2019-2020 / GENU0018-3

Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Power Plant Technology

Duration

26h Th, 26h Pr

Number of credits

 Master of Science (MSc) in Electromechanical Engineering5 crédits 

Lecturer

Pierre Dewallef

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course Nuclear Power Plant consists in an introduction to the different techniques related the nuclear based power generation. It begins with an introduction presenting the different fondamental concepts such as the neutron diffusion, the neutron moderation, nuclear fission... It continues with the following chapters:




  • reactor kinetics,
  • nuclear reactor design,
  • different types of nucleat power plant,
  • dynamics of pressurized water reactor,
  • thermohydraulics,
  • Nuclear fuel life cycle,
  • radioprotection and
  • nuclear fusion.
Exercises related to real life applications are solved in order to illustrate the theoretical concepts studied in class.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The student will get familiarized with the concepts related to the production of electricity based on nuclear energy. He will be able to understand the physics and the operation of a nuclear power plant. He will be introduced to the safety and security risk inherent to the nuclear applications.
The student will learn the different types of existing nuclear power plants together with the fuel used.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

This course is an introduction to nuclear power plant and not pre-requisite is mandatory to follow it. However, a good knowledge of the thermodynamical cycles used to convert heat to mechanical work (e.g., Rankine cycle or Brayton cycle) helps to a better understanding of the course.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course is given through 13 lectures of 2 hours each made of theoretical sesssions mixed with different exercise sessions illustrating the theoretical concepts.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

3 hours of lectures once per week at the first semester.

Recommended or required readings

Lecture slides are made available electronically to students before every session through myULg.

Assessment methods and criteria

The first and second session exams are made of a single written exam (theory and exercise).

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

This course is an optional course and will be organised only if a sufficient number of students are interested in following the course. The interested students must send an email at the address p.dewallef@uliege.be to express their interest in following the course by mentioning their first name, last name and Uliège identifier before the end of the first week of the academic year. The confirmation for the organisation of the course will be given during the second week and, if applicable, the teaching lectures will begin the third week for 10 lectures of 3 hours each.

Contacts

For any information, you can contact Prof. Pierre Dewallef by mail (p.dewallef@ulg.ac.be) or by phone to 04/366.99.95.

Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the May-June 2020 session

Teaching methods implemented : distance-learning

Assessment subjects

Assessment methods

Contacts

Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the Aug-Sept 2020 session

Assessment subjects

Assessment methods

Contacts