European Master of Science
in Nuclear Engineering
SUBJECTS
FOR M.Sc THESIS WORKS
TO BE
PERFORMED AT
The CIRTEN (Consorzio
InterUniversitario per la Ricerca
Tecnologica sull'Energia Nucleare) is proposing Subjects for Thesis Works to be
performed at the University of Pisa, Italy, addressed to students willing to
get the EMSNE
Quality Label granted by the ENEN Association.
Subjects are available in the following fields:
· Nuclear Reactor Physics Applications
O Feasibility
study of a near-threshold accelerator-based BNCT facility for in-situ irradiation of tumors
TUTOR: Prof. Bruno
MONTAGNINI (b.montagnini@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) is a
radiation cancer therapy based on two distinct conditions: 1) a selective
uptake of the tumor tissue with respect to the
healthy tissue of a suitable drug loaded with boron-10; 2) the irradiation of
the tumor region with a neutron flux characterized by
a very specific energy spectrum. Very often the energy spectrum of the neutron
source is not directly employable for treatment and a partial moderation is
required in order to get an epithermal enhanced energy spectrum. This process
is very expensive in terms of the neutron population. The so called
“near-threshold approach” has the interesting characteristic that the energy
spectrum of the produced neutrons is pretty close to that required for a
correct treatment and very small spectrum shaping is then required. In this
work the near threshold Li(p,n)
reaction will be studied and a preliminary feasibility design of such a BNCT
facility will be performed by means of
·
Structural Mechanics – Nuclear
O Dynamic
analysis of the containment and reactor structures of an Innovative PWR in
accident conditions
TUTORS: Prof. Giuseppe FORASASSI
(g.forasassi@ing.unipi.it), Prof. Donato AQUARO
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: At present
innovative PWRs are studied in several contexts.
Among them the IRIS reactor is being designed at Westinghouse in the frame of
an International Consortium including the
O Analysis
of the erosion of plasma facing components by means of molecular dynamic
simulations
TUTOR: Prof. Donato
AQUARO, Prof. Salvatore LANZA (d.aquaro@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The activity is developed in the frame of
ITER-FEAT nuclear fusion reactor. The First Wall and the Divertor
Armor are eroded due to the impact of ions, neutrals,
alpha particles, as well as to the impact of the plasma disruptions in the
events called ELMs (Edge Localized Modes) or VDE
(Vertical Displacement Event). The erosion depends on the interactions which
occur in an atomic or molecular scale. The activity aims are to obtain the
characteristics values (mechanical, thermal and chemical properties) which the
erosion depends on, performing molecular dynamic simulations.
·
Nuclear Reactor Safety
O Analysis
of dust resuspension phenomena for the ITER fusion
reactor
TUTOR: Prof. Sandro
PACI, Dr. Nicola FORGIONE (s.paci@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: Some of the ITER reactor
challenging sequences are under analyses at ENEA FUS Frascati,
CESI
· Nuclear Reactor Thermal-hydraulics
O Analysis
of mixing phenomena in the atmosphere of a nuclear containment system
TUTORS: Prof.
Francesco Oriolo, Prof. Sandro PACI, Dr. Nicola
FORGIONE, Dr. Antonio MANFREDINI
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The activities for this topic will be
carried in the framework of EU thematic network SARNET. The proposed study
deals with the computational analysis of the of natural circulation and
atmosphere mixing phenomena inside the containment system of a nuclear plant,
including the effect of condensation on wall. These activity will be performed
making use of a lumped parameters code as FUMO and the CFD code FLUENT,
analysing the tests performed inside the TOSQAN and MISTRA experimental
facilities for the OECD/CSNI ISP-47.
O Experimental
and computational analysis of steam condensation in the presence of air and
helium mixtures for nuclear reactor applications
TUTORS: Prof. Walter
AMBROSINI, Prof. Francesco ORIOLO, Dr. Nicola
FORGIONE (walter.ambrosini@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The CONAN experimental facility is
installed and operating at the Scalbatraio Laboratory
at the
O Experimental
and numerical study of natural and gas-injection enhanced circulation of molten
metal for ADS reactor applications
TUTORS: Prof. Walter
AMBROSINI, Prof. Francesco ORIOLO, Dr. Nicola
FORGIONE (walter.ambrosini@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are
presently proposed to incinerate long lived wastes from commercial nuclear
reactors by transmuting them into shorter lived radionuclides.
