Packaging University

• University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Packaging:  In 2016, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department began offering a 9-credit Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Packaging (GCNP).  It developed this certificate in coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy's Packaging Certification Program (DOE PCP).  The Certificate and its courses have been approved by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Redmond, WA.
  
  The GCNP provides a curriculum in packaging for nuclear and other radioactive materials that complements graduate programs in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Materials Engineering and is more applied-knowledge-based than research based.  The admission requirements is an earned baccalaureate degree in mechanical, materials, nuclear or a closely-related engineering field, or a baccalaureate degree and background in project management related to packaging of nuclear and other radioactive materials.
  
  The goals of the certificate program are to (a) to encourage students to complete a curriculum in packaging safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive materials that has both depth and breadth, and (b) provide a graduate-level curriculum designed to give students an advantage when seeking employment or advancement in the area of packaging of nuclear and other radioactive materials, or related fields.
  
  The following nine courses were developed and are offered on a regular basis for DOE PCP by the Argonne (ANL), Lawrence Livermore (LLNL), Oak Ridge (ORNL), Sandia (SNL), and Savannah River (SRNL) National Laboratories, etc.; and the courses are assigned the following UNR NP (Nuclear Packaging) course numbers (the former ME course numbers are also shown):
  
  1. NP 600 (formerly ME 691) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Pressure Vessel Code for Nuclear Transport and Storage [offered at ANL (pending accreditation by state of IL) or UNR]
  2. NP 601 (formerly ME 692) Quality Assurance (QA) for Radioactive Material Packaging and Storage Casks [offered at ANL (pending accreditation by state of IL) or UNR]
  3. NP 602 (formerly ME 695) SARP Review and Confirmatory Analysis, 2 credits (offered at LLNL)
  4. NP 603 (formerly ME 696) Management of Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) Preparation, 1 credit (offered at SRNL)
  5. NP 605 (formerly ME 698) Thermal Modeling and Testing of RAM Packages, 1 credit (offered at SNL)
  6. NP 607 (formerly ME 690) Radiation and Nuclear Criticality Analysis of RAM, 1 credit (offered only at ORNL)
  7. NP 608 (formerly ME 697) Radioactive Material Package Operations and Leak Testing, 1 credit (offered at SRNL)
  8. NP 610 (formerly ME 694D) Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security - Domestic [offered at ANL (pending accreditation by state of IL) or UNR]
  9. NP 611 (formerly ME 694I) Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security - International [offered at ANL (pending accreditation by state of IL) or UNR]
  
  In addition the following six 3-credit courses, offered by the ME and Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) programs at UNR, are part of the curriculum.
  
  10. ME 675 Introduction to Combustion  
  11. MSE 601 Corrosion of Metals
  12. MSE 665 Nuclear Power Fundamentals
  13. MSE 666 Nuclear Fuel Cycle
  14. MSE 667 Radiation Detection and Measurement 
  15. MSE 668 Nuclear Materials.
  
  Students may take the following internship course at national laboratory, nuclear industry or government sites
  
  16. NP 640 (formerly ME 699 ) Nuclear Packaging Internships, 3 credits
  
  In July 2020, UNR approved the following two new 1-credit elective courses.
  
  17. NP 620 Fundamentals of Nuclear Security, 1 credit, developed by Sandia National Laboratories
  18. NP 630 Fundamentals of Nuclear Safeguards, 1 credit, developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  
  Students who enroll in these DOE PCP classes will receive UNR graduate credit if they: (1) Gain special graduate admission to UNR, (2) Enroll in the UNR course and pay tuition, and (3) Pass the course. These credits may be applied toward graduate degrees at UNR or any other university that accepts that credit.
  
  If students receive a C grade or better in a class, then the student will be able to use the credits toward UNR’s 9-credit GCNP. To earn the Certificate, students must complete NP 600, ​NP 6​01 and ​NP 6​02, which are required.  They must take 5 additional elective credits from the above list.  Finally, to earn the GCNP, students must earn least a B average in the courses.
  
  For more information regarding admission and application to the UNR program, call Mechanical Engineering at (775) 784-6931 or contact Dr. Miles Greiner directly at (775) 784-4873, greiner@unr.edu.
  
  The information above and professional benefits of the GCNP Program are presented in the Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Packaging brochure that can be downloaded by clicking here (opens PDF).

