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PHYS-H408

Operation, control and safety of nuclear systems

academic year
2024-2025

Course teacher(s)

Pierre-Etienne LABEAU (Coordinator), David FRESON and Arnaud MEERT

ECTS credits

5

Language(s) of instruction

english

Course content

Operating principles: thermal-hydraulics & neutronics of the nuclear power plants (reactors) [NPP]. Operational bases of tha main technological systems for the operation, the control and the safety; fundamental principles for the plant safety & design ; Design criteria for safety at the global & systems levels; defence in depth, single failure); residual heat extraction, limits of operation in temperature and pressure; Reactivity coefficients affecting safety; Protection and shutdown systems; Design basis accidenst and related criteria.

Technology & safety of the nuclear fuel; principles or the fuel design and of its safe management in the reactor core.

Methodology of the deterministic and probabilistic safety studies. Human reliability.

Objectives (and/or specific learning outcomes)

Teach the basic concepts of the safety of nuclear (pressurized water, power) reactors (NPP-PWR)

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures (slides) + visit of a nuclear power plant (if possible) + lab sessions on the SCALDIS simulator (Electrabel ENGIE) and on research reactors (SCK-CEN Mol), with reporting.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

Supply of additional PDF files of useful documents: varies with possible recent events

Other information

Contacts

Pierre-Etienne LABEAU, pierre.etienne.labeau@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Evaluation

Method(s) of evaluation

  • Other

Other

Oral exam (Three questions + presentation of a scientific paper from literature)

Reporting on visits / lab sessions.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

Equal weighting of the three questions for 2/3 of the mark, and 1/3 for the paper presentation; possible adjustment on the basis of the report quality

Language(s) of evaluation

  • english

Programmes