How to Drive a Nuclear Reactor (Springer Praxis Books)

The author of this book does three really important things for those curious enough to read it. Primarily it answers the first question: So that's how it works... The second question: What do you do when something happens... is also addressed. Of course, anything out of the ordinary has ripple effects - and the author walks you through the 'what, why, & how' of the options available and the results you might expect. The third thing the reader discovers is that the nuclear power industry is very safety focused and learns & evolves, both procedure and design, by examining the mistakes that have already happened. The author explains the sequence of events for 3 notable accidents from the last fifty years. I bought the paper version of the book because pictures and diagrams on my Kindle display are an issue that annoys me. The level of detail with the diagrams and pictures in this book are sufficient to the authors purpose. You also learn some history of nuclear power, just enough in keeping with the title of the book. Acronyms are found throughout - I wish the book had a stand alone listing of them, but you can sort of manage by thumbing through the index at the back of the book. Final comments - being retired in the age of COVID, I have lots of time to read. This book is tied for 1st place on my reading list this year. The other book is titled "How the Immune System Works" by Lauren Sompayrac sixth edition. That book is what I call a "nuts and bolts" explanation of the system that protects human life, a truly marvelous gift of evolution. If you're curious, read that one as well.

Good read

Easy to understand and fun to read.

Easy to understand for lay person.

Some VITAL scientific comments on the training for Nuclear fission reactor(s) Plants employees From: Joseph-Christos Kondylakis,Nuclear Physicist/specialized in Nuclear FISSION (Applied+Theoretically),e.t.c.,email: sifiskon@otenet.gr , postal address: Agios Nikolaos,Anavissou,19013 Attiki,Greece, Saturday-31-October-2020 In the Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Plants and in general in the Nuclear Applied Systems exist the very strong military mentality of “THE NEED TO KNOW” ,viz ONLY !! COMPARTMENTALIZED knowledge of employees, and this is applied and in the training of employees of Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plants in their training !! , by almost keeping secret the OVERVIEW !! of the structure and operation(s) of the Nuclear System f.e. of a Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plant , a Nuclear Simulator design ,e.t.c. In my scientific understanding this is a HUGE Nuclear Crime !! ,because it may maximize the probability of a human error !! , which is ,in almost all cases, the First cause of a Nuclear Accident(s) and Nuclear Catastrophe(s)... I have to many thank Mr. Colin Tucker for his excellent simple book entitled “How to Drive a Nuclear Reactor”,2020, which give a very good THE OVERVIEW !!! of a Nuclear Fission Reactor Power Plant , and this book must be considered as the first book for the training of ALL employees in Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plants. Then the training must be followed by the following excellent books : 1. “Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering” by Brent J. Lewis, E. Nihan Onder, et al. , 2017 2. “Nuclear Reactor Analysis” by James J. Duderstadt , 1976 3. “Nuclear Fission” by Robert Vandenbosch , 1973 AND then for the Details engineering design,construction,functions and operations of particular Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plant AND then for more advance books on Nuclear Physics/Nuclear Fission/Nuclear Engineering and other excellent books related to the design,operation,e.t.c. and very important on Nuclear System HUMAN MANAGEMENT !!! (a mixture of scientific research and commercial management and NOT of military “management”) ,E.T.C. And OF COURSE the training exams to be Difficult! and become VERY OBJECTIVELY (and NOT for human connections or other reasons as f.e. political or secret societies reasons, the exams results to be given to “friends”...) , E.T.C. It is obvious that after the above mentioned the successful employees must be very highly rewarded,permanently employed with excellent living conditions of them and their family,protected and with continuous live training,e.t.c.

I thought this was a great book and I read it through cover to cover within a week. Although I had previously understood the general principles of a Pressurised Water Reactor I learnt a lot of new technical detail such as how the steam generators produce dry steam for the turbines and how the turbine expired steam is condensed at very low pressure. It all seemed logical and straight forward. In fact I was so taken in by the technology that I decided to go about building my own reactor in the spare room. I had a sturdy cardboard box which my washing machine came in and lots of plastic pipe and lead flashing left over from re-roofing the house ready to start construction. I even began digging a hole in the garden to make way for a deep burial waste repository. Can you imagine how annoyed as a UK resident I was when I got to chapter 23 (page 245) where it says “It’s worth noting that in most countries, building your own reactor would be illegal? In the UK, for example, legislation requires a ‘Nuclear Site Licence’...” If only the author had said this at the beginning rather than the end of the book I would have been saved a lot of otherwise wasted effort. My other minor issue with the book was the lack of a glossary to help with the huge number of abbreviations such as RCCAs (Rod Cluster Control Assemblies) and SGTL (Steam Generator Tube Leak), MTC (Moderator Temperature Coefficient) etc. Also I thought I spotter a few minor typos. Apart from the issues above I enjoyed reading it and I think it also makes a good reference book. The style generally makes for easy reading and I have the impression that he presents a balanced point of view but on occasions he does explicitly express some personal opinions about the technology which is good to hear. I would recommend this book to any lay person who has a strong interest in this subject.

