Nuclear Science and Technology

Core modules:

Nuclear Waste Immobilisation and Disposal

This course reviews basic approaches of nuclear waste management and gives an introduction of scientific fundamentals of nuclear waste processing and disposal. A range of topics will be considered including classification schemes, description of basic techniques of nuclear waste processing, methods of storage and disposal of different types of nuclear wastes. 

15 credits

Project

Students undertake a project on a topic agreed with their allocated academic supervisor; supervisor allocation takes into accounts students' specific interests. The project is an original research investigation carried out within a research group in the Department; to develop students' abilities to interact within a research group a defined piece of group work is undertaken early in the project. All projects include a literature survey involving students reading original papers and review articles from the scientific and technical literature. Most projects involve extensive laboratory work although some may be based primarily on a survey of the published literature or computational studies. The assessment of the project includes assessment of the group work, an interim report and final report along with a presentation on the work to staff and other students and an oral examination. Conduct throughout the project is also assessed.

60 credits

Optional modules - one or both from:

Radiation Shielding

This module gives an introduction to radiation shielding merging practical problems with industry standard transport codes in order to give a good understanding of the requirements for radiation shielding. The aims of this module are: To introduce the subject of radiation shielding and illustrate solutions to the particle transport equation in the context of Monte Carlo and deterministic transport codes. Simple shielding methods will be compared with sophisticated complex calculations in order to familiarise students with the essential concepts. As well as the core material, the course has four external lecturers who are experts in their respective fields. The use of Monte Carlo and Deterministic Codes will be presented in the context of industry needs and requirements. Shielding applications and the shielding design process will be discussed. Intensive training into the use of the Monte Carlo code MCNP will be provided.

15 credits

Radiation and Radiological Protection

Explains the properties of different types of radiation occurring as a result of nuclear processes and identifies means whereby levels of radiation and dosages can be detected and measured. The principles of radiation protection and shielding are outlined and demonstrated through practical experience with radioactive sources and detection equipment. The module concludes with an overview of ionising radiation regulations and legislation governing the impact of radiation on people and the environment. The safe handling of accidents is illustrated through case studies of real incidents.

15 credits

Optional modules:

Reactor Physics, Criticality and Design

Nuclear reactors now account for a significant portion of the electrical power generated world-wide. At the same time, the past few decades have seen an ever-increasing number of industrial, medical, military, and research applications for nuclear reactors. Reactor physics is the core discipline of nuclear engineering and deals with the physical processes in reactors which are fundamental to the understanding of both operational and safety aspects of nuclear reactors. This module provides a historical background to reactor development, considers the range of possible designs, and explains the underlying nuclear physics principles and models that underpin an understanding of nuclear reactor operations.

15 credits

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

To introduce and develop subject knowledge and theoretical, conceptual and analytical skills in the nuclear fuel cycle, which encompasses mining, fuel manufacture, reprocessing, storage and recycling or disposal.

15 credits

Decommissioning, Waste and Environmental Management

A suitable introduction to the basics of nuclear decommissioning, lower activity radioactive waste and environmental management for students with no experience of the nuclear industries in the U.K. The module aims to introduce and develop subject knowledge and theoretical, conceptual and analytical skills in technical, environmental and policy issues and principles associated with nuclear decommissioning and waste management (principally lower activity wastes) and the environmental management thereof in the UK.

15 credits

Reactor Materials and Lifetime Behaviour

This module describes the science and engineering of reactor materials, and the factors that influence the lifetime of these materials, including corrosion, environmentally‐assisted fracture, and irradiation embrittlement. Other topics covered in this module include fracture mechanics and structural integrity, non‐destructive evaluation techniques, as well as plant monitoring and lifetime issues. Also considered are materials specifications and fabrication processes for materials used in nuclear power systems.

15 credits

Policy, Regulation and Licensing

The nuclear industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the UK. Regulatory issues necessarily impact upon the development of national policy in environmental and energy areas. This module covers the international and national legal frameworks for nuclear power and radioactive waste management including licensing issues covered by the Nuclear Installations Act, discharge authorisations under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 and planning for new build. The roles of the various regulatory bodies and other players are discussed. The module also addresses the role of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, decommissioning of nuclear facilities and UK radioactive waste management policies and national strategies. Students are introduced to basic legal principles as applied in the nuclear sector and are shown how to read case law and apply their knowledge to legal problems.

15 credits

Reactor Thermal Hydraulics

Fundamental to the design and safety of a nuclear reactor is the ability to remove energy safely from the core. This module therefore aims to describe the thermal hydraulic processes involved in the transfer of power from the core to the secondary systems of nuclear power plants. The principles of single phase and multiphase fluid dynamics and heat transfer will be studied and applied in the context of a range of different reactor types. The techniques developed will allow you to make assessments of various reactors against thermal limiting criteria.

