Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• provide understanding of the principles of reactor systems, their engineering, and related thermo-hydraulics

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• understand the design and safe operation of nuclear reactors
• perform approximate calculations of component & system parameters
• understand how more precise and detailed analyses are performed

Content

The course will cover:

• Overview – compare and contrast the fundamental engineering principles of current types of reactor system: PWR, BWR, HWR, AGR;
• Coolant types, heat transfer regimes, multi-phase flow, burn-out and thermal cycles;
• Core analysis – flow networks, heat & mass transfer calculations, fuel element design, thermal limits – models and codes;
• Whole reactor circuit, steam generator, pressuriser, pumps & whole circuit design and modelling;
• Operating modes: normal, warm-up and cool down, operating envelopes, load following;
• Main fault conditions accident types and limits – design issues and modelling;
• Principles of loss of cooling accident modelling – description of TMI – design aims for avoidance and mitigation – active and passive protection;
• Design optimisation – system architecture, pressure and temperature, vessel design and sizing, effect on equipment cost – small and medium-sized reactors.

LECTURE SYLLABUS

• Introduction to nuclear energy, reactor power cycles (2l)
• Core configurations choices (4l)
• Reactivity control (2l)
• Reactor plant design & modelling (2l).
• Safety & design – classes of accidents – reactivity, LOCA, etc. (4l)
• Reactor control & operations (1l)
• Severe Accidents (1l)