is approximately 1.5 - 10.0 times more effective as a radiation shield. However, this research lacks high-energy vs. low-energy...
The application of lean to new product development (NPD) processes has been claimed to generate positive impact on NPD performance. There are very few empirical studies, however, on how organizations should apply lean practices or on the exact nature of the impact of lean on NPD performance. To further understand...
The advances in the nuclear sciences over the past sixty years have yielded many beneficial technologies and applications, such as power generation, food irradiation, and medical diagnostic devices and techniques. However, these advances have also allowed the advent of nuclear and radiological weapons. This paper will focus on one type...
The problem of determining whether a crack impinging on an interface will penetrate into the substrate or deflect along the interface is vital to the effective design of layered and composite material systems. Of particular interest is the transition between crack propagation by penetration through an interface and deflection along...
Detection systems used to monitor reactor operations are of significant interest as tools for verification of operator declarations. Current reactor site safeguards are limited to visual inspections and intrusive monitoring systems. The recent development of antineutrino detectors may soon allow real-time monitoring from an unobtrusive location. Antineutrinos are produced through...
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a recent advancement in commercial nuclear reactor design with growing interest worldwide. New SMR concepts, such as the Multi-Application Small Light Water Reactor (MASLWR), must undergo a licensing processes established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prior to commercial operation. Given the lack of...
Currently, the temporal arc distribution across the ingot during the vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process is not a known or monitored parameter. It is has previously been shown that arcs can spatially constrict during VAR, and this constriction can lead to undesired defects in the material. Additionally, correct accounting for...
In source-detector radiation transport simulations, pulse height distributions are a useful metric in assessing the effectiveness of nuclear instrumentation. In the area of spectroscopy, pulse height distributions are used to identify an unknown source. It is widely believed that pulse height distributions cannot be created using deterministic methods. This quantity...
The Hydro-Mechanical Fuel Test Facility (HMFTF) is being built at Oregon State University to evaluate fluid flow through plate-type fuel assemblies. The first plate assembly that will be examined in the facility is the Generic Test Plate Assembly (GTPA). The GTPA consists of an array of six parallel flat plates,...
In order to address the energy needs of developing countries and remote communities, Oregon State University has proposed the Multi-Application Small Light Water Reactor (MASLWR) design. In order to achieve five years of operation without refueling, use of 8% enriched fuel is necessary.
This dissertation is focused on core design...