UN806P – Nuclear Fuel Engineering
Short Course
Nuclear Fuel Engineering
March 2026 Version
Date
March 21-22, 2026
Time
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET
Location
Delivered live online via Zoom
Cost
Members $600.00
Non-Members $1,200.00
About the Course
This short-course covers the high-level topics in the full course UN806 Nuclear Fuel Engineering in a condensed format. Topics include the nuclear fuel cycle, fuel design and components, fuel manufacturing, in-reactor behaviour, failure modes and effects analyses, fuel behaviour under design basis and severe accident conditions, and fuel qualification.
In this course you will be learning from Dr. Markus H.A. Piro, Associate Professor, McMaster University, Engineering Physics , contact pirom@mcmaster.ca for more information.
Who Can Join
This course is open to everyone, not just UNENE students. But please note—spaces are limited and registration is open only to participants currently residing in Canada.
What to Expect
COURSE OUTCOMES:
On the successful completion of the course, students will be introduced/refreshed to/on the following:
1. Understand important phenomena pertinent to nuclear fuel behaviour in-reactor under normal operating conditions.
2. Learn common fuel failure mechanisms of practical interest to safety in the nuclear industry and strategies that have been used to mitigate them.
3. Study strategies to mitigate fuel failures and learn best practices from reported operational experiences (OPEX).
4. Study nuclear fuel behaviour in multiple reactor types, including CANDU, Light Water Reactors, and other advanced fuel technologies.
TEXTBOOKS (for reference)
- M. Tayal, M. Gacesa, “Fuel”, in: Wm. J. Garland (ed), The Essential CANDU, A Textbook on the CANDU Nuclear Power Plant Technology, UNENE.
- M.H.A. Piro, Advances in Nuclear Fuel Chemistry, Elsevier (2020).
TOPICS COVERED:
- Overview of the nuclear fuel cycle
- Fuel design and manufacturing
- Fuel performance
- Fuel failure modes and effects analyses
- Fuel behaviour under accident conditions
- GenIV/SMR fuels
- Spent fuel behaviour and disposal
EVALUATION
Students have two options with regards to the completion of this course:
- Certificate of Participation
- Certificate of Completion
Option A simply requires participation in this two-day course, while Option B also requires an evaluation in the form of a test. The test will be issued the following weekend to students opting for Option B, which will involve a series of questions based on content covered in this short course and will be returned to the instructor via e-mail at the end of the exam (i.e., no later than 15 min following the end of the exam). The instructor will be in attendance on Zoom during the exam in case if any students have clarification questions. Student questions will be posted using chat messaging.
SCHEDULE
The schedule below should be viewed as an approximation. All times given are in EST.
March 21, 2026
|
1. Introduction and administration 1.1 Safety brief 1.2 Round table introductions 1.3 Course objectives, outcomes, and scope |
9:00 – 9:15 |
|
2. Overview of the nuclear fuel cycle 2.1 Mining and milling 2.2 Refining and conversion 2.3 Enrichment 2.4 Fuel manufacturing 2.5 In-reactor behaviour 2.6 Wet and dry storage 2.7 Reprocessing and recycling 2.8 Disposal |
9:15 – 10:30 |
| Break | 10:30 – 10:45 |
|
3. Fuel design and manufacturing 3.1 CANDU fuel design 3.2 PWR fuel design 3.3 BWR fuel design 3.4 CANDU fuel and fuel bundle manufacturing |
10:45 – 12:00
|
| Lunch | 12:00 – 13:00 |
|
4. Fuel performance 4.1 Overview of CANDU fuel performance 4.2 Thermal behaviour 4.3 Mechanical behaviour |
13:00 – 14:15 |
| Break | 14:15 – 14:30 |
|
5. Fuel performance continued 5.1 Fission product behaviour 5.2 Fission product release 5.3 Fuel chemistry |
14:30 – 15:45 |
| Discussion and wrap-up | 15:45 – 16:00 |
March 22, 2026
|
6. Failure modes and effects analysis 6.1 Industry OPEX 6.2 Pellet Cladding Interaction 6.3 Fuel manufacturing 6.4 Corrosion/CRUD 6.5 Debris fretting |
9:00 – 10:30 |
| Break | 10:30 – 10:45 |
|
7. Accident conditions 7.1 Overview of classifications 7.2 Loss Of Coolant Accidents (LOCA) 7.3 Brief overview of Fukushima |
10:45 – 12:00
|
| Lunch | 12:00 – 13:00 |
|
8. SMR fuels 8.1 Overview of SMR fuels 8.2 TRISO fuel 8.3 Metallic fuel 8.4 Molten salt fuel |
13:00 – 14:15 |
| Break | 14:15 – 14:30 |
|
9. Spent fuel storage and disposal 9.1 Introduction to spent fuel 9.2 Wet storage 9.3 Dry storage 9.4 Disposal |
14:30 – 15:45 |
| Discussion and wrap-up | 15:45 – 16:00 |
March 28, 2026 (Subject to change)
|
Exam Only for students opting for Certification of Completion |
12:00-1:00 pm |
How to Register
Need help with anything? Reach out anytime at info@unene.ca.
Course Fees
Standard Rate – Non-Member Organizations
Member Organizations: AECL, Atkins-Réalis, Bruce Power, Clean Core Thorium Energy, CNL, CNSC, COG, Ecole Polytechique Montreal, Kinectrics, McMaster University, NBPower, NRCan, NWMO, Ontario Tech University, OPG, Queen’s University, Royal Military College of Canada, University of Guelph, University of Manitoba, University of New Brunswick, University of Ottawa, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Windsor, Western University, University of Calgary, University of Alberta.
Non-Member Organizations: All other organizations
Refunds & Cancellations
Life happens—we get it. You can cancel up to 2 days before the course for a full refund. After that, we’re unable to offer refunds or provide materials to no-shows.
📧 To request a refund or ask a question, email info@unene.ca.
For more information or any further assistance regarding course or admission, you can visit us at unene@mcmaster.ca.