Nuclear Engineering BEng Hons drafted drafted

Practical hands-on courses including lab-based sessions and project work

Brand new state-of-the-art facilities

All of our undergraduate courses are accredited by either the IMechE, IChemE or IET

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This module encourages students to analyse real-world problems, and to use a logical design path and tools and techniques such as 2D and 3D CAD, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), and Form over Function to arrive at a design that meets the initial requirements. Often working in teams, students will learn about the full product lifecycle, from customer requirements to design process and to product recycling/disposal. As well as the practical aspects of design and innovation, the module covers other skills such as marketing, packaging, completing a statement of requirements, and the human brain.

The module is based on exploration and discovery and evaluated through coursework alone. It also incorporates the ‘IMechE Design Challenge’, a ‘design-make-test’ competition held annually between North West universities.

The module starts with the fundaments of Ohm’s law and introduces the main laws and theorems necessary to understand direct and alternating current flow in a circuit, including Kirchoff’s laws and different simplification theorems. Every student will be able to reduce a circuit to its simplest form and carry out basic voltage and current split calculations.

The module provides students with an understanding of the role and main functions of the key component blocks in many state of the art electronic systems. The theory will be supported with case study applications, where students will look at systems such as the electric guitar, computer mouse, electronic fuel injection and the telephone. Students will gain a basic understanding of the limitations and headline specifications of these items including sensors, signal conditioning, analogue-digital conversion, processors and actuators, and following the flow of information through a typical system.

Students will learn how to perform the basic calculations that underpin the subject, and confidently analyse and solve engineering problems and design solutions.

Applying mathematics to real world problems is a key skill for engineers. This module introduces students to a range of mathematic techniques that can be directly applied to engineering problems. Amongst the topics covered, students will learn about indices and logarithms, as well as complex numbers to enable them to precisely describe an electrical current or signal. They will also learn to manipulate square matrices to find inverses and determiNAts, and will manipulate vectors to find scalar and vector products.

The mathematical methods used here are put to use in engineering practicals and projects. For example, topics related to matrices are used in the second year robotics project for transforming coordinate systems.

Calculus is a flexible technique that can appear almost anywhere in engineering, from the smallest integrated circuit to the largest nuclear power plant, and this is reflected across the range of modules that calculus features in.

This module provides a broader understanding of functions, limits and series, and knowledge of the basic techniques of differentiation and integration. Students will come to understand the meaning of a derivative, both algebraically and graphically. They will also appreciate the meaning of an integral, and be able to integrate expressions directly by parts and by substitution. From this, students will apply integration to calculate physical quantities, including the arc length of a curve, the area and centroid of a plane region and the surface area, volume and centre of mass of a volume of revolution.

This module introduces students to a further range of mathematic techniques that can be directly applied to engineering problems including the application of matrices, for solving simultaneous linear equations. Students will learn about the application of the Laplace transform, a powerful technique used in electronics, control and vibration analysis which transforms differential equations to a linear function. They will also discover iterative methods that provide extra opportunities to find solutions to equations.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to use a range of mathematical techniques which will be of use in future engineering and mathematics courses. Techniques include Fourier series, simultaneous linear equations, eigenvalues, Laplace transforms and partial derivatives.

Many of the fundamental equations of engineering are written in the form of differential equations and so, this module teaches students the skills necessary to work with these. Students will learn both analytical and numerical techniques, which are of particular relevance to future engineering modules that analyse fluid and heat flow and temperature distribution.

Students will learn to verify that a given function is a solution of a specified first-order or second-order differential equation. They will also, when given an initial-value problem featuring different types of differential equations, find their particular solutions. The equations that will be examined include separable first-order differential equations, linear first-order differential equations, and homogeneous and non-homogenous linear second-order differential equations with constant coefficients.

Introducing a range of key aspects of chemistry that is relevant to engineers, this module addresses atomic and molecular structure. It focuses on chemical reactions and bonding, as well as thermodynamics, acid, based and redox reactions, the kinetics of reactions, and nuclear chemistry. Lectures featured in this module are supported by weekly, small group tutorials that are designed to illustrate the practical applications of the concepts learnt in the lectures.

Students taking this module will develop an appreciation for the importance of electrons in a variety of chemical reactions, such as corrosion and polymerisation. Additionally, the module will enhance students’ ability to balance such chemical reactions, predict the results of key reactions and perform a variety of calculations relating to the determination of reaction rates.

A key feature of today’s cutting-edge electronic technology is the storage of information and its processing. This module uncovers the basic engineering principles behind these critical requirements such as Boolean algebra, truth tables, Karnaugh maps, logic gates and memory circuits. Students will gain both the knowledge and the vocabulary with which to understand digital electronic systems together with the background necessary to appreciate what is likely to be possible in the future.

The module also looks at how analogue electronic components can be combined to perform simple logic functions and how these logic blocks can be combined to perform memory tasks. Students will develop this concept towards the principle of a processor and will learn about simple programmable devices and how these relate to the range of programmable solutions that are currently available.

