Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Performance

Analysis and design of stages of the nuclear fuel cycle including mining, milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel burn-up, spent fuel interim storage, reprocessing, safety and aspects of high level waste. Students will be able to describe all of the steps in military and civilian nuclear fuel cycles and be able to perform basic analysis of known fuel cycles. Students will also be able to describe how fuel cycle facilities operate and the materials used and produced by those facilities.

Nuclear Reactor Engineering

This nuclear introductory topic will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the design of fission and fusion nuclear power reactors. The topic will provide descriptions of type III fission nuclear reactors and will examine the neutronics in these systems, including neutron/matter interactions, radioactive decay, and neutron multiplication. It will also cover neutron diffusion and moderation treated by group diffusion methods for different reactor geometries.

Nuclear Reactor Design and Safety Analysis

The topic will provide fundamental understanding of nuclear reactor neutronics kinetics, including neutron/matter interactions, radioactive decay, and neutron multiplication. It will also provide analyses of neutron diffusion and moderation treated by group diffusion methods for different reactor geometries.

Prerequisite knowledge: Differential equations and thermodynamics.

Nuclear Radiation Damage in Materials

This topic focuses on how fuels and basic materials in nuclear reactor systems are affected by nuclear radiation. It will review fundamentals in crystallography and microstructure defects as well as basics of the diffusion theory. Fission reactors components and the associated fission process and resulting fission neutrons and heavy charged particles will be detailed. These will all be tied together to develop theories of fission neutrons and their interactions with matter to produce damage in form of atom displacements and their cascades. Models to account for displaced atoms applying concepts of binary collisions are detailed. Radiation damage effects including the change of material properties under irradiation, void swelling, irradiation creep, embrittlement and loss of ductility will be detailed. This topic consists of a series of lectures, selected readings, problem sets involving numerical simulation of neutron damage, and collaborative short research projects.

Prerequisite: Completion of Nuclear Reactor Engineering

Naval Nuclear Power and Propulsion

The topic aims to equip students with a knowledge of the role of nuclear power in modern navies. It examines the historical evolution from diesel engines to nuclear reactors highlighting a timeline construction of naval nuclear milestones and records set by nuclear submarines. It enables students to apply reactor design concepts and compare naval and civilian reactors. It explores engineering considerations, safety and sustainability. Current trends and technologies are explored including jet pump propulsion and all electrical systems with a simulation of modern propulsion systems.

Prerequisite: Completion of Nuclear Reactor Engineering and Nuclear reactor Design and Safety Analysis.

Innovation and Industry 4.0

Innovation is needed to successfully introduce Industry 4.0 in the workplace. This topic introduces participants to innovative thinking, the process of innovation and the interplay with industry 4.0. The topic focuses on understanding human and institutional factors in the introduction of new technologies such as industry 4.0, innovation, change management, trust in technology, industry 4.0 for supply chain competitiveness and the process of innovation in an organisation.

Cyber-physical Systems, Robotics and Automation

This topic equips participants with the knowledge and skills to understand cyber-physical systems, robotics and automation. Technologies involved includes cobots, automated ground vehicles (AGVs), industrial automation in an assembly line including automatic warehouse, inspection, classification and delivery.

Production Engineering

This topic aims to expose participants to key production engineering tools and methodologies that can be integrated into a range of Manufacturing, Production, Jobbing Shop and sustainment scenarios. The topic provides an insight into various operational tools and techniques focused on the elimination of waste to increase productive and environmentally sustainable use of resources to maximise value. This topic reviews Production Engineering and Lean Thinking concepts and through industrial case studies and examples will enable you to assess how these two techniques can work together, evaluating the benefits and limitations.

Nuclear Engineering Topics:

Nuclear Fuel Cycle:
8 days, Jan 8-18, 2024

Nuclear Reactor Engineering:
8 days, Jul 8-18, 2024

Radiation Damage in Nuclear Materials:
8 days, Jan 2025

Nuclear reactor Design and Safety Analysis:
8 days, July 2025

Naval Power and Propulsion:
8 days, Jan 2026

Advanced Manufacturing Topics

Innovation and Industry 4.0:
Semester 1 online: 12 weeks Feb 26 – Apr 5, Apr 22 – Jun 7, 2024: 1 hour online – Tuesdays 4pm to 5pm SA time
Semester 2 online: 22 July – 9 Sep, Sep 30 – Oct 25, 2024: 1 hour online/week – Tuesdays 4pm to 5pm SA time
Semester 2 in person: 22 July – 9 Sep, Sep 30 – Oct 25, 2024: Mondays 11am to 12 noon SA time.

Cyber-physical Systems Robotics and Automation:
Feb 26 – Apr 5, Apr 22 – Jun 7,  2024, 1 hour online/week. (2 days of intensives 15 April and 8 July) – Thursdays 4pm to 5pm SA time

Production Engineering:
Semester 1 in person: Semester 2 online: 22 July – 9 Sep, Sep 30 – Oct 25, 2024 – Tuesdays 2pm to 4pm SA time
Semester 2 online: 22 July – 9 Sep, Sep 30 – Oct 25, 2024: 1 hour online/week. Mondays 4pm to 5pm SA time

2024 prices

• Individual microcredentials $4,500
• University Certificate in Nuclear Engineering
  5 microcredentials) $20,000