2020 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
Special Lecture on Reactor Decommissioning
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Kenji Takeshita / Yukitaka Kato / Toru Obara / Takuya Harada
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Fri (原講571, North Bidg. 2, 5F-571)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- NCL.D501
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course is structured in such a way as to gain an understanding of future developments in decommissioning reactors. Students will learn about the decommissioning measures taken for the reactors involved with the accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, the situation with Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, the situation with the fuel debris and technology for removing them, technology for treating (decontaminating) and disposing contaminated water, technology for dismantling the reactors involved, etc. Lectures are held by an operator, invited as lecturer, involved with on-site decommissioning work. Students gain a concrete understanding of issues involved with measures for decommissioning the reactors involved. Students gain an understanding of the processes necessary for decommissioning from an engineering viewpoint, and students are instilled with the fundamental skills for smoothly decommissioning a reactor.
Course description and aims
[Objectives] Students in this course will gain an understanding of several issues (removing fuel debris, dismantling the reactor, treating and disposing dismantled waste, contaminated water, and rubble) with the decommissioning measures for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, and understanding future developments towards decommissioning.
[Topics] We will cover insights from the decommissioning of reactors such as TMI and Chernobyl, grasping the current situation with fuel debris and its removing technology, and technology for treating and disposing contaminated water, soil, and rubble, as well as future developments towards dismantling reactors and decommissioning measures.
Keywords
decommissioning, fuel debri
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lecture of 80 minutes and the quiz on the lecture
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Decommissioning of severe accident reactor (TMI accident, the Chernobyl accident) | Students can explain the process of decommissioning a catastrophically damaged reactor. |
| Class 2 | Current status of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant | Students can explain the current situation at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. |
| Class 3 | Existing state and retrieval technology of fuel debris | Students can explain the state of fuel debris and removal technology. |
| Class 4 | Purification technology and waste disposal of contaminated water | Students can explain technologies for treating contaminated water, and waste disposal. |
| Class 5 | Contaminated soil, waste disposal and decontamination technology of rubble | Students can explain treatment technology and waste disposal for contaminated soil, wreckage, etc. |
| Class 6 | Dismantling technologies for accident reactors | Students can explain technology for dismantling damaged reactors. |
| Class 7 | Treatment and disposal of demolition waste | Students can explain treatment and disposal of dismantled waste. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Nothing special
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Nothing special
Evaluation methods and criteria
Evaluates understanding of waste treatment and disposal, economic efficiency, etc. of decommissioning measures for nuclear power plants. Grades are awarded based on exercises (40%) and reports (60%).
Related courses
- CAP.E362 ： Nuclear Chemical Engineering
Prerequisites
Nothing special
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
Prof. Kenji Takeshita, takeshita[at]nr.titech.ac.jp, ext. 3845
Prof. Yukitaka Kato, yukitaka[at]nr.titech.ac.jo, ext. 2967
Office hours
10:00-17:00