2021 Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Kenji Takeshita / Takehiko Tsukahara / Koichiro Takao
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon / 3-4 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- NCL.C401
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Science and technologies in nuclear fuel cycle, consisting of uranium mining and refining, uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel reprocessing, partitioning and transmutation of actinides and lanthanides, and waste management, will be lectured.
Course description and aims
The goals of this course are as follows.
1. Students can understand the basic concepts of nuclear fuel cycles consisting of uranium mining/refining/enrichment, fuel fabrication, and waste management.
2. Students can understand the basic characteristics of radioisotopes and nuclear fuel, and explain their properties.
3. Students can get the scientific knowledge of the use of nuclear materials.
Keywords
Nuclear fuel cycle, partitioning and transmutation, actinide and lanthanide chemistry, waste management
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
In order to improve your learning, the practice will be done.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Concept of nuclear fuel cycle | Studies on basic concept of nuclear fuel cycle |
| Class 2 | Mining, refining, and purification of uranium | Studies on mining, refining, and purification methods of uranium |
| Class 3 | Nuclides containing spent nuclear fuels and their properties | Studies on properties of nuclides containing spent nuclear fuels |
| Class 4 | Lanthanide Actinide Chemistry | Studies on electronic structures and coordination chemistry of Lanthanides and actinides |
| Class 5 | Solvent extraction method of uranium | Studies on solvent extraction methods of uranium |
| Class 6 | Purex reprocessing method of spent nuclear fuels | Studies on Purex methods for the separation of uranium and plutonium |
| Class 7 | Pyro-reprocessing method of spent nuclear fuels | Studies on Pyro-reprocessing methods of spent nuclear fuels by using molten salt |
| Class 8 | Concept of uranium enrichment | Studies on concept of uranium enrichment |
| Class 9 | Uranium enrichment methods | Studies on uranium enrichment methods, in particular, gaseous diffusion, centrifuge, and laser methods |
| Class 10 | Significance of introducing of nuclear fuel cycle | Studies on economic and scientific rationalities of nuclear fuel cycle based on balance calculations |
| Class 11 | High-level radioactive waste treatment methods | Studies on advanced reprocessing methods |
| Class 12 | Partitioning, Analysis, and transmutation | Studies on partitioning and transmutation technologies |
| Class 13 | Disposal methods of radioactive wastes | Studies on deep geological disposal methods |
| Class 14 | Vitrified glass fabrication | Studies on vitrified glass fabrication technique |
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)
do not use
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Distribute handouts properly
Evaluation methods and criteria
Exercise and report
Related courses
- CAP.E361 ： Radiation Chemistry
- NCL.C402 ： Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal Engineering
- CAP.E362 ： Nuclear Chemical Engineering
- NCL.D405 ： Experiments for Nuclear Fuel Debris and Back‐end Fuel Cycle Ａ
- NCL.D406 ： Experiments for Nuclear Fuel Debris and Back‐end Fuel Cycle B
- NCL.C604 ： Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Sepcial Laboratory
Prerequisites
You had better to understand the knowledge of basic chemistry.
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
ptsuka[at]lane.iir.titech.ac.jp / 3067
Office hours
send by e-mail.