Course: Nuclear Power Engineering

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Course title Nuclear Power Engineering
Course code KEE/JEE
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Tutorial
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study 3
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech, English
Status of course Optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Jiřičková Jana, Ing. Ph.D.
  • Mašata David, Ing.
Course content
1. Nuclear power as part of the energy mix, nuclear power plants and reactors in the Czech Republic and the world, NPP economics. 2. Basics of nuclear and neutron physics for nuclear power plants - reactivity, cross-section, nuclear chain reaction, four-factor formula, neutron moderation. 3. Nuclear power plants with pressurized water reactors, primary and secondary circuits, components, and principles. 4. Other types of commercial power reactors, generations, and development of nuclear reactors. 5. Operation of NPP, start-up and shutdown of NPP unit. Regulation of nuclear reactor and impact on the electricity grid. 6. NPP electrical equipment, instrumentation and control systems, measurement in nuclear power plants. 7. Nuclear safety and security of nuclear installations, legislation, radioactive waste. 8. Safety systems, accidents at nuclear installations and the impact on current NPP safety systems. 9. Radiation protection, ionizing radiation, IR detection and detectors, dosimetric units, personal dosimetry. 10. NPP fuel, fuel types, fuel production and handling. Spent nuclear fuel - management, storage. 11. Nuclear power plant life cycle. Construction of new nuclear units, siting and licensing, current situation, decommissioning of nuclear installations. 12. New nuclear reactor concepts, GEN IV, SMR, current situation, fusion - status, milestones, challenges, future. 13. Non-electrical and non-energy uses of radioactive sources - heat production, medical applications, industrial applications, agriculture, space applications, etc. Lectures by experts in the field accompany teaching.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture supplemented with a discussion
  • Contact hours - 39 hours per semester
  • Preparation for comprehensive test (10-40) - 40 hours per semester
prerequisite
Knowledge
No particular prerequisites specified.
Skills
no particular prerequisites specified
learning outcomes
Knowledge
explain technical terms of energy production in nuclear power plants
explain basic principles of nuclear fission chain reaction
describe basic types of nuclear reactors and their position in power grid in Czech Republic and in the world
explain binding energy of nuclei and possibilities of fission and fusion
describe the main components of nuclear power plant
Skills
no particular skills are acquired
teaching methods
Knowledge
Lecture supplemented with a discussion
assessment methods
Continuous assessment
Individual presentation at a seminar
Recommended literature
  • DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Energy, 1993.
  • Ibler, Zbyněk. Provoz jaderných elektráren. 1. vyd. Plzeň : VŠSE, 1987.
  • JEVREMOVIC, Tatjana. Nuclear Principles in Engineering. 2005.
  • Marguet, Serge. The Physics of Nuclear Reactors. Springer, 2017. ISBN 978-3-319-59560-3.
  • ZEMAN, Jaroslav. Reaktorová fyzika 1. ČVUT Praha, Fakulta jaderná a fyzikálně inţenýrská, 1989. ISBN 80-01-01933.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester