I need some good books that can teach me about nuclear engineering and the engineering sciences?

Question

Hey guys I was wondering if people know of some good books that can teach me about nuclear engineering and the engineering sciences so I can prepare for college and have some general or specific background knowledge on the subject. My major will be nuclear engineering so I wanted to get an early jump on it so I at least understand the basics.

Answer 1

Great enthusiasm, I think you've picked a great topic to study.  While I don't work in the field of nuclear engineering, I am an engineer who has taken physics and has had an insatiable interest in particle physics, which I think is the most interesting field of any science (I can assure you that once you understand quantum theory, you can understand anything else in this world =D).  Now about your question, I've read many books on the subject and here are a few that stood out (and that had links on amazon.com):

This is a good place to start:

http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Nucle...

After that book,:

http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Nucle...

And when you think you've nailed the basics:

http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Physics-Mo...

Of course, the last one is a quantum physics book, but I think an understanding of quantum theory is absolutely necessary in really and kind of engineering, but especially of the nuclear variety.  Good luck in college, and enjoy these reads!

Answer 2

A really good, FREE (and LEGAL for all you goody-goody types), resource for the fundamental engineering material you are looking for including  Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory, Materials, Thermodynamics, Electrical, Drafting, etc ....................

Is the US DOE website itself:

http://www.hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/...

Have a look around the many handbooks for download.

Answer 3

For the introductory technical books, refer to:

Krane, Kenneth S. Introductory Nuclear Physics. New York, NY: Wiley and Sons, 1987, pp. 845. ISBN: 9780471805533.

Meyerhof, Walter E. Elements of Nuclear Physics. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1967, pp. 279. ISBN: 9780070417458.

Evans, Robley D. The Atomic Nucleus. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1982, pp. 972. ISBN: 9780898744149.

Turner, J. E. Atoms, Radiation, and Radiation Protection. 2nd ed. New York, NY: J. Wiley, 1995. ISBN: 9780471595816.

Krane, K.S. Introductory Nuclear Physics. Wiley, 1988.

Liboff, R. L. Introductory Quantum Mechanics. Addison-Wesley, 2003.

For the engineering science books see,

G. Lindfield and J. Penny, Numerical Methods Using MatLab, Prentice-Hall (2000).

Of course, all these books assume a wide physics and mathematics background. So what I would suggest is focusing on that  in college more than anything else. You have to master calculus and differential equtions to understand quantum mechanics.

Answer 4

You are in a good position to benefit from the long term prospects for commercial nuclear in the US and even around the world.  The other folks answering your question are suggesting nuclear physics types of books that are likely to be part of your college courses in any case.

If you want to get a realistic frame of reference in one book about the nuclear reactor business as well as some of the theory that will serve you well in college, look at the American Nuclear Society web site http://www.ans.org/ to explore a range of information that will be useful to you.  You can join ANS as a student and get involved such that you have no trouble getting a job after college.

As for a specific reference from the many offered by ANS, since I have been in the nuclear business for over 40 years, I will just say that I recently bought a book that would meet your needs.  It gives you a good, well rounded exposure to all the things that are important to being a nuclear engineer and manager in the power industry.  This is "Nuclear Engineering, Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power," second edition, by Ronald Allen Knief.  The ordering ISBN info is 0-89448-458-3.

It is a bit expensive, but you will be able to use it for the next 20 years as you learn more and more about being a nuclear engineer.  If you want to get a bit of free education regarding nuclear matters, you could go to my web site page on nuclear safety, which is technidigm.org/technuke/nuclear.htm.

If you want to read a free book that is based on how nuclear engineers do business (ie, systematically), please read my free online book at http://technidigm.org.  As you might expect, if the rest of the world solved its problems like nuclear engineers do, we would run out of problems very quickly!

Answer 5

I really suggest you just focus on your first year studies.  Make sure you start off with a strong GPA.

Quite honestly, once you get Calculus through Differential Equations and Calc. Based Intro Physics through Intro. Modern Physics.

Then you can start looking at real nuclear engineering texts like

Nuclear Reactor Engineering: Reactor systems engineering, Volumes 1 & 2 by Samuel Glasstone and Alexander Sesonske

and

Intro. to Nuclear Engineering by John R. Lamarsh and Anthony J. Baratta

These are standard introductory texts in nuclear engineering.  Once you get those under your belt, then you prolly need to know Nuclear Reactor Analysis by James Duderstadt.

However, it might be worth you while to look at the DOE Handbooks for Reactors Theory, Thermal Hydraulics, and Instrument and Controls.  These texts could help you get a conceptual idea before you classes.  They will make a you a little familiar on the practical side, which is good for labs.

Answer 6

If you’re just starting college you should pick up a big physics book the end will probably go over nuclear physics and it might be good to go ever some of the basics like magnets and gravity (I almost assume you know all of this stuff or you would no be going to college for nuclear engineering)

PS get you nuclear engineering into the medical field and you will more money that any one person should have.