3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 6009267FNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Engineering
Department
Faculty of Engineering
External partners
KU Leuven
Educational team
Decaan IR (course titular)
Activities and contact hours

22 contact hours Lecture
2 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
20 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

Global energy issue: world energy needs (developing world), greenhouse effect, liberalisation of the energy markets, strategic independence of the EU.

Environmental issues

Birds-eye view of nuclear power generation: principle of generating electricity by nuclear means (fission; chain reaction; heat transfer to coolant; turbine; alternator); fissile & fertile materials; burn up; production of fission products; breeding; current types of power plants (PWR, BWR,…); future types of power plants (LWR-type, gas cooled, ADS, …); introduction to the fuel cycle; front end, back end; intro to safety aspects of nuclear reactors (criticality; core melt); engineered safety systems; risk; difference with research reactors & fusion reactors; proliferation issues & safeguards.

Economics of nuclear power generation: European Utility Requirements; life time of existing NPP's; cost of nuclear kWh; investment costs of new types NPP's; construction time and licensing process; decommissioning costs; internalisation of waste management; external costs.

Public perception & communication (media, general public, public authorities)

Course material
Handbook (Required) : Nuclear Energy: Introduction, Code KUL: B-KUL-H02G2A, Code KUL: B-KUL-H02G2A
Additional info
Taught by
D'haeseleer William
Weynants Roger
N.

Code KUL: B-KUL-H02G2A Nuclear Energy: Introduction
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

To place the world and the Belgian nuclear energy production in its economic, social, technical and cultural context.
To define the scope and the structure of the post-graduate inter-university programme.
To introduce to the teaching method (largely based on individual work).
To give a first overview of nuclear electricity generation and an introduction to reactor and plant engineering.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • oral exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

    Note: Thirty minutes preparation, open book exam. The student can take notes, followed by oral examination of two out of three questions during thirty minutes. The student only makes use of his/her preparatory notes. The examination tests for insight, not for reproduction.

Additional info regarding evaluation
Thirty minutes preparation, open book exam. The student can take notes, followed by oral examination of two out of three questions during thirty minutes. The student only makes use of his/her preparatory notes. The examination tests for insight, not for reproduction.
Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Nuclear Engineering: Standaard traject