1. Sodium Cooled Fast Breeders
Advanced Technologies for Safer & Cleaner Nuclear Energy -
Sodium Cooled Fast Breeders
Arun Kumar Bhaduri
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research
Kalpakkam
8th Nuclear Energy Conclave
India Energy Forum
30 Sep 2016, New Delhi

2. Current Electricity Scenario in India (2016)
Energy Source
Installed Capacity (MWe)
Capacity (%)
Generation
Apr15-Mar16 (BU)
Apr15-Mar16 (%)
Thermal (Coal, Oil & Gas)
211671
69.9
943.4
85.2
Hydro
42783
14.1
121.3
11.0
Nuclear
5780
1.9
37.4
3.4
Renewables
42849
5.2
0.4
Total
303083
100.0
1107.3
Fossil fuels remain as the principal energy resource – Coal reserves in India ~ 300 billion tons
Government promoting non-fossil resources i.e. nuclear and renewables
Renewables – significant growth in recent years

3. Need for Nuclear & Nuclear Resources
Required growth in electricity capacity compels to go for nuclear in larger way and renewables as far as possible
Nuclear Resources in India
Uranium resources
235,174 tons in-situ U3O8 (199,428 tons U) reserve as on Jan-2016
Thorium resources
11.93 million tonnes of monazite as on Feb-2016
Indian Monazite contains about 9-10% of Thorium oxide (ThO2) which in turn results in about 1.07 million tonnes of Thorium oxide (ThO2)
Moderate Uranium reserves & Large Thorium reserves
Comparison of Life- Cycle Emissions (Source: University of Wisconsin)

4. India’s Three Stage Nuclear Program & its Energy Potential
Strategy for nuclear power program – designed with moderate Uranium & large Thorium reserves
Types of reactor technology for the first two stages selected appropriately
Focus on self reliance

5. FBR : A Vital Stage in Indian Nuclear Power Program
Provides a perfect link covering the natural nuclear resources of India
Effective utilization of uranium – better resource management
Long term energy supply
Higher growth rate with breeding
Waste management – Incineration of radioactive waste from spent fuel and reduction of long-term storage requirements
Enhanced performance parameters – high temperature of operation leading to higher thermodynamic efficiency
Closed fuel cycle program is essential in the 2nd and 3rd stage
Nat U
Pu &
Depleted U
U233 Th
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III Pu
FBRs : Inevitable for long-term security & sustainability of nuclear power

6. Growth & Waste Minimization Strategy
Higher growth rate possible only if fuel generation is more
Hence, breeders are essential (with high breeding ratio)
Recycling & Waste Minimization
Effective incineration with higher energy spectrum;
FBRs are high energy systems
Key Parameters: Burnup, Breeding Ratio & Doubling Time (Growth)

7. FBR Evolution in India Test loops to get experience in Na technology
Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) to get comprehensive experience in construction, operation and decommissioning experience and material irradiation data including reactor and energy conversion systems.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) for techno-economic demonstration of large size plants
Commercial size serial constructions.
Synthesis of Operating Experiences
Synthesis of Emerging Concepts (Ex. GEN-IV)
Introduction of advanced design & simplification
FBR-Metal
1000 MWe
Pool Type
Metallic fuel
Serial constr.
Indigenous
FBR-MOX
600 MWe
Pool Type
UO2-PuO2
3 twin units
Indigenous
FBTR
40 MWt h
13.5 MWe
Loop type
PuC – UC
Design: CEA
Since 1985
PFBR
1250 MWth
500 MWe
Pool Type
UO2-PuO2
Indigenous

8. Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR)
Reactor Power
40 MWth
13.2 MWe
Fuel Composition
Mixed Carbides of Pu & U
Concept of Primary Circuit
Loop
Total Sodium Inventory
150 t
No. of Primary & Secondary Loops 2
No. of Steam Generator Modules per Loop
Primary Sodium Temperature at Reactor Inlet / Outlet
/ 515 C
Secondary Sodium Inlet / Outlet Temperature to IHX
/ 510 C
Steam Temperature
480 C
Steam Pressure
125 kg/cm2

