Course in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors
Online 300-hour course in pebble-bed and gas-cooled reactors. 6 modules covering ASME BPVC Section III, Division 5 (high-temperature and graphite reactors), NRC Regulatory Guide 1.232 (design criteria for non-LWR reactors) and Serpent. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors — studying from South Africa
South Africa is one of the few African countries with an operating nuclear power programme, centred on the Koeberg power station near Cape Town, operated by Eskom. The country also has nuclear research and fuel cycle activity through the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, known as Necsa, based at Pelindaba near Pretoria. Nuclear engineers work on reactor operation, safety, fuel management and decommissioning. The National Nuclear Regulator is the independent authority that licenses and oversees nuclear activities.
Fees for South Africa: R 13 900 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by any South African body, so they are not official state degrees. Nuclear activities in South Africa are regulated by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), and professional registration runs through ECSA. Acceptance of a private qualification in this regulated field rests with employers or the relevant authority, so verify before enrolling.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in nuclear engineering?
Nuclear employers, including Eskom and specialist contractors, typically require formally recognised qualifications, security clearances and regulatory competence. A private SEIUM qualification may add background knowledge but is unlikely to meet formal requirements on its own. Discuss this with employers in the nuclear sector to understand how they would view it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from South Africa without a student visa. Master's programmes require 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments and employer sponsorship is possible. Ask SEIUM about time-zone and workload details 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
Describe the concept of the gas-cooled pebble-bed reactor.
Analyse the thermal-hydraulics of the gaseous coolant in the core.
Explain neutronics and core management with continuous pebble recirculation.
Evaluate inherent safety characteristics and accident scenarios.
Identify the behaviour of graphite and TRISO fuel under irradiation.
Assess coolant chemistry, materials and operating experience.
Prepare a technical study on a gas-cooled high-temperature reactor.
Who it's for
- High-temperature reactor engineer wishing to specialise in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors.
- Gas thermal-hydraulics analyst wishing to specialise in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors.
- Graphite materials engineer wishing to specialise in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors.
- TRISO fuel specialist wishing to specialise in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors.
- Advanced reactor safety engineer wishing to specialise in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors.
- Generation IV reactor researcher wishing to specialise in Pebble-Bed and Gas-Cooled Reactors.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter Generation IV reactors.
What you'll work with
- ASME BPVC Section III, Division 5 (high-temperature and graphite reactors)
- NRC Regulatory Guide 1.232 (design criteria for non-LWR reactors)
- ASTM D7219 (specification for isotropic nuclear graphite)
- ASTM D7301 (nuclear graphite for high fluence)
- KTA 3102 series standards (core design of high-temperature reactors)
- IAEA SSR-2/1 (Rev.1) (design of nuclear power plants)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Direct-cycle principle1.2Essential differences from pressurised water1.3Pressure vessel, steam separators and dryers1.4Internal and external recirculation pumps1.5Recirculation flow as a control means1.6Bottom-entry control rods1.7Pressure suppression containment1.8Design evolution and generations1.9Technology-specific terminology1.10Exercise: tracing the steam path
2.1Subcooled and saturated boiling2.2Void fraction and its axial distribution2.3Two-phase flow and flow regimes2.4Pressure losses in the channel2.5Dryout boiling crisis and associated margin2.6Critical power correlations2.7Flow distribution between channels2.8Channel stability and oscillations2.9Neutronic and thermal-hydraulic coupling2.10Practice: calculating the void profile of a channel
3.1Effect of voids on moderation3.2Negative void coefficient and its role3.3Axial power distribution and its control3.4Rod patterns and withdrawal sequences3.5Fuel management and refuelling3.6Fuel with integral burnable poisons3.7Thermal and linear power limits3.8On-line margin monitoring3.9Power oscillations and their suppression3.10Practice: designing a rod sequence
4.1Emergency coolant injection4.2Automatic depressurisation4.3Main steam isolation4.4Alternative shutdown system and liquid poison4.5Pressure suppression and pool4.6Loss-of-coolant sequences4.7Station blackout4.8Hydrogen generation and filtered venting4.9Severe accident management4.10Practice: analysing an accident sequence
5.1Direct-cycle water chemistry5.2Carry-over of impurities to the turbine5.3Activation and radiation in the steam circuit5.4Radiation protection in the turbine hall5.5Stress corrosion cracking in internals5.6Hydrogen and noble metal injection5.7In-service inspection of the vessel and internals5.8Ageing management5.9Operating experience of the technology5.10Practice: chemistry and surveillance plan
6.1Choice of reference plant6.2Description of the design and its systems6.3Thermal-hydraulic analysis of a channel6.4Thermal margin analysis6.5Core management strategy6.6Analysis of an accident sequence6.7Chemistry and materials programme6.8Improvement proposals6.9Technical report6.10Project defence
How you'll learn
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 period, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Serpent, MCNP, Flownex, OpenFOAM, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real thermal-hydraulic analysis procedures for pebble beds, studies of TRISO fuel behaviour, and a review of operating experience from the AVR, THTR and HTR-PM reactors. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the concept of the gas-cooled pebble-bed reactor.
Analyse the thermal-hydraulics of the gaseous coolant in the core.
Explain neutronics and core management with continuous pebble recirculation.
Evaluate inherent safety characteristics and accident scenarios.
Identify the behaviour of graphite and TRISO fuel under irradiation.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- Spanish at a level sufficient to follow technical standards reading.
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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours a week, compatible with full-time work.
The course uses Serpent, MCNP, Flownex and OpenFOAM. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating 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 recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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