MASTER in NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

Second Year – M2

COURSES CURRICULA
 Course Number of Hours ECTS

Introductory Nuclear Physics and Radiation

UE1 55 5
Matter

UE2 Neutron Physics – Part I 50 5

UE3 Neutron Physics – Part II 40 4

Heat Transfer – Nuclear reactor thermal

UE4 70 7
hydraulics

UE5 Nuclear Materials 50 5

UE6 Use of codes, mini-projects 30 4

Pressurised water reactors – Nuclear reactors

UE7 50 5
systems
Nuclear fuel cycles, Safety & Criticality,
UE8 50 5
Radiation Protection
Total ~ 400 40

Internship 5 months 20
 UE1 : INTRODUCTORY NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION IN MATTER

NUCLEAR ESSENTIALS :
General introduction; The Nucleus: Rutherford scattering; scattering cross sections;
measuring cross sections. Properties of nuclei (labelling; sizes; nuclear spins and dipole
moments); Nuclear mass and stability (binding energy); Semi-empirical Weizsacker Mass
formula

INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR MODELS

Liquid-drop model; Independent-particle shell model (magicity; spin and parity); Fermi-Gas
model; Statistical model of excited states (level densities); Optical model; One-level Breit-
Wigner resonance model.

INDUCED NUCLEAR REACTIONS

2-body reactions: conservation laws; CMS/LS transformations; reaction Q-value (separation
energy); elastic and inelastic scattering; reaction thresholds; differential and integrated cross-
sections.

SPONTANEOUS NUCLEAR REACTIONS

Alpha and beta decay, electron capture, gamma decay, and internal conversion processes
Unstable nuclei: alpha decay and the coulomb barrier beta decay, electron capture, Fermi's
Golden Rule, and the weak interaction gamma decays and internal conversion

RADIOACTIVITY
Single particle decay (decay constant, partial decay constants, units, half period, mean life);
series decay; ideal, secular and transient equilibrium; activity, yield and accumulation of
stable end products

INTRODUCTION TO THE NEUTRON

Neutron: Energy domains and associated characteristics; kinematics revisited; collision
energy loss and lethargy. Neutron induced reactions: elastic scattering: modelling the
scattering potential; partial wave description of the reaction cross-section; total cross section;
black disk approximation; optical model; compound nucleus formation: compound nucleus
decay and the Breit-Wigner model direct/peripheral reactions: resonance reactions: heavy-
ion reactions: Neutron detection: passive and active methods.

FISSION
Spontaneous and induced processes; fission fragment distributions; spallation; case study of
natural uranium; energy balance; fissile and fertile nuclei; chain reaction; prompt and delayed
neutron emission; neutron multiplication; reactivity.

FUSION
Natural processes: element and star formation; controlled fusion

INTERACTION OF CHARGED PARTICLES IN MATTER

Interaction of heavy charged particles: stopping power, multiple scattering, excitation and
ionization; particle ranges.
Interaction of light charged particles: radiation length; mean free path; linear energy transfer;
equivalent materials; equivalent ranges.
GAMMA REACTIONS
Photoelectric effect; Compton Scattering; pair production; photo-fission; gamma decays;
photo-detection techniques.

EFFECT OF RADIATION ON MATTER

Ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation; material hardening; radiation biological effects;
acute and chronic radiation; somatic and genetic effects; dose definitions.

NUCLEAR DATA DATABASES: MEASUREMENTS AND EVALUATIONS

Cross section evaluation and data validation; covariances; thermal cross sections, coherent
scattering amplitudes, average resonance parameters (average radiative widths, level
spacings,
neutron strength functions for s-, p-, d-partial waves); average capture cross sections,
resonance integrals.
 UE2 : NEUTRON PHYSICS - Part I

Introduction to neutronics – basic concepts: neutron-matter interaction, cross sections,

orders of magnitude, qualitative aspects, mean free path. Neutron density, current, flux and
reaction rates. Characterization of the neutron field and isotopic concentrations. Generality
on neutron spectrum (fast and thermal reactor). Neutron Balance, four-factor formula.

Point kinetics – Prompt kinetics, delayed neutron kinetics equations, Analytic solution of the
one delayed neutron group with constant reactivity. Nordheim equation (6 groups). One
group reactivity insertion.

Diffusion equation – Elementary neutron balance. Fick law, current evaluation, initial
condition, boundary conditions, interface condition, black absorber: extrapolated boundary.
Albedo boundary condition. Diffusion kernel in an homogeneous and infinite medium. Eigen
modes for a cylinder and a parallelepiped.