15 credits

Criticality Safety Management

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to nuclear criticality safety and the management of nuclear criticality safety in facilities, or situations, where fissile materials are encountered outside a nuclear reactor. It is designed to reflect the core competencies specified by the United Kingdom Working Party on Criticality (WPC), and consists of a basic nuclear reactor physics and fuel cycle pre-course reading component (mandatory for students who have not yet completed the N01 module) and a one-week taught component which includes a presentation from a visiting lecturer from industry/government, and an introduction to the use of Monte-Carlo codes for criticality safety analysis. The taught component is followed by a post-course criticality safety assessment that is designed to consolidate knowledge gained during the course and to enable students to join industry with a solid understanding of the criticality safety process.

15 credits

Management of the Decommissioning Process

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to nuclear criticality safety and the management of nuclear criticality safety in facilities, or situations, where fissile materials are encountered outside a nuclear reactor. It is designed to reflect the core competencies specified by the United Kingdom Working Party on Criticality (WPC), and consists of a basic nuclear reactor physics and fuel cycle pre-course reading component (mandatory for students who have not yet completed the N01 module) and a one-week taught component which includes a presentation from a visiting lecturer from industry/government, and an introduction to the use of Monte-Carlo codes for criticality safety analysis. The taught component is followed by a post-course criticality safety assessment that is designed to consolidate knowledge gained during the course and to enable students to join industry with a solid understanding of the criticality safety process.

15 credits

Experimental Reactor Physics

The module takes place in Vienna, Austria. The module consists of various experiments and hands-on training focused on the reactor and neutron physics, nuclear reactor dynamics, nuclear safety, and operation of nuclear reactor. The participants take active part in all experiments, and independently evaluate experimental data. The principles of neutron detection, the importance of delayed neutrons and their properties, the operating parameters of nuclear reactor, basic phenomena of reactor kinetics and dynamics are studied and demonstrated during various reactor experiments and measurements. Knowledge of the reactor I and C and safety aspects of nuclear reactor operation are gained during the hands-on reactor control.

15 credits

Severe Accidents

The ultimate safety objective of a nuclear power plant is to avoid the release of radioactive materials from the fuel of the core. For LWRs, the most likely cause of this is the loss of water from the core region, leading to a loss of suitable heat sink resulting in the eventual melting of the cladding and the collapse of the core. Modern nuclear power plants are designed so that the probability of radionuclide release occurring is very low, however should this event occur, the economic, environmental and health impacts are potentially so severe that the risk has elevated “nuclear severe accidents” as a scientific research field in its own right. Consequently, “nuclear severe accidents” has attracted billions of euros of research around the world over four decades, which has the attention of every nuclear regulator.

This module offers an introduction to nuclear severe accidents for LWRs by first introducing basic safety principles and the history of severe accidents. The module principally focuses on the various phenomena associated with the severe accident transient, covering the thermal-hydraulics of core uncovery through to the chemistry of radionuclides. The consequences of a severe accident are also covered, including the release of fission products into the environment and the emergency response. The module will also include an overview of some of the tools and codes available and widely used within the industry.

On completion, students should have obtained:

a recognition of the nuclear safety principles and how they apply to preventative and mitigative measures on a nuclear power plant;
an appreciation of the history of nuclear severe accidents and how that history has directed experimental research and plant design;
an appreciation of computer codes used to assess severe accident transients;
an understanding of the important severe accidents phenomena, from accident initiation to the eventual release of radionuclides;
an understanding of the societal impact of a severe accident.

15 credits

Particle Engineering in the Nuclear Industry

The understanding of particulate systems is of great importance to the modern nuclear industry from fuel manufacture, reactor coolant flows, and waste management. For example, during the clean-up and decommissioning of nuclear sites particle science challenges are often encountered; no greater challenge than the safe processing and long-term storage of legacy wastes (particulate sludges and slurries). Understanding how particles behave in these systems is fundamental to their performance and an ability to control particle interactions creates opportunity to manipulate the rheology (flow), separation and particle consolidation in wet and dry systems. This module introduces methods to characterize particle properties, size, shape, roughness and surface charge to name just a few, and explains how those properties affect the physical response of bulk fluids (slurries) and powders. Lectures will be complemented by problem-based learning activities and laboratory practicals which are designed to validate the theoretical and empirical learning outcomes of the module. The laboratory practicals will be conducted in the new flow facilities at the University of Leeds and will use a range of instruments that are typically deployed on nuclear sites.

15 credits

N16 Chemical Aspects of Nuclear Technology

Chemical phenomena govern many processes in the nuclear fuel cycle, reflecting both the diverse chemistry of the elements involved, and also the chemical effects of ionising radiation. This course unit summarises key aspects of chemistry in the nuclear fuel cycle. It assumes very limited knowledge of chemistry and will begin with a description of key chemical concepts, before exploring their relevance to different aspects of nuclear energy, specifically the chemistry of the fission and fusion fuel cycles; the chemical effects of ionising radiation in solid and solution states; chemistry of radioelements in natural and engineered environments; chemistry of light water reactors; and analytical and forensic radiochemistry. The course unit will comprise pre-learning material, complemented with workshops, QandA sessions and lectures, demonstrations and lab exercises.

15 credits