NRNU
Moscow Engineering Physics Institute
OVERVIEW OF
CURRICULA IN THERMAL
PHYSICS
Vladimir S. Kharitonov
VSKharitonov@mephi.ru
NRNU
Moscow Engineering Physics
Institute
Faculty:
“Physics and technology”
Department:
“Thermal Physics” (was founded in 1947)
Academician I.I. Novikov - first rector of MEPhI and the
department founder
Academician V.I. Subbotin Head of the Department of
Thermal Physics (1979-1989)
Director IPPE (Obninsk), Professor V.I. Rachkov Head of
the Department of Thermal at present time
The Department trains:

Engineer-Physicists in nuclear reactors and power
installations (nuclear engineering, 5.5 years),

Bachelors in Technical Physics (nuclear engineering,
4 years)

Master of Science in Technical Physics (Thermal
Physics of nuclear reactors--nuclear engineering, 2
years)
The department program of study provides:
 High
level of fundamental training in physics
and mathematics (1-6 semesters)
 Broad knowledge of thermal aspects of
nuclear reactors and nuclear engineering
(5-10 semesters)
 Full scale laboratory practice and internship
Engineer degree candidates of Thermal
Physics department specialize in one of
three alternative specializations:
Thermal
Physics of nuclear power
installations
Energy sources and perspective
conversion methods
Systems of safety control of nuclear power
installations
“Thermal Physics of nuclear power
installations”
CURRICULUM (semester 5)
Duration (hour per week) Form of
control
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Atomic physics
2
2
-
4
exam
Measurements of thermophysical
parameters
1
-
1
2
test
Computational thermophysics (1)
1
-
1
2
test
Thermal properties of materials
2
-
1
3
exam
Technical and non-equilibrium
thermodynamics
2
2
2
6
exam
“Thermal Physics of nuclear
power installations”
CURRICULUM (semester 6)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Hydrodynamics fundamentals
2
2
-
4
exam
Nuclear physics
2
-
1
3
exam
Heat and mass transfer
fundamentals
2
2
2
6
exam
Basic neutron physics
2
2
-
4
test
Computational thermophysics (2)
1
-
2
3
test
Power equipment of NPP
2
1
1
4
exam
“Thermal Physics of nuclear power
installations”
CURRICULUM (semester 7)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Hydrodynamics of nuclear
reactors
2
-
2
4
exam
Materials of nuclear reactors
2
-
-
2
test
Training research activity
-
-
5
5
test
Nuclear reactor theory
2
1
1
4
test
Power equipment of NPP (training
design activity)
-
-
2
2
test
Nuclear power installations (1)
2
1
1
4
exam
Nuclear reactor physics
2
-
-
2
exam
Heat transfer theory
2
2
2
6
exam
“Thermal Physics of nuclear power
installations”
CURRICULUM (semester 8)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Reactor design (training design
activity)
-
-
2
2
test
Nuclear reactor theory (2)
2
2
1
5
exam
Training research activity
-
-
4
4
test
Control and measurement in
nuclear reactors
2
-
2
4
exam
NPP metrology
2
-
-
2
exam
Nuclear power installations (2)
2
-
1
3
exam
Nuclear reactor physics (2)
1
-
4
5
exam
“Thermal Physics of nuclear power
installations”
CURRICULUM (semester 9)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Safety assurance (training design
activity)
-
-
1
1
test
Two phase flows
2
-
1
3
exam
Training research activity
-
-
4
4
test
Nuclear power industry ecology
and economy
3
-
2
5
exam
Calculation methods of transient
physical processes
2
2
-
4
exam
Nuclear technologies and fuel
cycle
2
1
-
3
test
Nuclear reactor safety systems
2
-
1
3
exam
“Thermal Physics of nuclear power
installations”
CURRICULUM (semesters 10-11)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec. Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Training research activity
-
6
-
6
exam
Actual problem of thermal physics
2
2
-
4
exam
Actual problem of exploitation NPP
2
1
3
exam
Final State examination
1
1
2
EXAM
Internship at MEPhI reactor
Internship at the research centers or
at the Department
Thesis preparation
2 weeks
test
May - September
test
October - February
EXAM
Master of Science Graduate
Programs in nuclear engineering:
 Thermal
Physics of nuclear reactors
“Thermal Physics of nuclear
reactors”
CURRICULUM (semester 9)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Technical thermodynamics
2
1
-
3
exam
Hydrodynamics and heat transfer
in NPP
3
3
-
6
exam
Nuclear reactor theory
5
5
2
12
exam
Nuclear reactor experimental
physics
5
-
6
11
test
Nuclear power industry economy
2
1
-
3
exam
Reactor control systems
2
1
-
3
test
Neutron transport theory
2
2
-
4
test
NPP installations
2
-
-
2
exam
“Thermal Physics of nuclear
reactors”
CURRICULUM (semester 10)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Lab.
Total
Form of
control
Thermophysical calculations and
design of NPP
3
1
1
5
exam
Control and measurements in
nuclear reactors
1
1
1
3
exam
Thermal physics of fuel rods
2
1
-
3
exam
Methods of transient thermal
processes investigations
2
-
1
3
exam
Two phase flows in NPP
2
1
-
3
exam
NPP safety systems
-
3
-
3
exam
Training research activity
3
-
-
3
test
“Thermal Physics of nuclear
reactors”
CURRICULUM (semester 11-12)
Duration (hour per week)
Course title
Lec.
Prac.
Nuclear reactors thermohydraulic
modeling
4
2
-
6
exam
Nuclear cross-sections
3
-
-
3
exam
Physical features of modern
nuclear reactors
2
-
-
2
test
Nuclear technologies and fuel cycle
3
-
-
3
exam
Training research activity
-
4
-
4
exam
Internship, thesis preparation and
defense
Lab.
12 semester
Total
Form of
control
EXAM
Laboratories








