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