• University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Certificate in Transportation Security and Safeguards: UNR is currently working with national laboratory content experts to establish a new 9-credit Graduate Certificate in Transportation Security and Safeguards (GCTSS).  Security and safeguards of nuclear and radioactive materials must be maintained at all times during their life cycle, especially during transportation.  Packaging is central to this effort.  The new certificate will take advantage of courses that UNR and the national labs have established for the GCNP.  The new GCTSS will require the following four courses, which present essential information and skills, NP 620 (Fundamentals of Nuclear Security), ME 630 (Fundamentals of Nuclear Safeguards), NP 600 (American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Pressure Vessel Code for Nuclear Transport and Storage), and either ME 610 (Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security-Domestic) or ME 611 (Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security-International).  The GCTSS curriculum will also require 5 credits of electives, from a family of courses and the nuclear packaging internship. ​

• FY 2021 Course Schedule: Listed below are the Packaging Certification Program (PCP) courses planned in FY 2021.   Registration information and course fees will be emailed to RAMPAC subscribers (click here and follow the instructions to be added to the RAMPAC email list) and posted on this page when the registration websites are activated.  Note to DOE/DOE Contractors:  DOE PCP courses are an exempted event and therefore are not subject to the conference management approval and reporting process. (see Exemption approval for PCP_Courses_FY21)

Click on a Course title in the Table below to see the full course description and registration information.

• NP 600 - ASME Pressure Vessel Code for Nuclear Transport and Storage, to be offered date/location (TBD):  The objective of this 4.5-day course is to help participants gain an understanding of the regulatory basis, current design practice, and engineering rationale for applying the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code to the packaging and transportation of radioactive material and the storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste. Course highlights include lectures on the following: overview of federal regulations that govern (1) packaging and transportation of radioactive material and (2) dry cask storage systems for spent nuclear fuel; DOE Orders and NRC guidance documents, including standard review plans, regulatory guides, and NUREG reports; DOE/NRC lessons learned from certifying transportation packages and licensing dry cask storage systems; discussion of the ASME Code, with emphasis on Section III, Division 3, Containments for Transportation and Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High Level Radioactive Material and Waste, and discussion of Section III, Division 1; Section VIII, Division 1; and Sections II, IX, and XI; code and non-Code materials, containment loadings, design considerations with emphasis on design-by-analysis rules, and design of internal support structures; fabrication, welding, examination, quality assurance, test requirements, design qualification by physical testing, and containment/confinement requirements for leakage rates; structural, thermal, containment/confinement; shielding and criticality safety analysis considerations; aging management programs and time-limited aging analyses; and inspection and monitoring technologies.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Dr. Zenghu Han at (630) 252-8255 or zhhan@anl.gov.


• NP 601 - QA for Radioactive Material Packaging, to be offered date/location (TBD):  The objective of this one-week course is to help participants gain a working knowledge of the quality assurance (QA) principles and methods for satisfying those regulatory safety requirements for packagings and casks used in the transportation and storage of radioactive material, including spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste.  Course highlights include the following: overview of federal regulations that govern (1) packaging and transportation of radioactive material and (2) dry cask storage systems for spent nuclear fuel; DOE Orders and NRC guidance documents, including Regulatory Guides, NUREG reports, and Standard Review Plans; ASME NQA-1 requirements on organization, quality assurance program, design control, inspection, test control, corrective action, and others; test requirements: ASME Code & 10 CFR 71/72 and Best Practices in Type B Packaging Testing; ANSI N14.5 Leakage Rate Testing; commercial-grade dedication and software QA; graded approach to establish QA requirements for components important to safety (small-group exercise); lessons-learned from QA audits and inspections at facilities using packagings and casks; DOE Quality Assurance Approval Program (QAAP) for transportation packagings; and DOE PCP packaging certification process and lessons learned.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Dr. Zenghu Han at (630) 252-8255 or zhhan@anl.gov.


• NP 602 - Methods for Reviewing Safety Analysis Reports for Packages and Performing Confirmatory Analysis, 2 credits ($2,200 tuition and course materials), August 10-13 & 16-19, 2021, Livermore, CA:  This course addresses the nine chapters of a Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP):
  
     1.  General Information
     2.  Structural
     3.  Thermal
     4.  Containment
     5.  Shielding
     6.  Criticality
     7.  Package Operations
     8.  Acceptance Tests and Maintenance Program
     9.  Quality Assurance
  
  The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has presented this Course since 1986.  This course has a focus on Type ”B” Radioactive Material Transportation Packages as defined in Title 10 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations, Part 71 (10 CFR 71).
  
