Year
2015
Abstract
Increasing demand of energy worldwide, diminishing conventional energy resources as well as increasing global risk on conventional energy resources utilization forces the development of alternative energy resources utilization. Nuclear energy becomes attractive alternative due to its capability to produce output energy in massive and continue manner. The recent nuclear energy technology poses two main unresolved problems, i.e. nuclear fuel resources (U-235) and long live radioactive waste (spent fuel). To solve these problems, the advanced nuclear reactor designs must have breeding capability to utilize the far more plentiful fertile fuel resources (U-238 and Th-232) and capability to transmute trans-uranium nuclides or minor actinides. Learning on accidents occurred in some previous nuclear reactor, increasing safety aspect is needed for the next nuclear reactor design. The breeding and transmuting capability means the advanced reactor operation need advanced nuclear fuel cycle and fuel management. The advanced nuclear fuel cycle and fuel management will include production of artificial fissile materials and processing them. In nuclear security point of view, production and processing of fissile materials pose additional threat. The Advanced Nuclear Reactor Course is and elective course in Nuclear Study Program in Engineering Physics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This Course give broad but general knowledge to student related to history of nuclear engineering, roles, design improvements and the two main unresolved problems which are to be solved by advanced nuclear reactor design. In term of nuclear security, this course gives the student challenges to identify possible threats related to designs, operations, fuel cycles and fuel management (including waste treatment). This course then gives possible concepts or approaches for solving these threats.