Diploma in Experimental Validation and Scaling in Thermal-Hydraulics
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in experimental validation and scaling in thermal-hydraulics. 8 modules covering nuclear safety experiments, scaling theory, instrumentation, test facility design, separate effects tests, code validation and uncertainty analysis, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Experimental Validation and Scaling in Thermal-Hydraulics — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom maintains a substantial defence industry, with prime contractors such as BAE Systems and Babcock, and a wide supply chain across the Midlands, the North West, Bristol and Scotland. Land systems, armoured vehicles, munitions and military engineering programmes provide long-term employment for engineers in design, integration, test and sustainment. The Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment and Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory oversee procurement and research. Security clearance requirements shape recruitment, and professional standards are maintained through UK defence engineering frameworks.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £746 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies and regulators are relevant to defence and military land systems engineering?
In the UK, the Ministry of Defence sets its own engineering standards and the Engineering Council regulates professional registration. Professional bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Royal Engineers' professional structures are relevant. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by these bodies, so recognition for security-cleared or MOD roles is decided by the employer and the relevant authority.
Will a private qualification help with UK defence industry careers?
UK defence employers, including primes and suppliers, often prioritise security clearance eligibility, relevant experience and formal qualifications recognised by the MOD or industry bodies. A private qualification may support your profile but is unlikely to replace these requirements. Ask prospective employers how they would assess it before enrolling.
Is it practical to study this online while working in the UK, and what about language and funding?
Online study means you can continue working in the UK, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Teaching is in English, so good technical English is essential. Fees can be paid in instalments, and some employers offer training sponsorship, though policies vary. Each programme has a fixed number of hours and an assigned technical tutor. Confirm the workload and costs before enrolling.
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
Understand the role of separate effects and integral effects tests.
Apply scaling methodologies to experimental facilities.
Select thermal-hydraulic instrumentation and estimate its uncertainty.
Design test facilities and test matrices.
Analyse separate effects tests and fit correlations.
Validate thermal-hydraulic codes against experimental data.
Draw up a complete experimental validation plan.
Who it's for
- Thermal-hydraulic experimentation engineers.
- Code validation analysts.
- Instrumentation engineers.
- Nuclear safety researchers.
- Uncertainty analysis engineers.
- Test laboratory managers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the nuclear energy sector.
What you'll work with
- USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.203 (transient and accident analysis methods)
- JCGM 100:2008 (GUM, guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement)
- ASME V&V 20-2009 (verification and validation in CFD and heat transfer)
- ASME PTC 19.1 (test uncertainty)
- IAEA SSG-2 (Rev. 1) (deterministic safety analysis for nuclear power plants)
- ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (competence of testing and calibration laboratories)
- 10 CFR 50.46 (ECCS acceptance criteria)
- TRACE
- RELAP5
- SNAP
- MATLAB
- NI LabVIEW
8 modules
1.1The role of thermal-hydraulic experimentation1.2Separate effects and integral effects tests1.3CSNI validation matrices1.4LOFT, ROSA, PKL and LSTF facilities1.5OECD/NEA joint projects1.6Phenomena that must be scaled1.7PIRT identification tables1.8Quality of experiments1.9Experimental databases1.10Case study: building a PIRT
2.1Dimensional analysis2.2Relevant dimensionless numbers2.3Power-to-volume scaling2.4H2TS methodology2.5Fractional scaling analysis (FSA)2.6Scale distortions2.7Scaling of natural circulation2.8Containment scaling2.9Scaling chain2.10Workshop: scaling analysis of a facility
3.1Thermocouples and RTDs3.2Differential pressure measurement3.3Flowmeters3.4Void fraction measurement3.5Conductivity probes3.6Wire-mesh sensors3.7PIV and LDV velocimetry3.8Gamma densitometry3.9Measurement uncertainty3.10Lab: thermocouple calibration
4.1Design requirements4.2Electrically heated rods4.3Materials and design pressure4.4Control and data acquisition4.5Facility safety4.6Test matrix4.7Boundary conditions4.8Heat losses to the environment4.9Commissioning4.10Exercise: preliminary design of a loop
5.1Critical flow5.2Critical heat flux5.3Counter-current flow limitation5.4Condensation in the presence of non-condensables5.5Core reflooding5.6Natural circulation5.7Mixing and stratification5.8Component tests5.9Data reduction5.10Case study: fitting a CHF correlation
6.1CSAU methodology6.2EMDAP process of RG 1.2036.3Validation of TRACE and RELAP56.4Quantitative comparison metrics6.5FFTBM method6.6Nodalisation6.7Code scalability6.8Uncertainty in BEPU analysis6.9Validation documentation6.10Lab: TRACE versus an experiment
7.1The GUM guide7.2Monte Carlo method7.3Uncertainty propagation7.4Data reconciliation7.5Wilks statistics7.6Sensitivity analysis7.7Bayesian methods7.8Experimental data management7.9Test reports7.10Workshop: uncertainty of a test campaign
8.1Selection of the phenomenon8.2Review of existing experiments8.3Scaling analysis8.4Design of the test matrix8.5Proposed instrumentation8.6Code validation plan8.7Uncertainty analysis8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on SEIUM's campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is TRACE, RELAP5, SNAP, MATLAB and NI LabVIEW, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: calibration of thermal-hydraulic instrumentation, scaling analysis of facilities and comparison of codes with experimental data. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.203, JCGM 100:2008 (GUM), ASME V&V 20-2009, ASME PTC 19.1, IAEA SSG-2 (Rev. 1), ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and 10 CFR 50.46.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
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 totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with TRACE, RELAP5, SNAP, MATLAB and NI LabVIEW, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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