Course on Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation
Online course of 300 h in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation. 6 modules covering ASME BPVC Section III, Division 4 (fusion energy device components), IAEA SSR-2/1 (Rev. 1) (safety of nuclear power plants: design) and MCNP. Dedicated tutor and enrolment open.
Course on Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation — 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 10 200 (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
Explain the concept of a fission-fusion hybrid system and its applications.
Calculate the neutronic parameters of a subcritical blanket.
Analyse the fusion source requirements for a hybrid system.
Evaluate thermal-hydraulic behaviour and energy conversion.
Identify the specific safety, waste and safeguards aspects.
Apply neutron transport and activation tools.
Develop a conceptual design of a hybrid system.
Who it's for
- Neutronics engineer looking to specialise in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation.
- Advanced reactor design engineer looking to specialise in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation.
- Nuclear fusion researcher looking to specialise in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation.
- Thermal-hydraulics engineer looking to specialise in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation.
- Nuclear safety analyst looking to specialise in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation.
- Licensing specialist looking to specialise in Hybrid Fission-Fusion Power Generation.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into fusion research.
What you'll work with
- ASME BPVC Section III, Division 4 (fusion energy device components)
- IAEA SSR-2/1 (Rev. 1) (safety of nuclear power plants: design)
- ANSI/ANS-8.1 (nuclear criticality safety outside reactors)
- IAEA GSR Part 4 (Rev. 1) (safety assessment)
- Directive 2014/87/Euratom (nuclear safety)
- IAEA GSR Part 5 (predisposal management of radioactive waste)
- INFCIRC/153 (safeguards)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1History of the concept: the proposals of Bethe and Sakharov1.2Fusion neutron source and subcritical blanket1.3Energy multiplication in the blanket1.4Fusion Q factor required in a hybrid1.5Comparison with ADS systems1.6Applications: energy, transmutation and fuel breeding1.7Current debate and programmes in China and Russia1.8Advantages and limitations versus pure fission1.9Non-proliferation aspects of the hybrid1.10Case study: energy balance of a conceptual hybrid
2.1Subcritical multiplication factor ks2.2The 14 MeV spectrum and threshold reactions2.3Multiplication by (n,2n) and fast fission2.4External source and gain calculation2.5Fuels: uranium, thorium and minor actinides2.6Tritium breeding in the blanket2.7Burn-up and isotopic evolution2.8Transport codes for hybrid blankets2.9Validation with blanket experiments2.10Lab: multiplication calculation with a simplified model
3.1Compact tokamak as a neutron source3.2Magnetic mirrors and linear configurations3.3Inertial confinement fusion sources3.4Neutron wall loading3.5Availability and load factor3.6FDS designs from China's ASIPP3.7Livermore's LIFE concept3.8Georgia Tech's SABR design3.9Source-blanket geometric interaction3.10Practice: sizing a neutron source for a blanket
4.1Coolants: helium, sodium, lead-lithium and salts4.2Heat extraction from the blanket4.3Power distribution and density peaks4.4Brayton and Rankine power cycles4.5Balance of plant and recirculating power4.6Net system efficiency4.7Decay heat management4.8Compatible structural materials4.9Magnetohydrodynamic coupling4.10Case study: balance of plant of a 1000 MWt hybrid
5.1Inherent safety of the subcritical system5.2Loss-of-source transients5.3Radioactive inventory compared with a fission reactor5.4Transmutation of minor actinides5.5Tritium inventory and confinement5.6Safeguards applied to the hybrid5.7Fission and fusion regulatory frameworks5.8Economics and feasibility of the concept5.9Critical assessment and alternatives5.10Workshop: comparative safety analysis
6.1Defining the hybrid's mission6.2Selecting the fusion source6.3Blanket and fuel design6.4Neutronic multiplication calculation6.5Energy and thermal-hydraulic balance6.6Safety and waste analysis6.7Feasibility assessment6.8Design summary6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake period, making it easy to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The software used is MCNP, Serpent, OpenMC, FISPACT-II, COMSOL Multiphysics, in free, academic or trial versions. Testing is studied through real procedures from neutronic calculation of a subcritical blanket, energy balance of a hybrid system, actinide transmutation analysis. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus a final capstone project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the concept of a fission-fusion hybrid system and its applications.
Calculate the neutronic parameters of a subcritical blanket.
Analyse the fusion source requirements for a hybrid system.
Evaluate thermal-hydraulic behaviour and energy conversion.
Identify the specific safety, waste and safeguards aspects.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No previous qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- A level of 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 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with MCNP, Serpent, OpenMC, FISPACT-II, COMSOL Multiphysics. Free, academic or trial versions are used, and your tutor will point out a free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the capstone project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state-accredited degree.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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