Engineering Which MSc Focus in Nuclear Engineering Best Suits a Future in ADS Research?

AI Thread Summary
Choosing a Master's in nuclear physics for a career in a nuclear engineering company should focus on practical applications relevant to reactor safety and fluid systems. While nuclear physics provides foundational knowledge, it lacks the practical engineering aspects necessary for industry roles, such as accident prevention and thermal hydraulics. The company offers extensive training that may not fully substitute for a formal nuclear engineering degree, which covers essential topics like heat transfer and reactor engineering. Pursuing a specialization in reactor and fluid systems is recommended, especially for those interested in research on advanced systems like Accelerator-Driven Systems (ADS). Ultimately, aligning educational choices with career goals in nuclear engineering will enhance professional development and opportunities.
eXorikos
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What would be a good choice as a MSc in nuclear physics to do in a company specialized in nuclear engineering? Training on nuclear engineering will be provided.

Current proposals are modeling of reactors for severe accidents, modeling for safety and licensing or reactor & fluid systems.

Which of the three option would you advice on choosing if possible?

Is there something I should try and work towards within the company that will help my carreer?
 
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Any specific reason why your just don't get the nuclear engineering masters since the company specializes in it? I'm a nuclear engineering student and believe me when I say nuclear physics is a part of the field but it doesn't really encompass it. The nuclear physics will be able to tell you what's going on inside your core, but it tells you nothing of engineered nuclear systems, or safety,or structure requirements or of standards in the industry. It's just not as practical as the MSc in Nuclear Engineering in my opinion for the jobs you have outlined, where as licensing and thermal hydraulics and accident prevention are covered in nuclear eng. curriculums it's probably not in nuclear physics curriculums
 
As I explained earlier, the company provides extensive training over my first year. Equivalent to the nuclear engineering degree here in Belgium.
 
Well you only learn fundamentals with the degree so unless they are planning to teach you heat transfer, fluid dynamics, reactor engineering concepts and something about materials I wouldn't put a lot of stock into their on the job training equivalent to a NE degree, maybe reactor operation training or modeling or accident prevention. But if you have to choose one I would go with the fluids and reactor systems
 
It's a total of more than 400 hours of courses.
 
I see, well personally I find thermal hydraulics to be interesting which is exactly what reactor engineering is about. You'll most likely run over some of the accident prevention things over the course of study, because a lot of accidents happen because of loss of coolant.
 
eXorikos said:
What would be a good choice as a MSc in nuclear physics to do in a company specialized in nuclear engineering? Training on nuclear engineering will be provided.

Current proposals are modeling of reactors for severe accidents, modeling for safety and licensing or reactor & fluid systems.

Which of the three option would you advice on choosing if possible?

Is there something I should try and work towards within the company that will help my carreer?

What is your end goal? If none, please pick whichever interests you the most. What do you want out of your career in nuclear engineering?
 
Something I would love is to end up in doing research on new systems. I really like the concept ADS for example.

As an outsider, I don't have a good overview of what direction nuclear engineering is going towards. That was something I was hoping to learn here.
 
eXorikos said:
Something I would love is to end up in doing research on new systems. I really like the concept ADS for example.

As an outsider, I don't have a good overview of what direction nuclear engineering is going towards. That was something I was hoping to learn here.
A program in physics, particular with nuclear physics, would be appropriate for work in an ADS. Engineering would also play a component. One still has to maintain control of the process, maintain sturctural integrity, transfer heat, etc, or basically the same functions that one finds in a conventional nuclear plant.

The key difference between ADS and a conventional core is the core configuration, including the driving system for the ADS. Accelerator physis and transport theory are critical aspects.

FYI - http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Current-and-Future-Generation/Accelerator-driven-Nuclear-Energy/
 

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