  Prospective students should have a minimum of a B.S. in nuclear, chemical, or mechanical engineering, or equivalent education or experience.  
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact ​Ashley Mata at (925) 422-7249 or mata5@llnl.gov.  


• NP 603 - Management of SARP Preparation, to be offered in FY21 at the University of South Carolina - Aiken, Aiken, SC:  This course provides a basic understanding of the steps necessary to manage the development, submission, and utilization of a Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP).  This course covers: the regulatory requirements, guidance, and applicable codes and standards used during the development of the SARP; templates for the development of the SARP writing team and for estimating the scope, schedule, and cost associated with the development of the SARP; various ways to evaluate radioactive material packages as well as format and write the SARP; the internal and external reviews associated with a SARP, as well as interaction with the regulatory body that reviews the SARP for completeness; and the processes associated with renewals, exceptions, special permits, and decertifications.  Prospective participants include DOE and its contractors and other agency and industry personnel who are responsible for SARP management; SARP leads, writers, and developers; engineers and package designers; and others who support Type B and fissile radioactive material packaging and transportation operations.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Dr. Ed Ketusky at (803) 725-2641 or edward.ketusky@srnl.doe.gov.  


• NP 605 - Thermal Modeling and Testing of RAM Packages, to be offered in the week of May 17, 2021, Albuquerque, NM:  The DOE Packaging Certification Program (PCP) is sponsoring the 4^th annual course on Thermal Modeling and Testing of RAM Packages.  This course provides a comprehensive overview on thermal modeling & analysis and testing practices used to evaluate radioactive material (RAM) packages for certification by DOE or NRC.  The course provides a technical discussion of the following topics:
  
     •   regulatory requirements,
     •   instrumentation, design and performance of thermal testing, including open pool fire, radiant heat, and furnace testing
     •   measurements, and uncertainty,
     •   heat transfer modeling,
     •   computational fluids dynamics (fire) modeling,
     •   phenomena identification and ranking technique (PIRT), and
     •   Safety Analysis Report for Packages (SARP) issues.
  
  The Course will be delivered over four days.  Course activities include the certification analysis of RAM packages and exposure to instrumentation installation with field applications.  The course is taught by staff actively engaged in package testing and analysis at Sandia National Laboratories.  These instructors will also provide virtual tours and videos of the Sandia test facilities, such as the Thermal Test Complex and Lurance Canyon Burn Site, and lead in-depth technical discussions of practices and lessons learned at these test sites and from many years of modeling experience.  A written exam will be administered and reviewed at the end of the course.  The course testing is open to US and non‐US Citizens.  The number of participants is limited to 20.
  
  Prospective participants should be DOE employees and contractors, and other agency and industry personnel who are responsible for designing, evaluating, or testing Type B and fissile material transportation packages, as well as for preparing or reviewing the associated safety analysis reports.  Technical background is desired, but not required.  
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Victoria Zamora at (505) 845-7738 or vezamor@sandia.gov.


• NP 607 - Radiation and Nuclear Criticality Analysis of RAM Packages, 1 credit ($1,500 tuition and course materials), March 1-5, 2021, offered remotely by staff of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory:  The course will provide detailed training on the radioactive material package shielding analyses and NCS evaluation fundamentals needed by analysts/practitioners (i.e., safety analysts and/or technical reviewers) to prepare and/or review technical analyses for the SARP documentation.  The Analyst Course also provides an overview of regulations and guidelines in addition to detailed in-class exercises associated with the package shielding and NCS analyses.  With regard to the in-class exercises, analysis teams will be faced with “staged” SARP examples in which a number of important decision processes in the generation of a SARP will be demonstrated and discussed.  
  
  Please contact Dr. Douglas G. Bowen at (865) 576-0315 or bowendg@ornl.gov to attend remotely via webcast.  


• NP 608 - Radioactive Material Package Operation and Leak Testing, to be offered in FY22 at the University of South Carolina - Aiken, Aiken, SC:  The objective of this one-week training course is to provide a basic understanding of the steps necessary to operate and prepare radioactive material packages for shipment as well as perform pre-shipment (post-load) leak testing and routine maintenance. Proper operating and leak testing of radioactive material shipping packages is integral to the safe shipment and transport of radioactive material shipping packages. The course combines the discussion of proper operations (opening, loading, closing, maintenance, and handling) along with discussion of leak testing of radioactive material shipping packages and hands-on experience with both operating and leak testing of radioactive material shipping packages. The course consists of technical presentations, discussions, applicable videos, examples, hands-on exercises, and team exercises; all with emphasis on practical approaches to the development, evaluation and implementation of programs for the operation and leak testing of radioactive material shipping packages.
  
