GRE@T-PIONEeR course "Core modelling for transients"

The course deals with the modelling of nuclear reactors in transient conditions, focusing on the modelling of neutron transport, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, fuel thermo-mechanics, and their interdependencies. The principles of deterministic methods in non-steady-state conditions, their approximations, and their range of validity for core calculations are presented. Likewise, the macroscopic modelling methods of nuclear thermal-hydraulics and fuel thermo-mechanics are addressed. Finally, due to the interdependencies between the various physics, numerical techniques used for multi-physics coupling are detailed.

The pedagogical format of the course is based on a hybrid flipped classroom. In this format, you need to complete some online self-paced preparatory work (representing about 40 hours of work) before attending interactive classes organized during 5 consecutive days (representing about 40 hours of work). Those classes are given in a hybrid set-up, with participants following the classes either onsite or remotely on the web. Research in engineering education demonstrated that flipping leads to higher student engagement, better achievement of the learning outcomes and increases the interactions between the students and the teachers.

The target audience for the course is:

• MSc students, PhD students and Post-Doc students having some background knowledge in nuclear engineering.
• Nuclear engineers.
• Reactor physicists.
• Nuclear safety analysts.
• Research scientists in the above fields.

In order to pass the course and be issued a course completion certificate, you need to obtain at least 50 points (out of 100 max. points). All activities (both during the preparatory work and the interactive classes) are graded. The certificate will briefly describe the course contents, the number of hours the different course elements represent and the number of equivalent ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System). The course is worth 3 ECTS.

As a course participant, you get access to:

• An online Learning Management System with 24/7 access to all teaching resources for 4 months.
• During the online self-paced preparatory phase:

1. A set of handbooks written for the course.
2. Video lectures associated to the handbooks.
3. Quizzes to test your understanding.

• During the interactive phase:

1. Engaging activities aimed at applying the principles learned during the preparatory phase.
2. Expert support from the teachers.
3. Possibility to network with the other participants.

You can read some testimonies of our past attendees on our website at this link.

The course is given by:

• Prof. Rafa Miró, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
• Prof. Sandra Dulla, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy.
• Prof. Christophe Demazière, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Assoc. Prof. Diana Cuervo, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
• Assoc. Prof. Carsten Lange, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
• Dr. Alessandro Scolaro, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.