The students are expected to understand and design experimental activities that concern single phase pressure drop and heat transfer, and the characterisation of materials in nuclear environment, relevant for fission and fusion applications. Furthermore, the students are expected to become capable to design and analyse complex components characterised by the need for removal of high heat fluxes, using analytical and numerical tools. At the end of the course, students should also become familiar with: 1) Understand and apply fundamental principles of measurement science relevant to the energetic and nuclear fields, with specific attention to the experimental measurement of key physical quantities such as temperature, heat flux, pressure, and electrical current in complex systems 2) Describe and model the electrical behaviour of superconducting materials, particularly high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes and cables, and determine critical parameters—such as critical current density—through techniques like magneto-optical imaging and transport current ramp-up. 3) Analyse and simulate thermo-fluid dynamic phenomena related to high heat flux removal in nuclear components, under both natural and forced convection regimes, with fluids such as water and liquid metals. 4) Evaluate the performance of advanced engineering solutions, such as 3D-printed heat transfer structures, by means of experimental testing on divertor tile mock-ups and analytical, semi-analytical, or CFD modelling of the underlying physical processes. 5) Integrate experimental observations and modelling approaches to provide coherent interpretations of physical behaviour in complex thermal-hydraulic systems, including cooling channels, natural circulation loops, and components of the TRIGA reactor.

Knowledge of thermo-dynamics, single-phase thermal-fluid dynamics, advanced materials for nuclear applications, basic knowledge of operating principles of fission and fusion nuclear reactors. Basic knowledge of programming (in python and MATLAB) is welcome.

1. Fundamentals of measurement instruments and signal analysis (14 h lectures + 6 h lab): a) System Dynamic Models (zero, first and second order) and Fourier analysis b) Digital Acquisition System c) Analogical and Digital Filters d) Laboratory 2. Test and modelling of superconducting tapes and cables (20 h lectures + 5 h lab): a) Superconducting tapes and cables, applications of superconducting magnets to nuclear fusion, high-energy physics and electric motors b) Modelling the multi-physics embedded in the superconducting tapes, wires, cables. c) Multi-scale and multi-physics modelling of superconducting cables and current leads d) Laboratories: Measuring the critical current in Superconducting tapes by Magneto-Optical imaging (MOI) and current ramp-up. 3. Test and modelling of cooling loops and structures for nuclear applications (20 h lectures + 15 h lab): a) Mass, momentum and energy conservation laws for laminar and turbulent flows. Turbulence promoters and extended surfaces. b) Natural Circulation loops: momentum conservation law, stability and analytical models. c) Flow and heat transfer through porous media d) Finite volume method and numerical modelling of 3D conjugate heat transfer problems using a CFD software e) Laboratories: hydraulic characterisation of mock-ups realised with innovative 3D-printed heat transfer structures, test of stability of a natural circulation loop, power transients in a TRIGA reactor.

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The course will be organized in room lectures and hands-on experimental and computational lab sessions.

Notes by the teachers.

Lecture notes;

Exam: Written test; Individual project; Computer-based written test in class using POLITO platform;

The assessment of the student knowledge about Part 1 occurs through a written exam, that will check the student capability of selecting a proper transducer in accordance to the characteristics of the physical quantity under investigation, and of configuring the acquisition chain and set the acquisition parameters. The written exam, contributing to the 25% of the final mark, will be divided in two parts, for a total duration of 50 min: - 1st part (15/30): The student has to answer to 5 multiple choice questions (MCQ). 2 MCQs concern to the practical activities developed in the laboratory and 3 MCQs are related to the topics discussed in the lectures. The MCQs can provide more than one correct answers. The evaluation of the MCQ is performed in accordance to the following rules: . +3 points when all the correct answers are selected; 0 points when none or all the answers are selected; -3 points when all the incorrect answers are selected. When a mixed selection of correct and incorrect answers is provided, the evaluation if performed in accordance to the above rules. - 2nd part (mark 7/30): the student has to solve 1 exercise regarding the DAQ setup. The written exam is passed when a mark higher than 7.5/30 is obtained in both 1st and 2nd part. Allowed material in the written exam: calculator, pen and a sheet of white paper. The assessment of the first part of the course will contribute to the 20% of the final grade. For the second and third parts of the course, the following reports on the laboratory sessions will be graded (grade into brackets): - the superconducting tape critical current density measurement by MOI (2/30) - the superconducting tape critical current measurement by current ramp-up, will be graded (2/30). - the hydraulic characterization of a mock-up equipped with 3D printed innovative cooling structure (4/30), - the stability of a natural circulation loop (4/30) - the sub-channel modelling of a TRIGA reactor, will be graded (4/30). A written exam will check the student level of understanding of the main topics discussed in the course through 4 open questions (2 questions on the topics related to Part 2 and 2 questions on the topics related to Part 3). Each answer will be graded up to 4/30. The assessment of the second and third part of the course will contribute to the 80% of the final grade.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.