AN OVERVIEW OF COMPUTATIONAL POTENTIALS IN NIGERIA FOR DESIGNING A NUCLEAR REACTOR SYSTEM FOR RESEARCH OR POWER APPLICATION

Authors

  • A. Salawu
  • S. A, Suleiman

Keywords:

Reactor, Design, Power, Plant, Computer, Codes, Electrical, Fission, Energy, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria, with seven nuclear research centers has no technical know-how to develop and operate a nuclear power plant for electrical production, 38 years after the introduction of nuclear program in the country. Our goal in this study is to provide a review of Nigeria's potentials to fabricate a nuclear reactor system for research or power application. Generally, Reactors are first designed and tested on paper before the actual manufacture and the real systems are expected to behave as predicted by reactor physics computer calculations. Countries usually designed new reactor system by studying the success records of other countries, by reviewing its own previous experience, or by the availability of nuclear materials. Nigeria must engage the services of the local scientists to design a reactor system for the development of the country's nuclear power program. Over-dependence on the imported finished products and services has retarded the growth of science and technology in Nigeria. The proposal to acquire four nuclear power plants from a foreign firm without tasking our local scientist to design and develop such facility for Nigeria might not speedup the growth of the country’s nuclear energy program. Nigeria can study the success records of sister countries to develop its own experience on the use of nuclear energy for electrical production. This will have a more positive impact on the growth of the Nigeria nuclear power program as compared to engaging the service of foreign experts to design, construct, operate and decommission a nuclear power plant for electrical production in

 

References

Arouna, S.H., Oumar, D and Amadou, S.M. (2013). A Spatial Analysis of Surface Energy Fluxes and Evapo-transpiration in the Northern-east of Niger W National Park. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Science 5(3): 123-130, 2013.

Ati, O.F. (2006). Rainfall characteristics in drought prone sudano-Sahelian zone of Nigeria. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, Department of Geography Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Becker, F. and Z. L. Li. (1990). Towards a local split window method over land surfaces. Int. J. Remote Sensing, 11:3.

Chen,S., Su, H., tian, J., and Yu, J. (2015). Spatial-Temporal processes of desertification and oasification in the middle reaches of the Heihi River based on remote sensing. Remote Sensing Journal 33(2): 347-353.

Dousset, B. & Gourmelon, F. (2003). Satellite multi-sensor data analysis of urban surface temperatures and landcover, ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. 58, (1-2), 43-54.

Fang, J. Y., S. L. Piao, Z. Y. Tang, C. H. Peng, and W. Ji (2001), Interannual variability in net primary production and precipitation, Science, 293, 1723.

M. Guo, M., Liu, Y., Wang, X.F., Matsuoka, N and Tani, H. (2010)Analysis of desertification and wood land distribution: A case study on the Balinyou Banner of Inner Mongolia, China

Kowal, J.N., and Knabe, D. (1972). An agroclimatological atlas of northern states of Nigeria. Ahmadu Bello University Press, Zaria.

Mortimore, M (1989). Adapting to drought: farmers, famines, and desertification in west Africa. Cambridge University Press, New york, USA.

Musick H.B. (1986). Temporal change of Landsat MSS albedo estimates in arid rangeland. Remote Sens. Envrion. 20:107–120.

Ndabula, C., Averik P. D., Jidauna G.G., Abaje I., Oyatayo T. K., E. O Iguisi (2013) . Analysis of the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Landuse/ Landcover Stuctures in the Kaduna Innercore City Region, Nigeria, American Journal of Environmental Protection, (USA). Vol. 1, No. 4, 112-119. http://pubs.sciepub.com/env/1/4/7.

Ndabula, C. (2015). Assessment of the spatio-temporal patterns of biosphysical indicators of desertification status in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria. Unpublished PhD. Thesis in the Department of Geography Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Okin, G.S., Mahowald, N., Chadwick, O.A., and Artaxo, P. (2004). Impact of desert dust on the biogeochemistry of phosphorus in terrestrial ecosystems. Global Biogeochem. Cy. 18, Art. No. GB2005.

Oladipo, E.O. (1994). Some aspects of the spatial characteristics of drought in northern Nigeria. Natural Hazards 8: 171-188.

Pinet, P.C.; Kaufmann, Cill, .; H J. (2006) Imaging spectroscopy of changing Earth’s surface: a major step toward the quantitative monitoring of land degradation and desertification. C. R. Geosci. 338, 1042-1048.

Rayar, A.J. (1987). Studies on some physico-chemical parameters of soils of Borno state. Annals of University of Maiduguri, 4: 283-291.

Scheffer, M., Holmgren, M., Brovkin, V., and Claussen, M. (2005). Synergy between small- and largescale feedbacks of vegetation on the water cycle. Glob. Change Biol. 11, pp. 1003-1012. Beatley, J.C. (1980). Fluctuations and Stability in Climax Shrub and Woodland Vegetation of the

Schlesinger, W.H., Reynolds, J.F., Cunningham, G.L., Huenneke, L.F., Jarrell, W.M., Virginia, R.A., and Whitford, W.G. (1990). Biological Feedbacks in Global Desertification. Scence 247, pp.1043-1048.

UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) (1995). Elaboration of an International Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/desertification. Particularly in Africa. U.N DocA/AC241/27,33 I.L.M. p1328 http://www.unccd.int/.USGS, 2001. Landsat 7 Science Data User’s Handbook.

UNCOD, (1977). United Nations Conference on Desertification 29th Aug-9 Sept 1977, Round-up plan of action and resolutions. UNCOD-UNEP, New York, EUA, 43p.

[UNEP] United Nations Environment Programme 1994. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Nairobi (Kenya): UNEP.

Weng, Q., Lu, D. & Schubring, J., 2004. Estimation of land surface temperature-vegetation abundance relationship for urban heat island studies, Remote Sensing of Environment, 89(4), 467-483.

Published

2023-03-30

How to Cite

Salawu, A., & Suleiman, S. A. (2023). AN OVERVIEW OF COMPUTATIONAL POTENTIALS IN NIGERIA FOR DESIGNING A NUCLEAR REACTOR SYSTEM FOR RESEARCH OR POWER APPLICATION. FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES, 2(3), 139 - 145. Retrieved from https://fjs.fudutsinma.edu.ng/index.php/fjs/article/view/1404