  The primary audience for this course is individuals that prepare, load/unload, operate (open/close), and maintain Type B or fissile packages for shipment of radioactive materials, those that prepare procedures and documentation related to these activities, as well as supervisors and managers of these individuals. 
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Dr. Ed Ketusky at (803) 725-2641 or edward.ketusky@srnl.doe.gov.  


• NP 610 - Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security – Domestic, to be offered date/location (TBD):  The objective of this 4.5-day course is to help participants gain a detailed working knowledge and understanding of U.S.-domestic requirements, recommendations and guidelines for security during the transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials by all modes of transport.  In addition, the course will also provide an overview of related international requirements for security during transport, and will address procedures and methodologies that can be used to establish and enhance security during transport.  More specifically, it will address the domestic requirements for security during transport that arise from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) while also providing insights into regulations and recommendations emanating from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other relevant international and regional modal transport organizations.  The course will provide guidance on how to develop transport security systems by following a graded approach and applying modern technologies; how to establish safe havens and apply rules of engagement for escort, guard force and emergency response personnel; how to communicate amongst involved stake holders and public during emergencies; and how to develop transport security plans (TSPs) that satisfy regulatory security requirements.  The course will incorporate hands-on exercises involving TSPs, readiness reviews, and corrective actions; and a field exercise using the ARG-US remote monitoring system to track a mock shipment with “staged incidents.”  The course will also make extensive use of table top exercises (TTXs) to facilitate learning through role playing, discussions and group reports.  Two facility tours are included for the Nuclear Energy Discovery Exhibit and the ARG-US Command and Control Center.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Dr. Zenghu Han at (630) 252-8255 or zhhan@anl.gov.


• NP 611 - Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security – International, to be offered date/location (TBD):  The objective of this 4.5-day course is to help participants gain a detailed working knowledge and understanding of international requirements, recommendations and guidelines for security during the transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials by all modes of transport.  In addition, the course will also provide an overview of related domestic requirements for the U.S. and other countries, and will address procedures and methodologies that can be used to establish and enhance security during transport.  More specifically, the course will outline the risks posed by the transport of radioactive materials and the resulting need for security during transport.  It will address the international recommendations for security during transport that arise from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); and international regulatory requirements and recommendations as set forth by relevant international and regional modal transport organizations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).  The course will provide guidance on how to develop transport security systems by following a graded approach and applying modern technologies; how to establish safe havens and apply rules of engagement for escort, guard force and emergency response personnel; how to communicate amongst involved stake holders and public during emergencies; and how to develop transport security plans (TSPs) that satisfy regulatory security requirements.  The course will incorporate hands-on exercises involving TSPs, readiness reviews, and corrective actions; and a field exercise using the ARG-US remote monitoring system to track a mock shipment with “staged incidents.”  The course will also make extensive use of table top exercises (TTXs) to facilitate learning by role playing, discussions and group highlights.  Two facility tours are included for the Nuclear Energy Discovery Exhibit and the ARG-US Command and Control Center. 
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Dr. Zenghu Han at (630) 252-8255 or zhhan@anl.gov.


• NP 620 - Fundamentals of Nuclear Security, 1 credit, developed by Sandia National Laboratories, to be offered date (TBD) at Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM:  This course provides a comprehensive overview of the various aspects related to nuclear security—serving as an introduction to key concepts, terms and approaches that support both domestic and international efforts to improve nuclear security.
  
  Student Learning Outcomes
  Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
     1.  describe the contents of key IAEA Nuclear Security Series (NSS) documents (NSS-13, NSS-25G, NSS-7).
     2.   explain the role of nuclear material accounting and control as an element of nuclear security and how it can be integrated with physical protection systems.
     3.  describe the recommendations for physical protection, accounting, and control against theft and sabotage.
     4.  discuss how attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs impact nuclear security effectiveness.
     5.  demonstrate an understanding that there is a credible threat to nuclear material, and to associated facilities, activities and information.
     6.  apply engineering research and theory to advance the art, science, and practice of the discipline.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Steven Horowitz at (505) 208-2369 or shorow@sandia.gov or Adam Williams at (505) 844​-6779 or adwilli@sandia.gov.


