MSc Nuclear Science and Technology / Course details

A range of topics will be addressed including:

• Introduction to radioactive waste, waste encapsulation and immobilisation, and the multi-barrier concept for radioactive waste disposal
• Radioactive decay and the interactions between radiation and matter
• Sources of radioactive waste, waste classification and characterisation
• Basic approaches and principles of radioactive waste management
• Basics of nuclear waste regulation, legal framework, and responsible bodies
• Uranium occurrence, exploitation and mining
• Uranium mining waste geochemistry and environmental impacts
• Application of cements and cementation technologies for waste immobilisation
• Application of glasses and vitrification technology for waste immobilisation
• Application of ceramics and ceramification techniques for waste immobilisation
• Introduction to nuclear waste disposal concepts
• Geological repositories for radioactive waste isolation

The unit aims to:
Reviews basic approaches of nuclear waste management and gives an introduction to the scientific fundamentals of nuclear waste processing and disposal.

ILO 1  -  Recall and interpret information on radioactivity, radionuclides and the different types of radioactive waste.
ILO 2  -  Explain the general approaches to nuclear waste management.
ILO 3  -  Define the techniques commonly employed in nuclear waste processing and evaluate the most appropriate storage or disposal route for a particular waste.
ILO 4  -  Develop an evidence based strategy for dealing with a defined nuclear waste management problem.
ILO 5  -  Perform a group investigation and disseminate information in a group presentation to a peer group, on an aspect of global nuclear waste management practices.

Learning material is primarily delivered via lectures.  Directly delivered content is supplemented by pre-recorded online material, self-test questions, and peer-to-peer learning.

Formal feedback will be given on mark form. Verbal feedback for the group presentation will also be provided via Q&A session at the end of the presentation.

W. E. Lee, M. I. Ojovan, M. C. Stennett & N. C. Hyatt. Immobilisation of radioactive waste in glasses, glass composite materials and ceramics. Advances in Applied Ceramics, Vol. 105 (2013) 3-12.
C. L. Corkhill & N. C. Hyatt. Nuclear waste management. IOP Publishing Ltd, 18p. (2018).
N. C. Hyatt. Safe management of the UK separated plutonium inventory: a challenge of materials degradation. npj Materials Degradation, Vol. 4 (2020) 1-4.
N. C. Hyatt. Plutonium management policy in the United Kingdom: The need for a dual track strategy. Energy Policy, Vol. 101 (2017) 303-309.
M.I. Ojovan, W.E. Lee. An introduction to nuclear waste immobilization. Elsevier, 315p. (2005).
P. Wilson. The Nuclear Fuel Cycle. Wiley and Sons, Incorporated, 405p. (2001).
N.A. Chapman, I.G. McKinley. The geological disposal of nuclear waste. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 437p. (1987).