Colin Tucker’s book is a most concise and readable account of how a PWR works. The author is constantly with you as he explains the physics of what is actually happening and progresses to the behaviour of the power plant in day to day operation. The diagrams are uncluttered easy to refer to whilst reading the text and the graphs tell the story of how the plant is responding during transient and accident recovery. The author’s occasional use of the phrase “ here comes the trick” suggests a time for the reader to think about the unique combination of theory and practicalities encountered on a nuclear power station.

My job is to drive reactors and every time I speak with Colin he teaches me something new. This book excellent and is relatively easy to read. I say relatively because it is packed with information so don't expect to finish it in a day or two! However it is accessible to anyone with an interest into how nuclear power works. Very highly recommended written by someone who knows and loves pretty much everything to do with nuclear reactors!

OK - I’m a scientist and that might make a difference. However it explains exceptionally well how our PWR nuclear reactors work. It has loads of diagrams and photos and is quite clear on how many aspects of running Britain’s PWR reactors work. It’s quite specific to these. It explains, for example, Niles a unit of measurement whose name comes from the fact 1 Nile is a large delta (change of reactivity), and this use is specific to the UK. Other countries might use Dollars and cents! The meaning of red and green lamps, to say if a valve is open or closed is also country/reactor specific, so you need to know what they mean on your reactor! Of course, you’re never going to actually drive a nuclear reactor, but nor does anyone else till they’ve had hours of practice in a simulator. However I now understand how out PWR works, how they are inherently stable. I didn’t know that altering the boron concentration in the primary coolant was the main means of moderating the reaction, I order to maintain control rods out almost full out, resulting in a more stable and symmetrical reactor configuration and best fuel burn. I could go on, but I feel I’ve learnt an incredible amount, not just about the generality of nuclear reactors, but the specifics of running, say, the Sizewell B reactor. Well written and a joy to read. Once I started to read it, I read every word (I don’t skim, having to go over things, e.g. what’s the x axis in figure 14.2 - ah, must be the flux) and finished it a day and a half later. A list of abbreviations and their meaning, eg RPV (reactor pressure vessel, SG (steam generator), RCP (reactor coolant pump) would be a really really useful appendix, although Colin Tucker does define each acronym before using it (generally), and they are in the index, but AFTER the expansion (so MOX comes with Mixed Oxide Fuel, ie at Mixed ..., rather than after Moving ... Buy it! You’ll enjoy it. If you don’t then put it on the book shelf that’s behind you in your zoom sessions.

Really enjoyed this book, can’t recommend it enough. Incredibly well presented by an author who clearly knows his stuff. I’ve read a bit on Nuclear power, ranging from books on the theory to industrial accidents and energy policy. Although all have been interesting enough, this took all those principles and ideas and presented them in an easy to read guide of what it takes to actually operate a reactor from the control room. I work in the Power industry and feel it’s important to get information like this out to the masses! It helps balance out the bad press and scaremongering Nuclear power generation gets in the media. As this book describes the technology used in the new Nuclear reactor being built in the UK, it could be used as a tool to explain to the wider public and take some of this anxiety away. Great read.

The author of this book does three really important things for those curious enough to read it. Primarily it answers the first question: So that's how it works... The second question: What do you do when something happens... is also addressed. Of course, anything out of the ordinary has ripple effects - and the author walks you through the 'what, why, & how' of the options available and the results you might expect. The third thing the reader discovers is that the nuclear power industry is very safety focused and learns & evolves, both procedure and design, by examining the mistakes that have already happened. The author explains the sequence of events for 3 notable accidents from the last fifty years. I bought the paper version of the book because pictures and diagrams on my Kindle display are an issue that annoys me. The level of detail with the diagrams and pictures in this book are sufficient to the authors purpose. You also learn some history of nuclear power, just enough in keeping with the title of the book. Acronyms are found throughout - I wish the book had a stand alone listing of them, but you can sort of manage by thumbing through the index at the back of the book. Final comments - being retired in the age of COVID, I have lots of time to read. This book is tied for 1st place on my reading list this year. The other book is titled "How the Immune System Works" by Lauren Sompayrac sixth edition. That book is what I call a "nuts and bolts" explanation of the system that protects human life, a truly marvelous gift of evolution. If you're curious, read that one as well.

Good read

Easy to understand and fun to read.

Easy to understand for lay person.

