At the end of the course the students should be able to cope with the components calculations and the thermal-hydraulic design of the nuclear power plants core, with particular reference to light water reactors and to the thermal limits in the hot subchannel; they should know the nuclear power plants operational characteristics, with particular reference to the innovative reactors and Generation IV future reactors as well as the decommissioning options.

Good knowledge of thermodynamics, single-phase fluid-dynamics, and heat transfer. Basic knowledge of reactor physics, nuclear power plants and two-phase thermal-fluid-dynamics, and heat transfer.

1. Introduction to Nuclear reactor design. 2. Characteristics of nuclear reactors cores: fuel assemblies, reactivity control systems and cooling fluids in the different types of reactors from Generation II up to Generation IV. 3. Typical parameters and their link with safety margins. 4. Thermal core design: thermal limits, fuel rod behavior and failure characteristics. 5. Thermal-hydraulic design of a LWR core: hot channel factors, heat transfer in operating conditions, boiling crisis, thermal resistance of the gap in the fuel pin and temperature profiles in the fuel pin. 6. Accidents in nuclear power plants, accidents classification and learnt lessons. 7. Intrinsic and passive safety; passive heat removal systems in evolutionary and innovative reactors. 8. Containment systems, emergency systems and auxiliary systems and their evolution from Generation II reactors up to Generation III+.

The theoretical lectures are complemented by a practical part that consists in numerical evaluations concerning the thermal-hydralics in advanced nuclear reactors components and in the PWR hot channel (with verification of the fuel rod limits). The students will be divided in groups of maximum three people and will be guided through the development of the calculations. A report of the projects will be the final result of this part, which will be evaluated and contribute to the final grade (see grading criteria). A visit to a nuclear power reactor is part of the program.

- R.A.Knief,"Nuclear Engineering", Hemisphere,1992. - P.B. Whalley, "Boiling, condensation and gas- liquid flow", Clarendon, Oxford, 1987 - John G. Collier, John R. Thome, Convective boiling and condensation, , 3rd ed., Clarendon, Oxford, 1996 - N.E.Todreas and M.S.Kazimi,"Nuclear systems",Vol.I ,II,Hemisphere,1990. - R.T.Lahey and F.J.Moody,"The thermal-hydraulics of a boiling water reactor",American Nuclear Society, New York, 1993. - L.S.Tong and J.Weisman,"Thermal analysis of pressurized water reactors",American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park,1996.

Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam; Individual essay;

The exam is aimed at checking the student's knowledge about the topics listed in the official program of the course and his ability to apply the theory and the relative methods to answer questions dealing with fuel rod design, thermal-hydraulic analysis in water reactors, advanced nuclear reactors and passive systems. The written test consists of three open-answer questions dealing with nuclear power plants types and characteristics, thermal-hydraulic analysis in water reactors, thermal limits in the hottest fuel assembly, fuel rod design, accidents in nuclear power plants, advanced nuclear reactors and passive systems. Time to answer: 90 minutes. To be admitted to the written test, the project report must be provided to the lecturer at least 3 working days before the exam date. The written test can provide a maximum of 24 marks out of 30. The student is admitted to the oral discussion when the written test grade is equal or higher to 18/30. The oral discussion of the projects can provide a maximum of 6/30 During the written exam, it is not allowed to keep and consult books and notebooks. The results of the test are communicated on the portal, loading in the Materials section appropriate files with the grades, together with the date of the oral discussion.

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.