TU Delft considers it important to contribute to the safe application of nuclear energy in the Netherlands through good nuclear education and research. To this end, a total of four new chairs in the field of nuclear energy will be filled. Two chairs in the areas of Radiation Dosimetry and Nuclear Reactor Physics are embedded at the TU Delft Reactor Institute of the Faculty of Applied Sciences (TNW), while the chairs in Nuclear Energy Technology and Nuclear Materials are housed at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (ME). Recently, the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth granted subsidies for the chairs in Nuclear Reactor Physics, Nuclear Energy Technology and Nuclear Materials. For the chair in the field of Radiation Dosimetry, a grant was previously provided by the then Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.
Training nuclear engineers and experts
With this strengthening of nuclear education and research, TU Delft aims to make a major contribution to the training of nuclear engineers and experts in support of the government's plans to expand the number of nuclear power plants in the Netherlands. PhD students will also be appointed for nuclear research and to assist students with their graduation projects.
Mechanical Engineering
With the new chairs, the Mechanical Engineering faculty is building a bridge between mechanical engineering and its specific application for nuclear power generation. The Nuclear Energy Technology chair will be embedded within the Department of Process & Energy. The focus will be on developing new designs, such as small modular reactors, and integration into the Dutch energy infrastructure.
The Materials Sciences and Engineering (MSE) department will house the chair Materials Science for Nuclear Reactors. Materials in nuclear applications are exposed to extreme conditions, such as high temperatures and radiation doses. New nuclear systems typically lead to even more extreme conditions for the material. Being able to extend the lifetime of materials is of great importance, but most importantly, being able to predict accurately on a timescale relevant to nuclear systems. The newly appointed professors will also ensure a new generation of mechanical engineers with solid basic knowledge of nuclear technology.
Radiation Science & Technology
The Radiation Science & Technology department has unique expertise in the use of ionising radiation such as positrons and neutrons for research and education. It has direct access to a research reactor equipped with advanced beamline instruments, irradiation facilities and radiological laboratories, and to the HollandPTC where a proton beam can be used for research.
In addition to innovative and sustainable nuclear energy, research focuses on materials science for energy conversion and storage, health technology for imaging and diagnostics, radionuclide therapy and proton therapy. The department offers education to students in physics, chemistry and biomedical sciences.
This article was first published on 3 February by TU Delft.
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