MSc Nuclear Science and Technology / Course details

This unit provides a comprehensive introduction to Control and Instrumentation (C&I) applied at nuclear facilities, both for reactor control and other nuclear facility applications, in the context of functional safety. It is designed to describe the design, verification and validation ( V&V), safety justification and assessment of C&I (including Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based control, smart instruments, robotics and autonomous systems). It will introduce the benefits and challenges associated with the use of software, hardware description language (HDL) programmed integrated circuits and artificial intelligence (AI). Following a mandatory pre-course reading component, a one-week taught component will include a presentation from a visiting  design practitioner from industry and an experience (ex)inspector from the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) to help deliver the course. These individuals will bring a practical, real-life, perspective. The aim is to hold a session either in a university control systems laboratory or that of a local business eg Siemens. Throughout the course a practical, real-life application of C&I will be used to a develop a practical understanding. The taught component is followed by a post-course assessment that is designed to consolidate knowledge gained during the course and to enable students to join the industry with a solid understanding of how C&I is applied in practice in the context of a functional safety process. 

This unit provides a comprehensive introduction to Control and Instrumentation (C&I) applied at nuclear facilities, both for reactor control and other nuclear facility applications, in the context of functional safety. 

Explain the nature of risk and system safety in a historical, societal and legal context (including the role of the UK nuclear regulator).

Evaluate accidents and their root causes, including the role of humans and apply this to a hazard identification and analysis.

Explain the role of C&I in systems engineering / systems architecture and the interaction with other disciplines.

Assess the benefits and challenges of the choice of hardware, HDL-programmed hardware and software (inc. AI) and design and development of a basic process or facility safety system architecture including these components.

Describe a C&I safety system lifecycle model suitable for the system design in ILO 4.

Evaluate a set of C&I system requirements, e.g. identify functional and non-functional requirements, identify applicable standards.

Design and implement a basic C&I system which incorporates safety features, selecting and justifying appropriate V&V techniques for the components and system.

Explain the use of requirements and CAE notation for safety case structure and construct a basic coherent and logically- argued safety case for a C&I enabled nuclear process or reactor system acceptable to the industry.

Describe and discuss the impact of new developments in C&I including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous systems, machine / human interaction.

There will be an expectation that students will have an appreciation for safety cases through experience or developed through reading prior to the course of they completed the Nuclear Safety Case Development (PHYS65210).

Students are taught via directed reading (pre-course) and directly in appropriately equipped rooms at the institution delivering the unit. Learning is consolidated in tutorial and review sessions.

• pre-course teaching
• directed teaching
• review sessions
• tutorial sessions

Students are able to exercise their intellectual skills through in-class discussion, tutorial sessions and the completion of the assigned post-unit assessment (safety case for a C&I enable nuclear process or reactor system).

• in-class discussion
• review sessions
• tutorial sessions
• assignment exercise
• multiple choice questions
• post-course assignment

Students are able to exercise their practical skills through tutorial sessions and completion of the laboratory C&I system task.

• Tutorial sessions
• Laboratory C&I system task demonstrating practical aptitude and design skills 

Students are able to enhance their transferable skills through in-class discussion, tutorial sessions, and the completion of the assigned post-unit assessments.

• In-class discussion
• Tutorial sessions
• Assignment exercise
• Laboratory C&I system task
• Post-unit assessment (safety case for a C&I enabled nuclear process or reactor system)
• Team exercise associated with the post-unit assessment.
• Communication skills demonstrated by presenting complex engineering principles to technical and non-technical audiences in the team exercise feedback session. 

Post-unit Assessment and Group Presentation 

Marking of test and post-unit assessment with written feedback