Nuclear fuel management: a practical approach Specialization

After completing this MOOC, the student will be able to recognize and describe the basic principles of the different steps of the back end of the fuel cycle, will be capable to find updated information and knowledge about the subject of study and will have the skills to perform basic calculations of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Upon completion of this MOOC, students will gain comprehensive knowledge in nuclear fuel management and reactor core design. They will learn to list and understand the basic parameters involved in in-core fuel management, including the estimation of fuel batch reload fraction and enrichment for equilibrium cycles using the linear reactivity method. The course will also cover the core aspects of reactor core design, the stages of fuel reloads design, and the principles of nuclear fuel assembly design, including the role of burnable poisons. Students will delve into the various aspects of fuel assembly design, both radial and axial, and learn to identify and solve optimization problems in these areas using metaheuristic techniques. Additionally, they will explore core loading pattern design, control rod pattern design, and the associated requirements and knowledge rules.

Another significant aspect of the course is the application of metaheuristic optimization approaches to tackle complex design problems in nuclear fuel management. Students will learn to interpret and apply these techniques to optimize radial fuel lattice design, axial fuel assembly design, and core loading pattern design.