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PHYS-H406 – Nuclear Reactor Physics

3-2-0

Academic year 2014-2015

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Nuclear installations in Belgium

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(Source: SPF Economie, AMPERE Commission report)(Source: World Nuclear Association website, 22/09/2014)

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Detailed installed power in MWe

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Final shutdown in 2015 (nuclear phaseout law, governmental decision of Summer 2012)

Lifetime extension until 2025 (nuclear phaseout law, governmental decision of Summer 2012)

(Source: W

orld Nuclear A

ssociation website, 22/09/2014)

Temporary shutdown from June (D3)/September (T2) 2012 until May 2013, then from March 25, 2014 on: microcracks in the reactor vessel detected during their decennial revision

Total capacity larger than originally (installed power increased when steam generators (see description of a PWR) were replaced

Beginning of August 2014

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Detailed installed power in MWe

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Lifetime extension till 20?? (security of supply, future governmental decision)

Lifetime extension until 2025 (nuclear phaseout law, governmental decision of Summer 2012)

(Source: W

orld Nuclear A

ssociation website, 22/09/2014)

Temporary shutdown from June (D3)/September (T2) 2012 until May 2013, then from March 25, 2014 on: see http://www.fanc.fgov.be/fr/page/dossier-pressure-vessel-doel-3-tihange-2/1488.aspx

Sabotage at the turbine level in Doel 4, August 5, 2014: expected restart of operation in early December 2014, early January 2015?

And now…

?

?

?

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Nuclear installations in the world (1/2)

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(Source: World Nuclear Association website, 22/09/2014)

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Nuclear installations in the world

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(Source: World Nuclear Association website, 22/09/2014)

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Some facts…• Between 50 and 55% of electricity generation in

Belgium due to the electronuclear channel• Law concerning nuclear phase-out still applicable

in Belgium… and already not literally applied for Tihange 1

• Construction of MYRRHA at the Belgian Nuclear Research Center (SCK-CEN) in Mol (expected for 2023-25)

Research reactor with a fast spectrum: accelerator-driven system, both subcritical and critical configurations possible, cooled down by a liquid Pb-Bi eutectic, prototype of a generation-IV reactor

7(Source: SCK-CEN Mol)

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Some facts… (cont’d)Even in the assumption of…+ Dismantling of the Belgian power plants+ Management of radioactive waste

huge needs in the world nuclear industry of highly-qualified staff

• Despite the Fukushima event, many plants are under construction or planned, both in neighbouring and emerging countries (new plants (Finland), EPRs in France, projects of new constructions (UK)…)

• Few countries took a decision against nuclear energy after Fukushima (Germany, Switzerland, Italy)

• Other applications of nuclear energy beside electricity generation

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And probably …• Lifetime extension of (some of) the current

Belgian nuclear power plants (lack of technologically effective or mature alternatives)

• Environmental constraints and climate changes • Necessary short- and mid-term reflection on the

Belgian and European energy policy • Ambitious research programs for the

development of new concepts of reactors: inherently safer, producing less waste and operationally more flexible (Generation IV)

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Objectives of the program in nuclear engineering

• Technical expertise– Nuclear engineering

modeling of power plantsFor their exploitation (including control/safety)For research

Contacts with the nuclear industry and research institutions like e.g. SCK-CEN in Mol

– Ionizing radiations

dosimetry and radiation protection

• Open-mindedness to the energy generation issue in a broad sense 10

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The educational program in Nuclear Engineering at ULB

MA1

• PHYS-H406 – Nuclear reactor physics (3-2-0) – P.E. Labeau

• PHYS-H408 – Operation, control and safety of nuclear power plants (2-1-0) – J.J. Van Binnebeek et N. Hollasky (Bel-V)

• PHYS-H405 – Physique nucléaire (3-2-0) – P. Capel

• PHYS-H407 – Métrologie nucléaire (2-0-4) – N. Pauly

(+ possibly the project)

Visit of a power plant (Tihange or

Doel)

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MA2 – option nuclear engineering

• PHYS-H512 – Thermalhydraulics of nuclear power plants (2-1-1) – P. Raymond (CEA, France)

• PHYS-H513 – Advanced reactors and nuclear fuel cycles (3-0-0) – D. Haas (European Commission) and P. Baeten (SCK-CEN)

• PHYS-H514 – Reliability and safety (1.5-1.5-0) – P.E. Labeau

• PHYS-H523 – Nuclear safety methodologies (1-1-1) – P.E. Labeau

Lab sessions (on research reactors!!) at

the Belgian nuclear research center SCK-

CEN in Mol

Lab sessions using industrial codes in the GDF Suez-Tractebel

premises

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MA2 – option nuclear engineering (cont’d)

• GEST-H506 – Energy Policy and Management (2-0-0) – S. Furfari (Commission Européenne)

• PHYS-Y017 – Thermal Power Plants and their Environmental impact (3-0-0) – VUB

• MATH-H507 – Méthodes de Monte Carlo (1-1-0) – A. Dubus

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MA2

• Opportunities of a 3-month, 10-ECTS internship (possibly abroad)

• Master thesis (in the faculty or in the nuclear sector)

• Study year at the INSTN (Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique) program called “Génie Atomique” :One term of courses (CEA Saclay or Cadarache)A second term for the internship (possibly in the USA)

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Objectives of this course

Knowing that the energy produced in a nuclear reactor comes from fissions of heavy nuclei induced by incident neutrons:

Set up the balance of the neutron population in a reactor, given all possible interactions between the neutrons and their environment

Study solution methods for this balance equation Establish under which conditions the fission chain reaction

reaction is self-sustained …

… and more generally: Study the modeling of particle transport phenomena Interpret physically the associated mathematical formalism

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Course organisation: 60% theory, 40% exercises Lecture notes of R.Beauwens in French (but slight differences) +

Powerpoint files on http://mntek3.ulb.ac.be/pub/PHYS-H-406/ Reference book: Nuclear reactor analysis, J.J. Duderstadt, L.J. Hamilton (all figures, unless otherwise stated, come from these two references)

Presentation of a PWR design and operation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1MK2WJSgdg (French), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSFgmLW1Crw (English)

Calendar of lectures and exercises: see excel file on web page

Exercises: compulsory! No project this year Absences during the tutorials: mark obtained for the exercises during the

exam weighted by the percentage of presence during the tutorials Mark made of 60% for the theory and 40% for the exercises of the exam Written exam (th+ex) for the 1st session, oral exam for the 2nd

Course still being modified comments welcome

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