Training and Qualification Requirements

DOE-STD-1135-99

IV. Training and Qualification Requirements

The qualification of Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineers requires a combination of formal

education; OJT, including facility experience, continuing training, and professional

development. The following sections define the areas of training required to become

qualified in the discipline of criticality safety. Contractor Management may choose to

categorize NCS Engineers by task assignments or levels, and therefore assign necessary

training requirements for specific levels. The minimum academic requirement for the NCS

qualification program is a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or related field.

1.0 Nuclear Theory

The basics of nuclear physics and nuclear reactor theory are mandatory for understanding

the fundamentals for performing the function of a criticality safety engineer. Information

below can be obtained through various tools including appropriate college textbooks. See

Appendix A for available training resources.

1.1 Fission Process

The individual should be able to:

a. Define the following terms: Excitation energy, Cross Section, Fissile material,

Fissionable material, Fertile material.

b. Sketch the fission cross section for both U-235 and Pu-239 as a function of

neutron energy. Label each significant energy region and explain the implications

of the shape of the curves for criticality safety.

c. Explain why only the heaviest radioactive nuclei are easily fissioned.

d. Explain why uranium-235 fissions with thermal neutrons and uranium-238 fissions

only with fast neutrons.

e. Characterize the fission products in terms of mass groupings and radioactivity.

f. Define sub-critical, critical, super-critical, nu, and beta.

g. Define reactivity and describe how it is measured.

h. Explain the Six-Factor formula and the terms used therein.

i. Explain how delayed neutrons affect reactivity.

j. Explain the effects of the following factors relevant to criticality safety of

operations: Mass, Interaction, Geometry, Moderation, Reflection, Concentration,

Volume, Neutron absorbers and Enrichment.

1.2 Various Types of Radiation Interaction with Matter

The individual should be able to:

a. Describe the interactions of the following with matter: Alpha particle, Beta

particle, Positron, and Neutron.

b. Describe the following ways that gamma radiation interacts with matter: Compton

scattering, Photoelectric effect, Pair production