Some VITAL scientific comments on the training for Nuclear fission reactor(s) Plants employees From: Joseph-Christos Kondylakis,Nuclear Physicist/specialized in Nuclear FISSION (Applied+Theoretically),e.t.c.,email: sifiskon@otenet.gr , postal address: Agios Nikolaos,Anavissou,19013 Attiki,Greece, Saturday-31-October-2020 In the Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Plants and in general in the Nuclear Applied Systems exist the very strong military mentality of “THE NEED TO KNOW” ,viz ONLY !! COMPARTMENTALIZED knowledge of employees, and this is applied and in the training of employees of Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plants in their training !! , by almost keeping secret the OVERVIEW !! of the structure and operation(s) of the Nuclear System f.e. of a Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plant , a Nuclear Simulator design ,e.t.c. In my scientific understanding this is a HUGE Nuclear Crime !! ,because it may maximize the probability of a human error !! , which is ,in almost all cases, the First cause of a Nuclear Accident(s) and Nuclear Catastrophe(s)... I have to many thank Mr. Colin Tucker for his excellent simple book entitled “How to Drive a Nuclear Reactor”,2020, which give a very good THE OVERVIEW !!! of a Nuclear Fission Reactor Power Plant , and this book must be considered as the first book for the training of ALL employees in Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plants. Then the training must be followed by the following excellent books : 1. “Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering” by Brent J. Lewis, E. Nihan Onder, et al. , 2017 2. “Nuclear Reactor Analysis” by James J. Duderstadt , 1976 3. “Nuclear Fission” by Robert Vandenbosch , 1973 AND then for the Details engineering design,construction,functions and operations of particular Nuclear Fission Reactor(s) Power Plant AND then for more advance books on Nuclear Physics/Nuclear Fission/Nuclear Engineering and other excellent books related to the design,operation,e.t.c. and very important on Nuclear System HUMAN MANAGEMENT !!! (a mixture of scientific research and commercial management and NOT of military “management”) ,E.T.C. And OF COURSE the training exams to be Difficult! and become VERY OBJECTIVELY (and NOT for human connections or other reasons as f.e. political or secret societies reasons, the exams results to be given to “friends”...) , E.T.C. It is obvious that after the above mentioned the successful employees must be very highly rewarded,permanently employed with excellent living conditions of them and their family,protected and with continuous live training,e.t.c.

I thought this was a great book and I read it through cover to cover within a week. Although I had previously understood the general principles of a Pressurised Water Reactor I learnt a lot of new technical detail such as how the steam generators produce dry steam for the turbines and how the turbine expired steam is condensed at very low pressure. It all seemed logical and straight forward. In fact I was so taken in by the technology that I decided to go about building my own reactor in the spare room. I had a sturdy cardboard box which my washing machine came in and lots of plastic pipe and lead flashing left over from re-roofing the house ready to start construction. I even began digging a hole in the garden to make way for a deep burial waste repository. Can you imagine how annoyed as a UK resident I was when I got to chapter 23 (page 245) where it says “It’s worth noting that in most countries, building your own reactor would be illegal? In the UK, for example, legislation requires a ‘Nuclear Site Licence’...” If only the author had said this at the beginning rather than the end of the book I would have been saved a lot of otherwise wasted effort. My other minor issue with the book was the lack of a glossary to help with the huge number of abbreviations such as RCCAs (Rod Cluster Control Assemblies) and SGTL (Steam Generator Tube Leak), MTC (Moderator Temperature Coefficient) etc. Also I thought I spotter a few minor typos. Apart from the issues above I enjoyed reading it and I think it also makes a good reference book. The style generally makes for easy reading and I have the impression that he presents a balanced point of view but on occasions he does explicitly express some personal opinions about the technology which is good to hear. I would recommend this book to any lay person who has a strong interest in this subject.

Colin Tucker’s book is a most concise and readable account of how a PWR works. The author is constantly with you as he explains the physics of what is actually happening and progresses to the behaviour of the power plant in day to day operation. The diagrams are uncluttered easy to refer to whilst reading the text and the graphs tell the story of how the plant is responding during transient and accident recovery. The author’s occasional use of the phrase “ here comes the trick” suggests a time for the reader to think about the unique combination of theory and practicalities encountered on a nuclear power station.

My job is to drive reactors and every time I speak with Colin he teaches me something new. This book excellent and is relatively easy to read. I say relatively because it is packed with information so don't expect to finish it in a day or two! However it is accessible to anyone with an interest into how nuclear power works. Very highly recommended written by someone who knows and loves pretty much everything to do with nuclear reactors!

