Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors Course
Online 300-hour course in containment and passive safety in reactors. 6 modules covering IAEA SSR-2/1 (safety in the design of nuclear power plants), INSAG-10 (defence in depth) and MELCOR. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the principle of defence in depth and the role of containment.
Analyse the loads and structural behaviour of containment.
Describe the active safety systems of a power plant.
Compare passive safety solutions in advanced reactors.
Evaluate severe accident phenomenology and its mitigation.
Interpret regulatory design requirements for containment.
Develop a safety analysis of a containment system.
Who it's for
- Nuclear safety engineer who wants to specialise in Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors.
- Severe accident analyst who wants to specialise in Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors.
- Containment design engineer who wants to specialise in Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors.
- Passive systems specialist who wants to specialise in Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors.
- Licensing engineer who wants to specialise in Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors.
- Nuclear safety inspector who wants to specialise in Containment and Passive Safety in Reactors.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter nuclear power plants.
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSR-2/1 (safety in the design of nuclear power plants)
- INSAG-10 (defence in depth)
- 10 CFR 50 Appendix A (general design criteria)
- ASME BPVC Section III, Division 2 (concrete containments)
- IAEA SSG-53 (containment design)
- CSN Instruction IS-27 (general design criteria)
- WENRA technical specifications for new reactors
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Levels of defence in depth1.2Fundamental safety functions1.3Physical barriers against release1.4The function of containment and its history1.5Types of containment: dry, wet and double-walled1.6Prestressed concrete and steel containments1.7Containment of boiling water reactors1.8Containment of advanced designs1.9Applicable regulatory requirements1.10Exercise: identify the barriers of a design
2.1Design pressure and temperature2.2Loss-of-coolant transients2.3Earthquake and extreme wind loads2.4Impact of projectiles and aircraft2.5Hydrogen and deflagration loads2.6Structural analysis and margins2.7Integrity and leak testing2.8Allowable leakage rate and its verification2.9Ageing of concrete and seals2.10Practice: verify the design pressure of a case
3.1Emergency coolant injection3.2Containment spray and its function3.3Residual heat removal3.4Containment isolation systems3.5Emergency and backup electrical power3.6Auxiliary feedwater3.7Redundancy, diversity and physical separation3.8Periodic testing and availability3.9Support dependencies and common-cause failures3.10Practice: analyse the redundancy of a system
4.1The concept of passive systems and their categories4.2Natural circulation and convection4.3Accumulators and elevated tanks4.4Isolation condensers and passive heat exchangers4.5Heat removal through the containment wall4.6Passive flooding of the cavity4.7Autocatalytic hydrogen recombiners4.8Reliability of passive systems and their assessment4.9Combining active and passive systems4.10Practice: compare an active and a passive solution
5.1Progression of a severe accident5.2Hydrogen generation and control5.3Interaction of molten material with concrete5.4In-vessel retention and external cooling5.5Molten material retention devices5.6Filtered containment venting5.7Severe accident management and procedural guidelines5.8Instrumentation available under extreme conditions5.9Source term and its reduction5.10Practice: evaluate the mitigation strategy of a design
6.1Choice of reactor and its containment6.2Identification of design loads6.3Simplified structural verification6.4Inventory of active and passive systems6.5Analysis of the response to a transient6.6Severe accident strategy6.7Testing and surveillance programme6.8Improvement proposals6.9Technical report6.10Defence of the work
How you'll learn
Training 100 % online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MELCOR, MAAP, GOTHIC, ANSYS Mechanical, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real simulation procedures for pressure and temperature in containment, analysis of passive cooling systems and severe accident studies. Assessment is continuous, per module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the principle of defence in depth and the role of containment.
Analyse the loads and structural behaviour of containment.
Describe the active safety systems of a power plant.
Compare passive safety solutions in advanced reactors.
Evaluate severe accident phenomenology and its mitigation.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient command of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with MELCOR, MAAP, GOTHIC and ANSYS Mechanical. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. This is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Please consult the recognition policy when enrolling.
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