One group diffusion theory – Criticality condition of an homogeneous naked pile:

geometric buckling ; core with reflector; study of a 2 zones 2D-core.

Neutron slowing down – elastic and inelastic slowing down – Isotropic and anisotropic
scattering ; Center of mass frame and laboratory frame of reference; elastic collision;
lethargy; slowing-down density; slowing down
equation, Placzeck transient, asymptotic spectrum. Neurons moderator.

Neutron resonant absorption – resonance escape probability for homogeneous geometry.

Self shielding and effective cross section for narrow resonance, Slowing-down in an
homogeneous heavy and light media. resonance escape probability for heterogeneous
geometry. Dancoff effect. Doppler Effect.

Thermalization of neutron – Qualitative aspects, Maxwell spectrum. Thermalization

equation, real spectrum. Comparison of standard and MOX cases for PWR.

Multigroup diffusion theory – basic concepts of the multigroup theory. Criticality condition
for the homogeneous naked pile in the multigroup theory.

Fission product poisoning of a reactor core – fission product generalities ; Xenon effect,
spatial instability risk. Samarium effect.

Fuel burnup – Uranium and Thorium cycles. Burnup equations, fluence, burnup.
Multiplication factor evolution. Conversion.

Temperature effect – definition; negative temperature coefficients. Temperature coefficients

in PWR. Doppler effect, thermal spectrum effect, density effect. Burnable poisons. Reactivity
feedback. Temperature effect in other reactors.

Flux related physical quantities and isotropic concentrations – energy deposition, pka,
gas production, activities, residual powers, radiation source, response functions of nuclear
instrumentation.
 UE3: NEUTRON PHYSICS - Part II

The courses are dedicated to the deterministic and stochastic methods of resolution of the
transport and depletion equations. The sensitivity and propagation uncertainty calculation
methods are approached. The main lines are the following :

- The principles and the methodologies of resolution of the transport equation.

- From the fundamental mode to the assembly and core physics calculations.
- The distributed self-shielding, sub-group method.
- The methods and numerical resolution techniques of the neutral particle transport
equation : probability of collisions, characteristics, finite differences, finite elements,
nodal method.
- The equivalence techniques, discontinuity factors.
- The Monte Carlo method applied to the particle transport. Convergence and variance
reduction techniques.
- Importance function. Theory of perturbations. Variations. Sensitivity calculations,
propagation of uncertainties.
- The principles and the methodologies of resolution of depletion isotope equation.
 UE4: HEAT TRANSFER - NUCLEAR REACTOR THERMAL HYDRAULICS

Background
Compressible & non-compressible fluid mechanics.
Forced convection and natural convection; external forced convection: laminar and turbulent
flow; internal forced convection: laminar and turbulent flow. External flow : natural
convection along plane plate and other geometries. - Internal flow : natural convection:
between two plates, in a cylinder, in a cavity. - Mixed convection

Thermal conduction, radiation, heat exchangers

Stationary conduction: one dimensional and multidimensional for homogeneous or composite
walls with or without heat sources; winglet approximation. - Radiation: black body,
transparent mediums, form factors. - Heat exchangers.

Thermodynamic cycles
Thermodynamic diagrams – Steam Cycles (Rankine): traditional cycles, with re-heating, –
Gas Cycles (Brayton): traditional cycles, with regeneration, compression and split relaxation;
gas turbine cycle.

Thermal characteristics of the power reactors

Power heat transfer – reactor cores – fuel and fuel assemblies - thermodynamic analysis of
nuclear power plants - thermodynamic analysis of a simplified PWR. Thermal efficiency of
PWR and HTR’ power plants.

Thermal design of the Nuclear reactors

Main characteristic parameters of the thermal design. Nuclear power design and safety
assessment. Beyond Design Situation. Figures of merit of the thermal performances of the
reactor core. Power distribution limitation computation for a PWR.

Heat transfer for Fuel element

Heat transfer in fuel materials. Thermal properties of fuel materials and evolution with the
irradiation. Temperature profile in a fuel element. Thermal gap resistance between fuel
pellets and cladding. Thermal and thermo-mechanical limitations : Pellet Cladding Interaction
and reactivity transient.

