Program Overview

Nuclear Fuel Cycle (Mod 2 NTEC Programme)

Course Overview

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle module describes the nuclear fuel cycle and examines in detail, the technical, economical, safety and environmental issues involved during each stage.

Key Areas Covered

• Overview of the fuel cycle
• Mining and milling of uranium
• Purification and conversion to UF6
• Uranium enrichment
• Fuel fabrication
• Properties of irradiated fuel
• Irradiated fuel transport and storage
• Nuclear fuel reprocessing
• Recycling of uranium and plutonium
• Decommissioning, retrieval and disposal of nuclear waste
• Emerging fuel technologies

Learning Outcome and Aims

On completion, students should have obtained:

• A full understanding of all the processes involved in the front- and back-ends of the once-through fuel cycle.
• An understanding of fuel reprocessing and the advantages reprocessing can provide.
• An appreciation of the safety and environmental considerations involved in the cycle.
• An overview of the nuclear fuel cycle for commercial purposes and how it has been affected by historic events.
• Knowledge of the worldwide capacities and economical markets involved in the cycle as well as an appreciation of political influence.
• Ability to perform some calculations around the economics of the fuel cycle.

Award, Level, Delivery, Study Mode, and Campus

• Award: Short Course
• Level: CPD
• Delivery: Campus
• Study Mode: Full time
• Campus: Preston

Fees and Funding

• Fees information can be found on the NTEC website

Learning Environment

A post-module assignment follows the taught week, is based upon the subject matter of the direct taught element, and is undertaken at the student’s place of work or home. The assignment is gauged to require approximately 70 hours’ input by the student and is assessed and marked. It is submitted about 8 weeks after completion of the taught week.

If a module examination is incorporated, this is taken some weeks after the taught section of module.

Industry Links

We have good links of a number of nuclear employers such as Sellafield, NNL, BAe Systems Barrow, Westinghouse and ONR.

The NTEC MSc is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Energy Institute (EI) and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IoM3).