The fluids considered to cool the subcritical cores
envisaged in such reactors are the lead and bismuth eutectic or lead. An
experimental facility is presently operating at the
O Analysis
of experiments simulating the thermal-hydraulic behaviour of IRIS steam
generator
TUTORS: Prof. Walter
AMBROSINI, Prof. Francesco ORIOLO, Dr. Nicola FORGIONE
(walter.ambrosini@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: Downscaled experiments on the behaviour
of helical coil steam generators envisaged for IRIS reactor are being performed
by the Politecnico di Milano at the SIET Laboratories in
O Modelling
steam explosions due to the interaction between water and molten metals
TUTORS: Prof. Walter
AMBROSINI, Prof. Francesco ORIOLO, Dr. Nicola
FORGIONE (walter.ambrosini@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are
presently proposed to incinerate long lived wastes from commercial nuclear
reactors by transmuting them into shorter lived radionuclides.
The fluids considered to cool the subcritical cores
envisaged in such reactors are the lead and bismuth eutectic or lead. The work should
contribute with an analysis of the state-of-the-art to better focus the
problems that could be encountered by the interaction of water from a heat
exchanger leak with the molten coolant (lead or lead an bismuth eutectic).
Suitable models and available experimental data should be revised to support
conclusions about the dangers which may be faced in the proposed reactor
configuration.
O Title Keywords: Cathare
Assessment
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The French Thermal-hydraulic system code
CATHARE will be assessed against a series of experiments test performed in the
(VVER NPP simulator) PSB test facility. The innovation is constituted by the
use of the latest version of Cathare code and by the
nature of experiments that deal with complex AM procedures. The scaling issue
will be dealt based on the availability of Cathare
input deck of Balakovo unit 3 VVER-1000 NPP.
O Title Keywords: AP 1000 TH
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: To investigate and to optimize
the transient performance of the innovative reactor, Westinghouse AP-1000 NPP,
using RELAP5 and TRACE as simulation tools. The innovation is constituted by
the optimisation of the new reactor design and by the use of the TRACE code.
The activity will be conducted in close cooperation with Ansaldo
specialists.
O Title Keywords: AM [boron]
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: To investigate the accident management
and related decision making, and the use of formal
techniques in response to events following accidents in a VVER-1000 NPP. The
innovation is constituted by the investigation of AM related to the NPP types
owned by Countries that are part of the enlarged EC. Addressing the boron
issue, e.g. the boron dilution caused by two-phase mixture and condensation in
SG and break de-boration, already studied in PWR
types reactors mainly in SBLOCA conditions, constitutes another innovation. The
research will benefit of cooperation
with Russian and former East European experts and Institutions. In
addition, the main outcomes from a TACIS
project, whose activities are currently in progress at UNIPI, will be
exploited.
O Title Keywords: CIAU Cathare
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: Large thermal-hydraulic system codes have
been developed and are currently used to simulate transients behaviour in nuclear
power plants. As a consequence a large effort is necessary to calculate the
uncertainty and it has been recommended as a desirable capability for
thermal-hydraulic system codes. The CIAU method was successfully implemented in
the RELAP5 code, and the objective of the current subject is to implement the
aforementioned method in the CATHARE code. The innovation is constituted by the
creation of the database of error specific
for the latest version of the French code, suitable for application to
DBA and BDBA conditions (including AM scenarios) as needed for the licensing
process. The connection with licensing constitutes a further innovation. The
research will benefit of cooperation with CEA
O Title Keywords: 3D NK/TH BWRS
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: Boiling channels and systems in a BWR (Boiling Water Reactor) may
present instability phenomena owing to the dynamic behaviour of the
liquid-steam mixture used for removing the thermal power. To improve the safety
systems of these reactors, it is necessary to be able to detect in a reliable
way the oscillations generated in the neutron power (well known and deeply
investigated problem in the last 50 years). The innovation is constituted by
the use of a 3D neutron kinetics code coupled with a qualified system
thermal-hydraulic code. The possibility to model one-by-one the fuel elements
is exploited. Standard methods and procedures are used including perturbation
analysis, qualification (based on NPP data measured in Peach Bottom) and output
data processing. The coupled codes RELAP5/PARCS is used. Connections are established
with Universities of
O Title Keywords: 3D NK/TH boron
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The effect of a positive reactivity
induced by a boron dilution slug through the core of a PWR reactor is
investigated using the coupled 3 D Neutron Kinetics Thermal-Hydraulic system
codes technique. The coupled codes RELAP5/PARCS and RELAP5/3D – NESTLE are
used. The derivation and the qualification of “boron XSEC” (actually derivative
of XSEC with boron content as independent variable) suitable for complex system
analyses constitutes one innovation. Sensitivity studies of NPP response to
boron originated transients constitute an important achievement of the thesis
work. The connection with international projects (including the integration of
results) like OECD/NEA MSLB Benchmark
and the EC CRISSUE-S constitutes one additional achievement for this research activity.
