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CourseCivil, Rail & Smart Cities Enrolment open

Course in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings

Online 300 h course in zirconium cladding design and coatings. 6 modules covering ASTM B811 (zirconium alloy tubing for cladding), ASTM G2/G2M (corrosion of zirconium alloys in water at 360 °C) and FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.

Duration300 h
ModeOnline
Start datesOctober / March
LocationEurope (Madrid)
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Explain the properties that make zirconium a cladding material.

02

Analyse the mechanical behaviour of cladding in operation.

03

Describe the corrosion and hydriding mechanisms.

04

Evaluate cladding performance under accident conditions.

05

Compare coatings and materials for ATF fuels.

06

Interpret licensing requirements applicable to cladding.

07

Develop an improved cladding design proposal.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Cladding materials engineer wishing to specialise in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings.
  • Fuel design engineer wishing to specialise in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings.
  • Researcher in accident-tolerant fuels wishing to specialise in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings.
  • Coatings specialist wishing to specialise in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings.
  • Fuel licensing engineer wishing to specialise in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings.
  • Materials testing technician wishing to specialise in Zirconium Cladding Design and Coatings.
  • Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter nuclear fuel manufacturing.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ASTM B811 (zirconium alloy tubing for cladding)
  • ASTM G2/G2M (corrosion of zirconium alloys in water at 360 °C)
  • 10 CFR 50.46 (ECCS acceptance criteria)
  • ASTM B350 (zirconium ingots for nuclear use)
  • NUREG-0800, section 4.2 (fuel design)
  • IAEA SSG-52 (reactor core design)
Syllabus

6 modules · 300 h

  1. 1.1Functional requirements of a cladding tube
  2. 1.2Low neutron absorption cross-section
  3. 1.3Classic and advanced alloys
  4. 1.4Alloying elements and their role
  5. 1.5Phases, precipitates and microstructure
  6. 1.6Crystallographic texture and anisotropy
  7. 1.7Tube manufacturing process
  8. 1.8Heat treatments and recrystallisation
  9. 1.9Specifications and quality control
  10. 1.10Exercise: comparing two commercial alloys
  1. 2.1Elastic properties and their anisotropy
  2. 2.2Yield strength and tensile strength
  3. 2.3Tensile, ring and internal pressure tests
  4. 2.4Thermal and irradiation creep
  5. 2.5Irradiation growth
  6. 2.6Neutron-damage hardening
  7. 2.7Stress relaxation of springs and grids
  8. 2.8Power-cycling fatigue
  9. 2.9Allowable strain criteria
  10. 2.10Practice: calculating cladding strain
  1. 3.1Oxidation in high-temperature water
  2. 3.2Oxidation kinetics and transition
  3. 3.3Effect of coolant chemistry
  4. 3.4Hydrogen uptake and its fraction
  5. 3.5Hydride precipitation and orientation
  6. 3.6Hydride embrittlement and blistering
  7. 3.7Shadow corrosion and galvanic effects
  8. 3.8Deposits and their effect on temperature
  9. 3.9Corrosion models used in design
  10. 3.10Practice: estimating oxide thickness at end of cycle
  1. 4.1High-temperature oxidation and hydrogen production
  2. 4.2Steam oxidation correlations
  3. 4.3Cladding ballooning and burst
  4. 4.4Temperature and equivalent oxidation criteria
  5. 4.5Embrittlement after quenching
  6. 4.6Loss of coolant and thermal sequence
  7. 4.7Power transients and interaction failure
  8. 4.8Severe accident behaviour
  9. 4.9Applicable regulatory requirements
  10. 4.10Practice: verifying accident criteria
  1. 5.1Motivation for accident-tolerant fuels
  2. 5.2Chromium coatings and their deposition
  3. 5.3Adhesion, integrity and in-service behaviour
  4. 5.4Iron, chromium and aluminium alloys
  5. 5.5Silicon carbide composites
  6. 5.6Neutronic compatibility and penalty
  7. 5.7Required qualification tests
  8. 5.8Experimental irradiation and post-irradiation examination
  9. 5.9Maturity status and licensing
  10. 5.10Practice: assessing a coating option
  1. 6.1Choice of reactor and operating conditions
  2. 6.2Alloy and tube specification
  3. 6.3Mechanical calculation under normal operation
  4. 6.4Corrosion and hydriding prediction
  5. 6.5Verification of accident criteria
  6. 6.6Assessment of a coating option
  7. 6.7Testing and qualification programme
  8. 6.8Cost and industrial feasibility analysis
  9. 6.9Technical report
  10. 6.10Project defence
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN, BISON (MOOSE), Thermo-Calc, ABAQUS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for autoclave corrosion tests, LOCA-type high-temperature oxidation tests, and tube tensile and burst tests. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrative project.

Accreditable laboratories(EN ISO/IEC 17025) with rotor test rig, EMC/Lightning pre-compliance, HIL/SIL, vibration/acoustics.
Evidence-oriented Master's Thesis (final project):safety case, test plan, compliance dossier and operating limits.
Industry mentorship:lecturers with experience in training, , eVTOL/UAM and flight test.
Flexible format(hybrid/online), international cohorts and support from SEIUM Career Services.
Ethics and safety:safety-by-design approach, OT cyber security, DIH and compliance as core pillars.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Choice of reactor and operating conditions

Explain the properties that make zirconium a cladding material.

Alloy and tube specification

Analyse the mechanical behaviour of cladding in operation.

Mechanical calculation under normal operation

Describe the corrosion and hydriding mechanisms.

Corrosion and hydriding prediction

Evaluate cladding performance under accident conditions.

Verification of accident criteria

Compare coatings and materials for ATF fuels.

Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Cladding materials engineerFuel design engineerResearcher in accident-tolerant fuelsCoatings specialistFuel licensing engineerMaterials testing technician
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior degree is required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • Sufficient Spanish proficiency to follow technical regulatory reading.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme comprises 300 total hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.

You will work with FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN, BISON (MOOSE), Thermo-Calc, ABAQUS. 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. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit-transfer policy when you enrol.

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