Sensing and extracting signals from the real-world is a fundamental requirement of virtually all electronic systems. This module provides students with the background knowledge and understanding of the ways in which signals are captured from sensors, then amplified, and then fed into a data acquisition system. It includes work on circuits and networks and introduces the op-amp, which is a fundamental building block of many analogue circuits. Students will also gain an understanding of basic sensor characteristics and of signals, including how they can be represented in the time and frequency domains and how they can be manipulated with filters.

Students have an opportunity to build and test the operation of op-amp and sensor circuits in a dedicated electronics lab during the module.

The global energy sector is continually evolving, particularly around the development of sustainable and renewable energy sources, and this module provides an understanding of this field along with conventional power generation and utilisation. Primarily, students will learn about the fundamental aspects of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and chemical and nuclear reactions which are essential for those who wish to specialise in these fields.

Students will gain an understanding of the ways in which energy is captured from renewable sources and produced from fossil fuel reserves, as well as a detailed understanding of wind turbine design. The module covers how hydroelectric schemes, tidal barrages and wave energy works and teaches students to make numerate comparisons of the energy available from these sources compared with thermal and nuclear power stations.

This wide-ranging module considers the engineering aspects of transport technology such as fuel consumption and how it may be reduced, types of engines and motors and electric drive systems for land transport. More specifically, students will look at the Otto cycle, aerodynamic drag, basic circuit theory, batteries and fuel cells. They will also learn how to calculate vehicle performance taking account of drag, mass, and propulsion characteristics. Energy flow diagrams for IC engines and electric and hybrid vehicles will be covered, as well as thermodynamic cycles for petrol and diesel engines and their major components.

There are four practical exercises associated with this module reflecting the wide scope of the content. They include evaluating the efficiency of an internal combustion engine, which requires a group to partially dismantle the engine and make measurements to determine its compression ratio and valve timings. The group will then reassemble it and perform calculations based on their measurements. Another exercise involves the economic assessment of a new light rail transport system in the North West.

Manufacturing is at the foundation of global prosperity and is a continually developing field. This module covers a wide range of manufacturing processes used in engineering from the well-established practices such as casting and moulding to modern, growing methods such as additive manufacturing. By the end of the module, students will have gained knowledge of a range of materials and ways of producing them as manufactured or part-manufactured components whilst estimating the cost of doing so.

The lectures are accompanied by hands on experience of machining, welding and material testing techniques in dedicated workshops. There will also be at least one industrial visit to see manufacturing processes in action (most recently Jaguar Land Rover).

The human skeleton, a suspension bridge and a car chassis are examples of structures that are designed to transmit forces from one place to another. To do this safely and efficiently it is important to adopt the right arrangement of load-bearing components and to use materials with appropriate strength and stiffness. In this module, students will learn about structural forms and beam theory and will develop their ability to analyse engineering problems by calculating internal stress of components in tension, compression and bending, and by applying the Euler buckling theory. As a result, students will gain an appreciation of designing simple engineering structures to achieve the required strength and stiffness for a wide range of manufactured products.

Practical sessions will be delivered in our labs and students will work in groups to design, build and test efficient steel box beams to withstand a set load. The exercise comprises application of the analysis techniques learnt in lectures, an element of creative design, sheet metal fabrication and testing, and a final written project report including analysis of the failed beam.

Focusing on the fundamental aspects of process engineering, this module aims to equip students with an understanding of basic processing terminology such as batch, semi-batch, continuous, purge and recycling. There will be a review of processes, along with flow diagrams, process variables and units, and students will become familiar with the mass balance of non-reactive systems, including general material balance of a single-unit operation and multiple-unit operations.

This module will allow students to assign process variables, units and economics; students will develop knowledge of industrial processes along with a working understanding of phase equilibrium thermodynamics to chemical processes. A range of vapour-liquid equilibria, covering the level rule, ideal solutions, Raoult’s Law, Henry’s Law, volatility and relative vitality, will be approached in detail on the module.

Control is about making engineering devices work efficiently and safely. This module gives students the ability to programme to a level where they are able to solve everyday engineering problems, such as controlling the movement of a robot arm. They will gain the ability to use functions, arrays and pointers, and will be able to manipulate strings, format the input/output and carry out basic mathematical calculations.

The fundamentals of structuring and writing a computer programme are included and students will gain experience at interfacing with practical engineering systems such as a motor. The module will be particularly relevant to students with an interest in robotics, computing and control.

This module considers a range of material in the wider business development area. Students are encouraged to think with creativity, entrepreneurial flair and innovation. Practical sessions allow students to demonstrate their progress on a weekly basis through idea generation, peer presentations, elevator pitches and formal presentations. The module is accompanied by a number of external industrial speakers who have been successful in their own business endeavours and are keen to pass on that knowledge.

Students will become familiar with a rich mixture of experiential learning opportunities, that develop a wide range of transferable skills in the context of engineering entrepreneurship. The module will focus on the development and use of business plans and marketing strategies. Students will prepare a business plan, discuss team dynamics and the requirements for entrepreneurial activity. Additionally, the appropriate terminology to use when developing business projects will be explored. Students will discuss relevant aspects of company fiNAce, uncertainty in business ventures and techniques for analysing markets. They will also examine frameworks for marketing and structuring a business plan and will develop the ability to analyse potential markets and sources of funding.