Single phase fluid mechanics

Volumes of control ; velocity of a surface. Leibniz rules and Reynolds transport theorem.
Balance equations. Instantaneous, local equations. General flow chart for the flow equation
field. Discontinuities relationships - compressible fluids (shocks and phenomena of
propagation)

Two phase flow in nuclear reactors

Introduction on the importance of two-phase flow for normal operating conditions
(pressurizer, Stean Generator, Boiling water reactor) and during accidental transient
situations (Loss Of Coolant Accident, reactivity Insertion Accident)
Flow pattern for two-phase flow in pipes
Descriptive parameters of two-phase flow in pipes; experimental evaluation of flow patterns,
upward co-courant flow in a vertical tube; co-courant flow in an horizontal tube.
Two phase flow modelling – Equations flows
Methodology. Balance equations for two phase flow systems. Mass balance, Momentum
Balance and total Energy balance equations.

Local, instantaneous equations for each phase and interface relationships. Mass, momentum
and Energy balance equations

Averaged balance equations. Instantaneous spaced-averaged equations on the phase cross

section. Local time-averaged equations.

Two phase flow in pipe modelling

Homogeneous model - Model of Zuber & Findlay – Drift flux model – Two fluid Model
(topological relationship) - Model with specified evolution. Losses of pressure in the diphasic
flows in control

Two phase flow pressure drop

Internal characteristics and external characteristics of a circuit - general Formulation:
pressure drop by acceleration, gravity and friction - homogeneous Model - Models with
specified evolution : Lockhart-Martinelli, Martinelli-Nelson, Baroczy, Friedel two phase flow
pressure drop models.

Boiling and Condensation Heat transfer

Phase transition physics – Pool Boiling – Convective boiling in a heated channel – Departure
from Nucleate Boiling and dry-out – Post dry out heat transfer – Steam Condensation on
vertical surfacesl – Steam Condensation with non-condensable gaz

Two phase flow instabilities

Definitions static and dynamic instabilities – Ledinegg instability – Two Phase Flow
oscillations

Two Phase Flow Critical Mass flow rate

Compressible single phase flow critical mass flow rate – Critical mass flow rate for mono-
fluid two phase flow modelling.

Gas cooled reactors heat transfer

Liquid metal cooled reactors heat transfer

Severe accident fluid mechanics and thermal heat transfer

Severe accidents description. Corium flow (physical properties, solidification and
liquefaction). Steam Explosion (Molten-fuel coolant Interaction). Direct Containment Heating
Combustion phenomena (deflagration, detonation)
Aerosol modelling.
 UE5 : NUCLEAR MATERIALS

The first part of these lectures (approximate duration 35 hours) is mainly based on a similar
course given to students preparing the diploma of ‘Ingénieur du Génie Atomique’. The part
devoted to ‘Atomic scale processes’ was enlarged to include mechanisms of defect creation
by electronic excitation. The second part (approximate duration 15 hours) deals with
materials considered in the framework of Generation IV (metals and ceramic materials) with
a peculiar emphasis put on their behaviour under and after irradiation.

I – Nuclear materials for today’s nuclear power plants: Generations II and III

Introduction
Reactor construction and classes of nuclear materials. Requested criteria depending on a
peculiar class (structure materials, nuclear fuel, moderator, coolant).

Introduction to metallurgy (crystallography, phase diagrams, etc) and mechanics of materials

(mechanical and fracture behaviour, loadings, mechanical testing, etc).

Atomic scale processes

Radiation-solid interactions: charged particles and photons. Theoretical framework (binary
collisions), elastic and inelastic collisions, particle slowing-down, theory (depending on the
projectile’s velocity). Energy-loss distributions (projected range and range straggling),
equilibrium charge of the projectile. Energy-loss as a function of projectile’s velocity
(Thomas-Fermi, Lindhard, Bethe).

Defects creation under irradiation due to elastic and inelastic processes.

Point defects (Frenkel pairs); displacement threshold, displacement cross-section, collision
sequences, collision cascades, estimation of the number of displaced atoms per incident
projectile (dpa). Defect creation by electronic energy loss. Overview of the SRIM calculation
code and examples of molecular dynamics calculations.

Point defect evolution: elastic recombination, mobility and diffusion, sink annihilation (grain
boundary, dislocations), nucleation of dislocation loops and cavities, kinetics laws for point
defect evolution.

Irradiation effects on various components of nuclear reactors (relationship with

microstructural evolutions due to the irradiation).

Transmutation: example of aluminium alloys and control rods (silver-indium-cadmium).

Energy stored due to the absence of point defects recombination, Wigner effect for graphite.
Diffusion under irradiation, modification of thermodynamic equilibriums, transformation
crystal/amorphous, coupling flux of point defects and atoms, intergranular segregation.

Irradiation hardening, example of austenitic (FCC) stainless steels of the PWR internals,
embritllement of pressure vessel steels, ductile-brittle transition temperature. Survey program
and non destructive analyses.

