Entry requirements

60 credits in science/engineering. Participation in Reactor Physics and Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Steam Turbine Technology.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student shall be able to:

• Explain how Human Performance is managed in a nuclear power plant to ensure that both individuals and organizations work in a safe manner.
• Describe several classical nuclear accidents in the world's nuclear history, determine their causes, explain their consequences, and discuss their social, economic, and environmental impacts, as well as how knowledge of the accidents has contributed to making nuclear power safer.
• Explain the concept of risk, use probabilistic methods for safety analysis, and conduct basic calculations and analyses of nuclear-related systems with probabilistic safety analysis.
• Account for how technical and organizational solutions in a nuclear power plant have been developed considering human performance factors, learning from accidents, and incorporating probabilistic safety analysis.
• Present, in a structured, understandable, and linguistically correct manner, both orally and in writing, applications of nuclear safety.

Content

Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA)

Risk analysis (also referred to as safety analysis) involves systematically calculating the risks and consequences of errors and disturbances in technical systems. The information in risk analyses may include statistical initiating events, functional failures, system failures, component failures, human errors, which are processed and adapted in calculation programs to estimate a large number of end states. The risk analysis thus provides opportunities and a basis for assessing the risks (failure frequencies, probabilities) of various types of events and consequences occurring for different degradations and faults.

Human Performance (HP)

In human performance analyses, the interaction of humans with the surrounding technology and organization is studied (human in the system, group and organization, development processes, and accident investigations). The view of the human factor as the missing link has changed, and today, risk analyses of interfaces, process graphics, routines, etc., are included in risk analyses in the same natural way as analyses of various technical components.

Classical Events (CE)

Here, some classical accidents in nuclear technology are described, such as Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. Events are analyzed based on the dynamic processes in a nuclear reactor. Consequences for operators, facilities, and the surrounding society are discussed, as well as systems for sharing national and international operational experience and best practises.

Oral Presentation

Students present parts of the course content and project work orally to each other in seminar form. Presentation techniques are discussed before the seminar. In conjunction with each presentation, the content is discussed, and after the seminar, students receive feedback on both presentation techniques and subject matter.

Written Presentation

Assignments are given where students, in report or essay form, should account for parts of the course content. Before the assignments, written presentation is discussed, and based on the submissions, students receive feedback on the selection of information and the structure they have chosen.

Instruction

Lectures, mandatory group seminars.

Assessment

Individual written assignments, which are presented in written form as well as in group seminars with individual oral presentations and group discussions, and yield 2 credits.

Individual written assignment on PSA, which yields 1 credit.

Written examination with problem and theory questions at the end of the course. The examination is divided into the HP and CE components, with each component yielding 1 credit.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.