Introducing nuclear, oil, gas and chemical plant decommissioning, this module addresses the decommissioning market and related organisations. The module provides an insight into the £63bn UK nuclear decommissioning market, and follows the typical decommissioning lifecycle process from initial characterisation through to the final survey. Furthermore, the module encourages students to consider the role of decommissioning in the wider energy and transport industries. Students will gain an awareness of environmental cleanup issues as well as safe disposal, recycling and reuse of materials. Students will develop knowledge of the legislative constraints imposed on industry, specifically in the context of an environmental agenda, and will gain experience in balancing aspirations relating to the technical, economic and legal aspects of design justification.

Among the topics explored on this module, students will look at facility characterisation along with the planning and costing of decommissioning projects, as well as considering radiation issues and health and safety. Additionally, the module will cover waste disposal law, in addition to land remediation, WEEE directive, producer responsibility consumer vs. citizen and Environmental credential vs. functionality perceptions. The module also aims to enhance students’ understanding of ethical implications of technology development.

Students will learn to design and plan a decommissioning campaign, and will be able

Whilst alternating topic focus, this module explores RF engineering and electromagnetic processes in general. Students will gain knowledge of RF engineering, the decibel scale, and will explore complex number review. Additionally, the module will cover AC circuit analysis, and will provide complex representation of waves and transmission lines, along with seminars in RF transmission of data and basic RF receiver architectures.

The electromagnetic portion of the module will cover Electrostatics, including electric charge, electric field, electric flux density and electrostatic potential. Students will develop knowledge of inverse square law of force, dielectric polarisation and permittivity, as well as capacitance, energy storage, parasitic capacitance and electric screening.

Students will develop the level of understanding necessary to describe the concepts of potential, charge, field and capacitance, and will learn to apply Ampere, Faraday and Coulomb law. Students will also gain an understanding of ferromagnetic materials, and will develop the necessary skillset to calculate the magnitude and direction of the electric field strength, as well as discussing Gauss theorem and the relationship of electric flux to electric charge. Finally, students will be able to carry out noise calculations for RF systems, calculate component values and transmission line dimensions to match impedances, and will gain knowledge in the application of Smith charts to analyse an RF circuit.

This module introduces students to numerate aspects of engineering. It is designed to provide students with a broad and flexible array of mathematical methods for the analysis of data and signals. It also intends to illustrate the essential role of computing in the application of these skills. Students will use calculus for the analysis of trigonometric, non-linear, polynomial and exponential functions, and will sketch multivariable functions with a relation to engineering on three-dimensional Cartesian axes.

Additionally, students will evaluate the significance of differential equations in the description of an engineering system and will apply methods such as Laplace, integration and substitution to find the solution of these equations. They will also develop the ability to analyse systems in both the time and frequency domain using Fourier and Laplace transformations

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The matrix representation of coefficients and their correspondence will be applied to arrays in software, including the use of manipulations such as the inverse matrix. Students will use the concept of least squares analysis in order to assess the consistency of data. Finally, they will develop the ability to use a software package such as Excel for multivariable analysis of a given function and to produce appropriate graphical outcomes.

Students will be introduced to a range of key concepts in engineering project management and will put some of these into practice by means of an interdisciplinary group project. This module aims to motivate students to produce and test a functional electro mechanical machine to meet a given specification for example, the development of a mobile robot which follows a line. Students will develop a range of skills including, the ability to describe a mechanical/electrical system at the block diagram level, identifying its power and signal flows and writing an overall performance or functional specification. They will also acquire the knowledge necessary to integrate the functional requirements with other needs such as maintainability, safety, manufacturability, environmental impact and regulatory compliance. The requirements for interface management including spatial, mass, environment, control, failure modes, and energy, will also be discussed.

Additionally, students will develop the skill set required to prepare an interface management plan for a complete project and interface specifications for the subsystems/components. They will discuss the project lifecycle including specification, design, manufacture, commissioning, mainteNAce, modification and disposal. Finally, students will apply the principles of validating the design of a complex system using analysis, sample testing, type testing, commissioning, system tests and acceptance.

This module is designed to enhance students’ understanding of system dynamics and feedback at the block diagram level, by providing tools for the analysis of linear single degree freedom systems. Students will gain the ability to use appropriate instrumentation for feedback and data-logging purposes. The module will enable students to interface devices such as memory, digital IO and analogue IO to a microprocessor or microcontroller. They will also discover how to access such devices from within a program using C and/or Assembler.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to develop single degree freedom models for simple mechanical, electric and electromechanical systems. They will also be able to discuss the assumptions necessary to develop such linear models and have an awareness of nonlinear and chaotic systems. Additionally, students will develop the ability to analyse 1st and 2nd order models in both the time and frequency domain, including vibrations and asymptotic stability

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Further skills available on the module include the ability to manipulate block diagrams of open and closed-loop systems and the design of proportional, integral, derivative, ve