Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production Course
Online 300-hour course in breeding blankets and tritium production. 6 modules covering Décret n° 2012-1248 (authorisation for the creation of ITER, INB 174), Arrêté INB du 7 février 2012 (general rules for INBs) and OpenMC. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production Course — studying from Ireland
Ireland has no nuclear power generation, and its nuclear engagement is centred on radiation protection, research, medical applications and international policy. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, now part of the Environmental Protection Agency, regulates radiation sources and monitors radiation exposure. Engineers and scientists in this area typically work in research, healthcare, environmental monitoring, decommissioning oversight and nuclear safeguards. Professional standards and expertise are coordinated through national and international bodies, with Ireland participating in European and international nuclear safety frameworks.
Fees for Ireland: €743 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is Ireland a country with a nuclear power industry, and how is nuclear engineering professionally recognised here?
Ireland has no operating nuclear power plants, so nuclear engineering careers here are mainly in regulation, research, decommissioning oversight and international projects. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland is the national regulator for radiation protection. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by this or any national body, so recognition depends on employers or the relevant body.
How might employers in Ireland view this training for nuclear-related roles?
Given Ireland's limited domestic nuclear industry, relevant roles are often with regulators, research institutions or multinational employers. Those employers decide how much weight to give a private online qualification and will usually look for specific radiation protection or regulatory credentials. There is no guarantee of any role or outcome.
What should I consider about workload and language before enrolling?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from Ireland at your own pace. Study durations are 300, 800 or 1,900 hours depending on the course, so plan your time carefully. Fees can be paid in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and an assigned technical tutor supports your progress.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the tritium fuel cycle in a fusion reactor.
Compare the main breeding blanket concepts (HCPB, WCLL, DCLL).
Calculate the tritium breeding ratio through neutronic simulation.
Analyse the thermohydraulic and materials behaviour of the blanket.
Explain the tritium extraction and processing procedures.
Evaluate the safety and radiation protection aspects associated with tritium.
Develop a justified conceptual blanket design.
Who it's for
- Fusion blanket design engineer wishing to specialise in Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production.
- Fusion neutronics specialist wishing to specialise in Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production.
- Tritium fuel cycle engineer wishing to specialise in Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production.
- Fusion thermohydraulics engineer wishing to specialise in Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production.
- Fusion materials researcher wishing to specialise in Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production.
- Safety engineer for fusion facilities wishing to specialise in Breeding Blankets and Tritium Production.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to join international fusion projects.
What you'll work with
- Décret No. 2012-1248 (INB 174)
- Arrêté INB du 7 Février 2012 (General Rules for INBs)
- Directive 2013/59/Euratom (Basic Safety Standards)
- DOE-HDBK-1129 (Safe Handling and Storage of Tritium)
- ASME BPVC Section III (Nuclear Components)
- RCC-MRx (Design Rules for Advanced and Fusion Reactors)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Properties of tritium1.2Tritium scarcity and current sources1.3Production reactions with lithium-6 and lithium-71.4Tritium breeding ratio (TBR)1.5Neutron multipliers: beryllium and lead1.6Tritium inventory in a plant1.7Doubling time1.8Losses and retention in materials1.9Self-sufficiency requirements1.10Workshop: tritium balance of a DEMO plant
2.1Blanket functions2.2Helium-cooled solid breeder blanket (HCPB)2.3Water-cooled lithium-lead blanket (WCLL)2.4Helium-cooled lithium-lead blanket (HCLL)2.5Dual-coolant blanket (DCLL)2.6FLiBe molten salts2.7Liquid lithium2.8Performance comparison2.9ITER TBM programme2.10Case study: HCPB versus WCLL comparison
3.1Transport of 14 MeV neutrons3.2FENDL nuclear data libraries3.3TBR calculation with MCNP and OpenMC3.4Lithium-6 enrichment3.5Nuclear heat deposition3.6Displacement damage (dpa)3.7Helium production and transmutation3.8Shielding of the superconducting magnet3.9Activation and waste3.10Laboratory: neutronic model of a blanket in OpenMC
4.1Heat extraction and temperature limits4.2High-pressure helium cooling4.3MHD effects in liquid metals4.4Reduced-activation steel EUROFER974.5Compatibility and corrosion with lithium-lead4.6Breeder ceramics and pebble beds4.7Tritium permeation and barriers4.8Thermal cycling and fatigue4.9Manufacturing and joining4.10Practice: thermal calculation of a cooling channel
5.1Tritium extraction from helium purge5.2Extraction from lithium-lead5.3Hydrogen isotope separation5.4Detritiation of water and air5.5Tritium confinement and safety5.6Material accountancy5.7Licensing of tritium facilities5.8Test facilities: IFMIF-DONES5.9Integration into a power plant5.10Case study: extraction system for the European TBM
6.1Plant requirements6.2Concept selection6.3Neutronic model and TBR6.4Thermohydraulic design6.5Material selection6.6Tritium extraction system6.7Safety assessment6.8Comparison with alternatives6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment window, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenMC, MCNP, FISPACT-II, ANSYS Mechanical, COMSOL Multiphysics, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for blanket mock-ups in lithium-lead loops, neutron irradiation of materials and neutronic simulation of the tritium breeding ratio. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the tritium fuel cycle in a fusion reactor.
Compare the main breeding blanket concepts (HCPB, WCLL, DCLL).
Calculate the tritium breeding ratio through neutronic simulation.
Analyse the thermohydraulic and materials behaviour of the blanket.
Explain the tritium extraction and processing procedures.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme consists of 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with OpenMC, MCNP, FISPACT-II, ANSYS Mechanical, COMSOL Multiphysics. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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