OK - I’m a scientist and that might make a difference. However it explains exceptionally well how our PWR nuclear reactors work. It has loads of diagrams and photos and is quite clear on how many aspects of running Britain’s PWR reactors work. It’s quite specific to these. It explains, for example, Niles a unit of measurement whose name comes from the fact 1 Nile is a large delta (change of reactivity), and this use is specific to the UK. Other countries might use Dollars and cents! The meaning of red and green lamps, to say if a valve is open or closed is also country/reactor specific, so you need to know what they mean on your reactor! Of course, you’re never going to actually drive a nuclear reactor, but nor does anyone else till they’ve had hours of practice in a simulator. However I now understand how out PWR works, how they are inherently stable. I didn’t know that altering the boron concentration in the primary coolant was the main means of moderating the reaction, I order to maintain control rods out almost full out, resulting in a more stable and symmetrical reactor configuration and best fuel burn. I could go on, but I feel I’ve learnt an incredible amount, not just about the generality of nuclear reactors, but the specifics of running, say, the Sizewell B reactor. Well written and a joy to read. Once I started to read it, I read every word (I don’t skim, having to go over things, e.g. what’s the x axis in figure 14.2 - ah, must be the flux) and finished it a day and a half later. A list of abbreviations and their meaning, eg RPV (reactor pressure vessel, SG (steam generator), RCP (reactor coolant pump) would be a really really useful appendix, although Colin Tucker does define each acronym before using it (generally), and they are in the index, but AFTER the expansion (so MOX comes with Mixed Oxide Fuel, ie at Mixed ..., rather than after Moving ... Buy it! You’ll enjoy it. If you don’t then put it on the book shelf that’s behind you in your zoom sessions.

Really enjoyed this book, can’t recommend it enough. Incredibly well presented by an author who clearly knows his stuff. I’ve read a bit on Nuclear power, ranging from books on the theory to industrial accidents and energy policy. Although all have been interesting enough, this took all those principles and ideas and presented them in an easy to read guide of what it takes to actually operate a reactor from the control room. I work in the Power industry and feel it’s important to get information like this out to the masses! It helps balance out the bad press and scaremongering Nuclear power generation gets in the media. As this book describes the technology used in the new Nuclear reactor being built in the UK, it could be used as a tool to explain to the wider public and take some of this anxiety away. Great read.

As a physics grad, I was very impressed with this book, which covers the details of operating a nuclear reactor. Just the right amount of physics to inform a non-technical reader, but doesn't skimp on the necessary details to understand this complex topic. Recommended if you have any curiosity on the subject.

Working in the industry, I’ve got shelves full of text books about reactor physics, nuclear engineering, reactor types and their history. But this book is brilliant different! I’ve never found a book written from the perspective of an operator that ties the physics, engineering and the operations of a reactor all together. The book is informative, yet not heavy going. I would REALLY recommend this book to anyone starting out in the industry, studying the subject or with a general interest. It will make everything else you read fit together!

Colin is a highly knowledgeable author (both theoretically and practically) which comes through in every section of this book. He explains concepts clearly and in a similar way he explains them to general staff at EDF Energy. This book is a must for anyone who wants to understand how nuclear power stations work operationally. Note: I'm biased - I was an engineer at the same power station for several years and came to rely on Colin's vast and detailed knowledge of nuclear safety.

I found this a very insightful book, particularly the details about the actual operation of a reactor. Colin does a brilliant job of explaining the physics and processes taking place within a reactor. An excellent read for those in the nuclear industry.

A perfect book. The author provides impeccably clear and precise explanations of the science and operation of a pressurised water reactor. Extremely accessible. Recommended for anyone with an enquiring mind, as well as those with a stake in nuclear physics and radiation science.

I'm an ex PWR control room operator and was quite impressed with the book. It's very good at explaining processes such as approach to criticality in a way most people will understand, it mirrors the training I had without the maths. Enjoyable for anyone with an interest.

Captivating read! I learned so much from this book. The writer's enthusiasm is contagious. Highly recommended!

Great read for a budding reactor driver. Enough principle info and tech insight for most. Will leave you wanting more

What an amazing book, loved every page of it.

Can reach a wide audience.

Per gli appassionati di nucleare, oltre che in generale di energetica, questo libro è appassionante come un buon romanzo. Dopo aver spiegato i principi di funzionamento e le apparecchiature installate in una centrale che utilizza reattori PWR, l'autore spiega (qualitativamente ma con accuratezza) le fasi di start-up, shut down di emergenza e non, oltre a una serie di problemi che si possono presentare nell'esercizio della centrale, e come affrontarli. Avere qualche conoscenza ingegneristica di macchine, scambio termico e cicli vapore permette di apprezzarne meglio il contenuto, ma la spiegazione è chiara, facendo un po' di sforzo, anche per i profani. L'approccio è molto originale, perché si viene catapultati nel punto di vista di un operatore di sala controllo. Bello e formativo

Excellent book and very unique, really puts you at the command of a nuclear power plant. Explaining all the equipment and controls needed to run your plant. Usually books on nuclear energy are focussed only on incidents or waste with only very limited detail on what is really a nuclear facility.... This book fills the gap.

Recommended. Good book for knowing the practical side with very light theoretical base of a modern reactor. In fact the book is quite superb.