Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor
| Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country | India |
| Location | Madras |
| Coordinates | 12°33′11″N 80°10′24″E / 12.55306°N 80.17333°ECoordinates: 12°33′11″N 80°10′24″E / 12.55306°N 80.17333°E |
| Status | Under construction |
| Construction began | 2004 |
| Construction cost | ₹56 770 000 000 |
| Owner(s) | NPCIL |
| Operator(s) | BHAVINI |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | fast breeder |
The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a 500MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor presently being constructed in Kalpakkam, India.[1] The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is responsible for the design of this reactor. As of 2007 the reactor was expected to begin functioning in 2010.[2] As of April 2011, it was expected to be commissioned in 2012.[3] As of July 2012, it was expected to begin operations in 2013. As of February 2013, it was expected to begin operations in September 2014,[4] and now is expected to achieve first criticality in March 2015.[5] Total costs, originally estimated at 3500 crore (35 billion) Rupees are now estimated at 5,677 crore (56 billion) Rs.[6] The Kalpakkam PFBR is using uranium-238 not thorium, to breed new fissile material, in a sodium-cooled fast reactor design. The power island of this project is being engineered by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, largest power equipment utility of India.
The surplus plutonium (or uranium-233 for thorium reactors) from each fast reactor can be used to set up more such reactors and grow the nuclear capacity in tune with India's needs for power.
The design of this reactor was started in the 1980s.
Technical details[edit]
The reactor will use sodium as the coolant. It shall generate electrical power of 500MW. It will make use of MOX fuel, a mixture of PuO
2 and UO
2. A fuel burnup of 100GWd/t is expected. It will have an operational life of 40 years.
Safety considerations[edit]
The fact that PFBR will be cooled by liquid sodium creates additional safety requirements to isolate the coolant from the environment, since sodium explodes if it comes into contact with water and burns when in contact with air. Another hazard associated with the use of sodium as a coolant is the absorption of neutrons to generate the radioactive isotope 24
Na.[7]
There are two independent shutdown systems installed, designed to shut the reactor down effectively within a second. The reactor also has decay heat removal systems consisting of four independent circuits of 8MWt capacity each.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ Baldev Raj, S.C. Chetal and P. Chellapandi (8 January 2010). "Great expectations". Nuclear Engineering International.
- ^ http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/27reactor.htm
- ^ Subramanian, T. S. (April 2011). "Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor ‘has independent safety mechanisms.". The Hindu (Chennai, India).
- ^ "PFBR at Kalpakkam to be operational from Sept ‘14". The Hindu. 14 February 2013.
- ^ "Start-up of India’s PFBR delayed". Nuclear Engineering International. 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Bhavini, fast-breeder reactor operator, to raise Rs.1,200 crore". Tamil Nadu,Business/Economy,Science/Tech; News Track India. 10 June 2012.
- ^ Busse, J.G. (April 1978). "Slow breeder makes its own nuclear fuel". Popular Science 212 (4). pp. 89–91, 200, 202.
- ^ "Design of 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor".
External links[edit]
- "Kalpakkam PFBR to be completed ahead of schedule; 4 more to come up by 2020". The Hindu. 7 September 2005.
- India's three stage nuclear power programme
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