Advanced nuclear materials
Prof. Marc Scibetta – Université de Liège
Prof. Eric van Walle – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Prof. Rik-Wouter Bosch – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
3 ECTS
85,5 hours study time
26 contact hours theory
5 contact hours exercises/laboratory sessions/visits
0 hours additional personal work (reading etc.)
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To review the corrosion and embrittlement degradation mechanisms of materials in nuclear environments.
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Part 1:
- Functional requirements of materials in a nuclear environment (M. Scibetta – 1 ECTS)
- Nuclear materials: fuel, fuel cladding, moderator/reflector, coolant
- Structural materials: reactor internals and vessel, piping, valves
Part 2:
- Corrosion and materials degradation problems in the nuclear industry (RW. Bosch – 1 ECTS)
- Introduction stainless steels and its application in LWRs
- Water chemistry of LWRs
- Uniform corrosion issues (radioactive contamination of primary circuit, Flow Assisted Corrosion, CRUD/AOA, ..)
- Environmentally Assisted Cracking ( (IASCC of baffle bolts, PWSCC of steam generator tubing and dissimilar metal welds, EAF of stainless steel components, ..)
- Corrosion control and mitigation
- Case histories
Part 3:
- Advanced treatment of irradiation effects in materials: radiation damage mechanisms at microscopic level (E. van Walle – 1 ECTS)
Some of these topics are further elaborated during seminars by SCK CEN experts
- Corrosion in nuclear systems - general overview (R-W. Bosch)
- Fundamentals of radiation damage in steels: the nanoscale perspective (L. Malerba)
- Materials issues of nuclear fuel (M. Verwerft)
- Advanced experiments to characterize radiation damage in nuclear materials (M. Konstantinovic)
- Functional requirements of materials in a nuclear environment (M. Scibetta – 1 ECTS)
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The PowerPoint presentations of the lectures are available on the BNEN website.
Other usefull references
- Fontana, M.G., Corrosion Engineering, 3rd Ed., McGraw-Hill, 1986.
- Bogaerts, W.F., Active Library on Corrosion (CD-ROM), 2nd Ed., Elsevier, 1998.
- Benjamin, M., Nuclear Reactor Materials and Applications, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1983.
- Glasstone, S. & A. Sesonske, Nuclear Reactor Engineering, 4-th Ed, Vol 1, Chapman & Hall, New York, 1994 (Chapter 7: Reactor Materials, pp 406-462).
- Cahn, R.W., Haasen, P., Kramer, E.J., Materials Science and Technology, Volume 10 B, Volume editor Frost B.R.T. , Chapters 7-9
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Courses in the following fields
- Nuclear materials
Basic knowledge of materials science, chemistry and electrochemistry.
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- Part 1 and part 2: Oral examination with written preparation, closed book in first and second session
- Part 3: Oral examination with written preparation, open book in first and second session
- Attendance to the seminars is compulsory.
- The grade will be determined by weighing the grades on the separate parts, in proportion to the number of ECTS per part. In case of a failure for one of the parts, the examination committee can decide to penalize by lowering the final grade.
- The examination of the separate parts of this course can be scheduled on multiple days.