The research activity at the time of issuing of this document is basically
completed.
O Title Keywords: 3D NK/TH
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The proposed subject consists in the
application of the coupled 3D Neutron Kinetic Thermal-Hydraulic system codes
technique for the best estimate simulation of some phenomena which may occurs
in a prototype NPP in construction in Brazil. The techniques are of interest to
the design optimization and the safety evaluation.
Typical problems to be addressed are the control rod ejection and reactivity
following typical DBA. The research might benefit of cooperation with Brazilian
specialists (agreements to be finalized). The innovation is constituted by the
application of the coupled techniques to a special reactor type.
O Title Keywords: CFD [generic]
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The idea at the basis of the research
proposal is to give a contribution to the application of the CFD techniques to
the nuclear technology. The background is constituted by the IAEA/OECD
Conference had in
O Title Keywords: RBMK [3D NK/TH]
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The transient performance of RBMK reactor
constitutes the subject for the proposed research project. The RELAP5/3D tool
including its 3D Neutron Kinetics model (NESTLE) will be adopted to investigate
a series of complex accident scenarios. The innovation is constituted by the
investigation of safety issues related to the RBMK owned by countries that are
part of the enlarged EC and of the
O Title Keywords: CIAU and BEMUSE
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION: The extension of the CIAU methodology to the results of 3D
neutron kinetics thermal-hydraulics calculations (CIAU-TN) already constituted
the subject for a Master degree that needs some finalisation that will be
pursued in the present framework. However, the main topic for the research is
the establishment of an applicable version for the methodology based upon the
extension of the error database and the final internal and external
qualification of the method. The extension shall be based upon the availability
of a few tens of ITF database (experiments and calculation results) already
derived or to be derived at UNIPI. The innovation is constituted by the proof of
the validity of the method also based upon the participation and managing from
the side of UNIPI of the BEMUSE OECD Project. The thesis subject will also
include the main findings from this project and will benefit of the related
intensive international cooperation.
O Title Keywords: BE and licensing
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION:
Licensing processes
are performed using qualified tools and procedures. The acceptable safety
margins depend on the selected approach (best estimate or conservative). Up to
now (almost) all licensing authorities have considered acceptable only the
conservative approach. The proposed research deals with the consistent and
robust implementation of the best estimate approach into the licensing process.
This requires a sound understanding of the capabilities of the computational
software and of the uncertainty methods as well as of the regulatory
environment and needs. The innovation is constituted by the proposal of the
procedure for the application of the BE analysis methods for licensing
purposes. The research will benefit of
an IAEA international conference to be held in
O Title Keywords: PKL [boron system TH]
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION:The current work is dedicated to the creation
of a database that includes the experimental and the calculated results
concerning the tests performed in the PKL facility. These tests are related to
the boron dilution in loop seal, the mechanisms of transport of de-borated
plugs into the core, and (not in the experiment) the evaluation of the
reactivity effect due to de-borated water in the core. The boron dilution and
de-boration scenarios are important in the current
safety evaluation of PWR systems with main regard to DBA situation (namely
SBLOCA with ECCS available). The innovation is constituted by the quality
demonstration (assessment) of the codes (Relap5 and Relap5 3D). The activity
takes benefit from the international projects managed by OECD/NEA/CSNI, i.e.
SETH and PKL. In this framework and international Workshop is planned in
O Title Keywords: 3D NK/TH VVER 1000
TUTOR: Prof.
Francesco D’AURIA (f.dauria@ing.unipi.it)
DURATION: 4-6 Months
DESCRIPTION:The application of coupled 3D NK/TH code
techniques has been qualified by the international scientific community making
reference to complex transients in Light Water Reactors, e.g. the MSLB in PWR
and the BWRtt. The application of the same techniques
to VVER constitutes the innovation of the present activity. The activity takes
benefit from the OECD/NEA international project
FURTHER
INFORMATION
Students interested in one or more of the above subjects may send an
e-mail directly to the Tutors or refer to
including the following information:
o
Name, age,
nationality and address (also e-mail)
o
o Educational background (e.g., degrees, list
of successfully passed examinations)
o
Subjects of
interest, to be chosen in the list reported above
o
Preferred period
for developing the Thesis work
o
Preferences for
accommodation (needs and maximum prices)
ACCOMODATION
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