HALEU Criticality Modelling for Deconversion Process Design and Safety
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The University of Manchester is offering a 3.5-year fully funded PhD Studentship titled “HALEU Criticality Modelling for Deconversion Process Design and Safety.” The project start date is October 2026.
Project Description: This research project focuses on improving the fundamental understanding and safety assessment of High-Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) processing, with a primary emphasis on the deconversion stage where uranium hexafluoride gas is transformed into solid uranium compounds for use in advanced nuclear fuels. Next-generation reactor technologies, including advanced modular reactors, depend heavily on HALEU fuels. A critical challenge in handling HALEU is ensuring criticality safety—understanding and controlling neutron behaviour within uranium-containing systems to prevent unintended criticality events.
Key Responsibilities & Activities: • Utilize advanced computational tools, including Monte Carlo neutron transport codes, to model criticality behaviour under specific deconversion process conditions. • Investigate how parameters such as temperature, material distribution, powder accumulation, phase changes, and chemical processing conditions impact neutron multiplication during deconversion operations. • Develop detailed criticality models that accurately represent industrial equipment and operating environments. • Use models to improve the understanding of safety margins and directly inform the design and operation of future UK fuel cycle facilities. • Collaborate closely with the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory and engage with specialists working on advanced fuel cycle technologies, including visits to laboratory and industrial facilities.
Career Development: The computational modelling and Monte Carlo simulation skills gained throughout this project are highly transferable and sought after across the nuclear sector, including uranium deconversion, nuclear fuel manufacturing, and criticality safety broadly.]
[Eligibility Criteria: • Open to candidates eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK Home rate. • Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a Master’s degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline. • Applications from a wide range of academic backgrounds are welcomed, including nuclear engineering, physics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, mathematics, and related fields.]
[Required expertise/skills: • Strong interest in reactor physics, criticality safety, and computational nuclear engineering. • Ability to conduct advanced technical modelling and quantitative analysis. • Experience in computational modelling is beneficial but not essential, as full technical training will be provided throughout the PhD project.]
[Salary details: Full tuition fees paid plus an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27, with annual increases expected over the 3.5-year duration).]
[Application Deadline: November 4, 2026 (Advertised on August 4, 2026; early application is recommended as advert may close early upon appointment)]