Swelling (case of steels irradiated at high doses in the fast breeder reactors such as Phenix
or Super Phenix), growth under irradiation for anisotropic materials. Irradiation creep.
Peculiar features of fuels.
Various fuels depending on the class of nuclear reactor (research, metallic fuels, PWR, FBR,
etc). UO2 sintering and specific case of MOX. Fuel pellet: behaviour under irradiation, fission
products, thermal, fission gases release, rim effect. Fuel-cladding interaction.

Fuel assembly for Light Water Reactors: Zr alloys for the fuel cladding, mechanical
properties after irradiation, Irradiation creep, Oxidation and hydriding of Zr alloys under
irradiation, Behaviour of the Zr alloys cladding under accidental conditions: LOCA (Loss of
Coolant Accident), RIA (Reactivity-Induced Accident).

Other materials used in nuclear reactors.

Stress Corrosion, Cracking of austenitic stainless steels, hydrogen embritllement and cold
cracking. Notion about concrete structure, containment and waste storage (vitrification,
glasses).
Nickel alloys for steam generator, primary and secondary water chemistry.

II –Materials for new reactors: Generation IV.

Description of the materials and their behaviour under irradiation.

This second part (15 hours) is dedicated to the materials of Gen IV reactors, core structure
and fuel cladding. It consists of a first chapter on the metallic materials ~( 7h ) then of a
chapter on the ceramic materials with a strong contribution on SiC materials envisaged for
the cladding of GFR in a composite version (this second part is detailed in the last
paragraph).
As an introduction, reactors of Gen IV and their specificities to make choices concerning
materials used for various components will be presented. Then, from our knowledge
inherited from Phenix and SPX experiences, the lesson will deal with the specific “metallurgy
science” of these new grades of steels. Different results are also coming from the fusion
programs and from our international collaborations on the behaviour of the material in
specific environments in Gen IV reactors (especially high temperature and high irradiation
doses).

- Choice performed concerning reactors and materials: the big economic stakes.

- Presentation of GenIV reactors and needs for specific materials (comparisons with GenII
and Gen III, differences and evolutions) concerning the core structure and fuel cladding
(focusing on the two options investigated by the CEA: Gas cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) and
Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (SFR).

- Martensitic steels, Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) materials, advanced austenitic

steels:
Elaboration (especially the case of ODS using mechanical alloying),
Microstructure (martensitic steels especially),
Mechanical behaviour (high temperature, creep),
Corrosion behaviour,
Irradiation effects (reduction of swelling),
Reprocessing,
Perspectives.

Behaviour of ceramic materials under irradiation.

This lecture course (approximate duration 8 hours) is devoted to the structural evolution of
irradiated materials in well-defined conditions, by the use of ion beam techniques as both
external irradiation simulation tool (irradiation and doping of the material) and as
characterisation tool. Though the presented methods may be applied irrespective of the
nature of the investigated solid, this course heavily focuses on ceramic materials considered
in the framework of Gen IV.

Irradiation sources and damage (fuels, transmutation matrices, immobilisation matrices)

Methods for the experimental simulation of irradiation effects: internal irradiation, external
irradiation (the JANNUS and GANIL platforms will be presented), computer simulations.
Structural evolutions under irradiation:
o Characterisation methods (TEM, XRD, RBS/C, etc) for radiation damage
studies;
o Structural modifications induced by elastic and inelastic interactions.
Modifications due to synergies between the two processes;
o Case study of behaviours from recent research studies on ceramic materials
for the GEN4 (oxides, MgAl2O4, ZrO2, and carbides SiC, ZrC). Thermal
behaviour versus fluence and temperature.
- Retention capacity of a nuclear ceramics
o Impurity behaviour (lattice location, diffusion mechanisms, radiation-induced
diffusion, precipitation, gas bubbles formation) ;
o Microstructural evolution at high temperature of doped materials (migration
versus exfoliation), role of the chemical nature of impurities.
- Modifications of atomic transport and mechanical properties.
 UE6 : COMPUTATIONAL CODES – COUPLINGS

Training on particle transport and isotope depletion computer codes. Short studies carried
out with these calculation codes.

The aim is to make students familiar with the international level computer codes widely used
in the field of the nuclear reactor research and in the nuclear industrial companies. The
coupling between thermal hydraulics and neutronics will be approached also.
 UE7 : PRESSURIZED WATER REACTORS –
NUCLEAR REACTORS SYSTEMS

I – Functional description of Pressurized Water Reactors

The core : core description, fuel management, temperature evolution and its regulation with
the control rods, effect of power distribution, temperature effects, role of : burnable poisons,
of different rod cluster assemblies, of soluble boron, reactivity balance and evolution during
operation, effect of rod clusters : axial offset, physical limits in operation : interaction pellet-
cladding, ...

