Entry requirements

60 credits in science/engineering. Participation in Reactor Physics and Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Steam Turbine Technology.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student shall be able to:

• Identify and describe the various challenges for the long-term operation of today's nuclear power systems.
• Identify and compare how challenges for long-term operation can be addressed in different future nuclear energy systems.
• Use Monte Carlo codes for simulating reactor physics parameters and for burnup calculations to analyze various reactor types and fuel cycles.
• Explain the principles behind Monte Carlo simulations in the field.
• Explain the technical and physical principles of different future nuclear energy systems and perform calculations in the field.
• Conduct a technical group project, present it in writing and orally, and participate in the peer review of other students' work.

Content

Future nuclear energy systems: Generation IV (SFR, LFR, MSR, HTR), ADS, and fusion.

Challenges: sustainability (uranium resources and waste management), economics, safety (nuclear accidents), non-proliferation (nuclear weapons), societal perspectives on nuclear power.

Comparisons of feedback and reactor dynamics in fast and thermal reactors: thermohydraulics, transient processes, heat conduction.

Comparison between future and current reactors and fuel cycles: proliferation resistance, fuel materials, ethical aspects, material selection, reactor design, reactor physics, waste disposal, transmutation.

Reactor calculations using Monte Carlo tools.

Instruction

Lectures, computer labs, seminars, a research-related guest lecture, group project work. The course is conducted to approximately half as a project assignment.

Assessment

• Group project presented in a seminar. For each project, an opposing group is appointed to be critical reviewers.
• The project is also presented with a written report.
• Individual oral exam.
• Mandatory hand-in assignments using a reactor physics code.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university