Understanding Nuclear Power

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is intended for those with a basic understanding of nuclear energy. You’ll need to be familiar with the following concepts: protons, neutrons, elements, isotopes; the difference between nuclear fission energy and nuclear fusion energy; alpha, beta and gamma radiation; radioactive decay; the difference between momentum and kinetic energy; the separate roles played by conduction and convection in heat transfer; the basic concept of a nuclear reactor; and finally the probability of four coin tosses yielding four ‘heads’ results. If you’re new to this area we’d suggest trying The Science of Nuclear Energy course first. You can use the hashtag #FLNuclearPower to talk about this course on social media.

• The drivers for nuclear energy as a power option, the ‘Energy Policy Trilemma’.
• Nuclear fission, how a nuclear chain reaction is started and controlled.
• The features of a pressurised water reactor, the dominant design for nuclear power generation.
• Fuel cycles, from extraction to disposal, and the implications for proliferation and waste management.
• The nature of a nuclear safety culture and how past incidents inform present practice.
• The role of nuclear in a mixed mode power solution, and the achievement of governmental environmental policy.
• The business risks of developing new nuclear capacity and the necessary conditions in a liberalised energy market to promote new builds.