Functional description of the boiler : primary cooling system (vessel, motor-driven pumps,
pressurizer, steam generator), secondary cooling system (turbine, alternator,
condensator,…),
. reactor auxiliary systems, reactor safeguard systems, power supply, …….effluents….,
. control system : Nuclear instrumentation, regulation loops and protection system.

Normal operation : power increase, P & T diagram, house load operation…...

Laboratory sessions on SIREP PWR simulator :

- P and T evolution, : from cold shutdown to hot shut down,
- load follow of a PWR reactor, different modes - house load operation

Laboratory sessions on ISIS training reactor :

- Approach to criticality, divergence, reactivity effects around criticality, reactor shut down,
- Rod calibration ; doubling time method, rod drop method, other effects…
- Temperature effects, determination of the moderator coefficient,….,

Laboratory sessions on PC Simulator

- Study of kinetic equations : two precursors of delayed neutrons model
. Poisons’ evolution : Xenon and Samarium for different power profiles,

II – Nuclear Reactors Systems

The courses of this module on different reactor systems follows the same structure : History
and evolution – Reactor Physics – Description of a particular reactor – the Fuel – Safety
aspects – Advantages and disadvantages – Perspectives.

- Introduction : Brief history of the geographical development of nuclear energy;

characteristic elements of a reactor system; evolution key factors.
- Gas Reactors Magnox/UNGG ; AGR,
- Heavy Water Reactors CANDU ; SGHWR ; EL4
- Reactors for nuclear-powered propulsion,
- Light Water Reactors PWR ; VVER ; BWR….
- Liquid metal cooled fast neutron reactors,
- Recent projects under development (ABWR ; SBWR; AP600; S80+ ; EPR
- Experimental reactors
- High Temperature Reactors, Molten salts reactors,
- Projects for the future ADS ; Fusion reactors ; …..;
 UE8 : NUCLEAR FUELS AND ASSOCIATED CYCLES
CRITICALITY – SAFETY
PROTECTION AND RADIATION SHIELDING

Fuels and Associated Cycles: 30 hours

This module is composed of two courses;

- Nuclear Fuel Cycle: the light water reactors systems (15 hours)
- Systems and Cycles for the future (15 hours).

The first course objectives:

- Master the industrial logic of the chain of the fuel cycle steps and the different back-end
strategies;
- Understand and be able to analyse the essential principles which allow the choice of the
processes;
- Draw up few simple arguments of chemistry connected with the current PUREX process
and its possible future developments;
- (as a hint of the second course) Identify the possibilities – and their bounds – that aim at
saving the uranium resources and recycling the minor actinides as well as possible.

This first course is partly based on the principles of solution chemistry taught during the
master M1 year.
It underlines the criticality-safety and protection radiation issues (these issues will be
specifically developed by a series of specialized lectures at the end of this Teaching Unit).
It also gives all the useful data concerning the quantities of materials and the industrial
capacities of the fuel cycle plants.

The second course focuses upon two main objectives:

- Describe the future systems characteristics in terms of resources consumption, wastes

production and minor actinides transmutation potential. In particular, the fast neutrons
reactors systems using the U/Pu cycle will be developed, but a few more innovative ways, as
the thorium cycle, will also be described;
- Study the possible transitions between the current systems, and their associated
inventories (valuable materials, ultimate wastes), and the future systems.

The approach puts forward the key parameters which control this problematic and allow to
carry out simple calculations: neutronical balances, power density, fissile material
inventories, incineration rate, irradiation time, recycling processes, duration of the spent fuel
reprocessing and fabrication,….

Criticality-Safety : 10 hours

This course is dedicated to :

- the risk of critical excursion inside the different installations of the nuclear fuel cycle,
- the associated safety arrangements,
- the calculation methods,
- the criticality accident (phenomenology, consequences)

The specific topic on the criticality safety of the transports of fissile materials is also
approached.

Protection and Radiation Shielding : 13 hours

The aim is to show some different views of the Protection and Radiation Shielding in
application of the concepts and methods learned in UE1, UE2, UE3 and UE6. The main
topics are the following :

1. The biological basis of the radiological protection. (3h)

2. Radiation shielding calculation methods and methodology. Material and radiation
shielding devices. (2h)
3. The management of the radiological risk. Regulation. Optimization.
4. Dosimetry and survey for internal and external exposition. (3h)
5. Radiological accidents. (2h)