Thermodynamics
Heat transfer
Thermal properties
Two phase flows
Soft computer technologies for
thermohydraulic and accident
analysis in NPP
Swirling flows modeling
IRT-2000 (research reactor)
Training simulation systems
laboratory
Student Research Activity

Modeling of thermohydraulic processes
in different reactor’s core (VVER,
RBMK, FR, IRT).
 Transient heat transfer investigations.
 The analysis of boiling crisis
conditions.
 Calculation support of experimental
investigations.
 New concepts of reactor core
thermohydraulic analysis (HTGR,
VVER, BREST, FR).
Student Research Activity








Thermal properties measurements
of nuclear reactor materials.
New physical methods in reactor
instrumentation.
Mathematical models and
computational studies of swirling
flows.
Asymmetric hydromechanics of
porous body.
Methods of heat transfer
enhancement.
Fluid mechanics.
Neural networks technologies in
nuclear applications.
Benchmark calculations.
Sites of Student Internship
Activity
RRC “Kurchatov Institute”.
 IPPE, Obninsk.
 OKB “GIDROPRESS”, Podolsk.
 The Scientific Research Institute of
Inorganic Materials.
 JSC “TVEL”.
 ENIKO TSO.
 The Russian academy of sciences.
 JSC “Energoatom”.
 Russian Federal Nuclear Center
VNIIEF (Sarov).

Scientific work of The Department
Experimental definition a component of a tensor of
hydraulic resistance
η
y
ξ
y
h
h
n
α
0
l z
lнач
0
b
x
lкон
Р, 105 Па
П-
П+
~
k 
 k

 ki j    0
 0

0
k
0
~
~ ~ n
k  k zz  k yz z
ny
pпр d Г
~
k zz 
lu02
~
p d
k yz   поп 2 Г
hu0
~ ~ cos 
 k zz  k yz
sin 
0 

0 
k 
~
~ ~ 1  nz2 ~ ~ sin 
k  k zz  k yz
 k zz  k yz
n y nz
cos 
cos2 φ
Scientific work of The Department
Modeling of thermohydraulic processes in different
reactor’s core (VVER, RBMK, FR, IRT)
Program complex TRETON
1.00
0.50
334.00
334.00
330.00
330.00
328.00
328.00
326.00
326.00
324.00
324.00
322.00
322.00
314.00
314.00
0.00
-0.50
-1.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
Scientific work of The Department
Transient heat transfer investigations.
The analysis of boiling crisis conditions.
Scientific work of The Department
Swirling flows modeling
Scientific work of The Department





Thermal properties and modern methods of measurements
Thermal expansion – interferometr of Fizo
Thermal conductivity – stationary method, pulse methods
Thermal capacity – calorimetr with an isotermal cover, pulse
methods
Elastic modules – ultrasonic methods.
10
9
Вт/(мК)
8
7
Thermal conductivity of UO2 with
ultradisperse fractions
6
5
4
T, K
3
80 90100
200
300
400
Staff of the Department
Full-time Professors – 4
 Full-time Associate Professors – 10
 Teachers
–2
 Researchers – 5

Post-graduate students – 6-8
Post graduate education is possible after graduating
of engineer or master degree program.
THANK YOU