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Nuclear engineering research in South Africa awarded further funding

26th February 2016

By: Keith Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

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The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom campus announced recently that the National Research Foundation (NRF – a major agency of the Department of Science and Technology) had awarded its School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering a third cycle of funding for the school’s South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) chair in nuclear engineering. The new funding award totals R16-million over five years.

“The first chair was awarded in 2006,” pointed out NWU SARChI nuclear engineering chair Professor Jat du Toit. “This third cycle that has been awarded to us, is proof that the NRF notices the value that our research adds to a specialist field of study. An international panel of experts confirmed that the research of the previous two cycles had been of an exceptional standard, and therefore further funding was approved.” The money will be used to fund a range of activities and operations. These will include bursaries for PhD and master’s students, research, equipment, salaries, travel costs and workshop and conference fees.

“Through our research, we want to gain better insight into the processes that occur at [sic] nuclear reactors,” he explained. “We have to develop improved simulation equipment so that we can contribute to the improvement of nuclear technology. We are also tasked to explore the position that nuclear power can take in the blend of energy sources. This can only be to the advantage of industries and every consumer.”

The main focus of the research will not be on the design of nuclear reactors, but on the computer modelling of reactor neutronics and thermohydraulics. (Neutronics refers to the behaviour of neutrons in a reactor’s core, while thermohydraulics is concerned with heat flow within the reactor.) The research results will be used to create computer simulations of how particular reactors behave under differing conditions. “It can help us identify problems at the reactors and find solutions for such problems,” he highlighted.

The university also reported that the NRF believes that its School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering is well able to further develop and improve current technology and could make important international contributions. “We are not busy with research to build atom bombs, we are exploring an alternative, much-needed way of energy supply and improving related technology,” affirmed Du Toit. “The main objective of the chair will be to do world-class research and add value to the training of highly specialised engineers in order to meet the needs of the community. The emphasis is on new-generation light water and high temperature gas-cooled reactors with improved safety and efficiency properties.”

NWU noted that, while nuclear reactors are very expensive to build, they are, in the long run, more sustainable than coal-fired power stations. Nuclear power plants (NPPs) have lower running costs and are cleaner than coal ones. Moreover, they have little or no carbon footprint and wastes are limited. There are currently three operational nuclear reactors in South Africa. Two are nuclear power units at the Koeberg NPP, near Cape Town, and the third is a much smaller research reactor at Pelindaba, west of Pretoria.

The SARChI programme was set up to develop research excellence and innovation at the country’s universities. This is being done by means of setting up research chairs with long-term funding lines. The main intents of the programme are to increase the country’s innovation and research capability; recruit and retain world-class scientists and other researchers; increase the number of master’s and PhD graduates; establish careers in research for young scientists, engineers and other specialists, with a strong output of research results; and, while never forgetting South Africa’s socioeconomic challenges, boost international research and competitiveness.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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