• NP 630 - Fundamentals of Nuclear Safeguards, 1 credit, developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to be offered date/location (TBD):  This course provides a comprehensive overview of the various aspects related to the control and accounting of nuclear materials at a state level —serving as an introduction to key concepts, terms and approaches that support both domestic and international efforts to improve nuclear safeguards
  
  Student Learning Outcomes
  Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
     1.  apply engineering research and theory to advance the art, science, and practice of the discipline.
     2.  identify the purpose and mission of a state-level Nuclear Material Control and Accountability program.
     3.  describe the elements of Material Control and Accountability programs and their integration with other security elements to mitigate against theft/sabotage of nuclear
         & radiological materials.
     4.  identify State, Competent Authority and license holder responsibilities for implementing a Nuclear Materials Control and Accountability program.
     5.  describe basic nuclear material accounting principles and the concept of localization of loss.
     6.  demonstrate understanding of the role of statistical uncertainty in nuclear material accounting.
     7.  demonstrate understanding of the role of Nuclear Material Measurement and Measurement Control.
     8.  articulate how Nuclear Material Control integrates into an overall nuclear security program.
     9.  recommend requirements for the accounting and control of nuclear materials in use, storage, and during transport against theft, sabotage and cyber threats.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact Cary Crawford at (865) 241-9462 or crawfordce@ornl.gov.

• Containment Analysis of Radioactive Material Transportation Packages, to be offered in April 2021 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA:  This course addresses the requirements, guides, standards, calculations, quality assurance, quality control, components, and operations of Type B(U), Type B(M), and fissile material packaging containment / confinement systems.  The course includes detailed guidance on the calculation of containment vessel pressure, satisfaction of the regulatory requirements using guidance in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N14.5 standard, and operational considerations and cautions for containment vessel leakage rate testing.  Additionally, the course addresses flammable gas generation, approaches for limiting flammable gas generation and the concurrent deflagration and detonation hazards associated with flammable gas mixtures.  The course includes practical demonstrations of both: (1) nondestructive examination techniques used to evaluate the quality of containment vessels, as well as (2) leakage testing demonstrations with best practices and lessons-learned.  The course has a special focus on the hazards that can develop when Type B or fissile material transportation packages are used for interim storage of materials either prior to or after transport.  The concerns associated with using a transportation package for storage are discussed, including over-pressurization, the potential for generation of flammable gas mixtures, and methods for controlling contents to prevent these hazards.
  
  The primary audience for this course is individuals that design or evaluate Type B packaging containment systems or fissile material packaging confinement systems to demonstrate compliance with requirements of 10 CFR Part 71, Subpart E.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact ​Ashley Mata at (925) 422-7249 or mata5@llnl.gov.  


• Radioactive Material Packaging QC/QA: Part 1 Welding/NDE Quality Control, & Part 2 Software Quality Assurance, to be offered in April 2021 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA:  This course is delivered in two parts.  Part 1 provides background and detailed guidance into the review and evaluation process of Safety Analysis Reports for Packaging (SARP) relative to welding and nondestructive examination (NDE).  The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel code is highlighted as the metric to quantify the welding and NDE safety requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 71 (10CFR71).  Detailed coverage of the ASME Code Sections II, III, V, VIII, and IX is included relative to SARP preparation and review.  Also, provided are presentations and demos regarding welding and examination technology; terms/definitions; examination of metals/weldments for common defects; and qualification of welding/NDE procedures and personnel.  Quality Assurance (QA) information relative to the requirements of 10CFR71, Subpart H, and ASME Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) is presented.  (Part 1 is 2.5-days)
  
  Part 2 of the course addresses Software Quality Assurance (SQA) relative to Radioactive Active Material Packaging, including applicable regulatory documents, as well as the consensus standards that serve as metrics to meet safety requirements.   SQA fundamental concepts are covered in the following sessions: terminology, requirements management, risk management, configuration management, and testing techniques.   Also covered is an overview of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ASME NQA-1 sections relative to SQA, as well as practical descriptions of NQA-1 compliance details regarding commercial grade dedication of software, supplier evaluation/audits, and corrective actions.   Finally, a summary is presented of the quality assurance aspects verification and validation of finite element analysis (FEA) models and analyses.  (Part 2 is 2.5-days)
  
  The course will be delivered over a 5-day period, at the Livermore Valley Open Campus, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA.  Parts 1 and 2 of the course can be taken separately if desired.
  
  If you are interested in attending this course or have any questions, please contact ​Ashley Mata at (925) 422-7249 or mata5@llnl.gov.