9. Operating Parameters Achieved in FBTR
Power: 26.1 MWth / 5.1 MWe
Peak LHR: 400 W/cm
Peak Flux: 3.15 x 1015n/cm2/sec
Peak burn-up: 165 GWd/t
Total operating time: ~53,500 h
High Power Operation: ~35,000 h
Thermal energy: ~520 GWh
Electricity generation: ~ 35 million units
Reactor inlet / outlet temp.: 393 / 490 C
Feed water flow: 33 t/h
Feed water temperature: 195 C
Steam conditions: 470 C & 120 kg/cm2

10. Progressive Performance of FBTR Carbide Fuel
The fuel chosen for FBTR is unique and without any international parallel
Due to lack of irradiation experience, LHR was initially limited to 250 W/cm & burn-up to 25 GWd/t
LHR was raised to 320 W/cm in 1995 after out-of-pile simulation tests
Burn-up limit progressively raised up to 155 GWd/t based on Post-Irradiation Examination at 25, 50 & 100 GWd/t
Except one pin failure at 146 GWd/t, more than pins have reached this limit without any failure
FUEL CYCLE WAS SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED IN 2010

11. PFBR Flow Sheet

12. Main Characteristics Electrical power : 500 MWe (1250 MWth)
Primary circuit concept
: Pool
Reactor coolant
: Sodium
Fuel
: UO2 – PuO2
No. of Primary Sodium Pumps
: 2
No. of Intermediate Heat Exchangers
: 4
Number of secondary loops
Number of Steam Generators per loop
Number of Turbo-Generators
: 1
Steam condition at SG TSV
: 490 ºC at 16.7 MPa
In-vessel fuel handling
: 2 Rotatable plugs & 1 Transfer Arm
Containment building
: RCC rectangular shape
Reactor Site
: Kalpakkam
Design Life
: 40 years

13. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)13

14. Reactor Top View

15. Main Control Room

16. Future FBRs – MOX: Approach & Evolution of Reactor Design
Power : 600 MWe
Expanded core
Targets: Higher Breeding & Lesser Sodium void coefficient of reactivity (compared to PFBR)
Vessel size: Close to PFBR
Core type: Homogeneous / Heterogeneous type
Advantages: Existing MOX technology with higher Breeding Ratio till Metal Fuel Cycle technology matures
PFBR: 500 MWe
FBR- 600 MWe
Improved Economy
Advanced Reactor Assembly design features
Technology development for improved Reactor Assembly components carried out
Higher safety level desired – post Fukushima
Higher power feasibility with about same vessel dimensions
Twin advantage of economy & manufacturing technology availability

17. Enhancement of Design Objectives for Future FBRs
Enhanced safety aiming Gen-III+ or possible higher safety level
Improved economy by design optimisation & higher power output with same reactor assembly size
Sodium Void Reactivity < 1 $ : enhanced safety demonstration to practically eliminate severe energetic accidents
Breeding Ratio as high as possible (higher than PFBR) (for lower doubling time) & optimum fuel inventory by core design optimisation
Possible higher operating temperatures towards higher efficiency
Optimum number of heat transport systems & components
No major R&D requirement for design as well as Technology Development beyond those planned for 500 MWe reactors
Reduction of capital cost & construction time
Core type: Heterogeneous concept as an option with MOX fuel
Advantage : Adopting existing MOX technology & improved economy
600 MWe capacity MOX Fuelled reactor is preferred choice

18. Major Safety Objectives of Future FBRs
Ultimate objective in design is elimination of need for off-site emergency response.
This is planned to be achieved through the comprehensive safety approach encompassing the three levels, viz.,
Highly reliable engineered safety systems and robust design of critical structures.
Natural behavior (inherent and / or passive feature) to terminate Severe Accidents
Severe Accident Management.

19. Safety Enhancements & Augmentation of Shutdown Systems1 2 3 4
Grip per
B4C
SS 316
ARMCO IRON
BOBBIN
COIL
SENSOR
Mo CONTACT RING
CERAMIC INSULATION
Mo CONTACTS
ARMATURE
TSMS
(1) CSRDM with Stroke Limiting Device: Terminates inadvertent withdrawal of absorber rod to specified max. limit thus protecting reactor from UTOP event
(2) Power supply to electromagnet holding the DSR is fed through Temperature Sensitive Magnetic Switch – Passive feature
(3) Hydraulically Suspended Absorber Rod: – For LOF events during DEC
(4) Ultimate Shutdown System (with Liquid / Granule absorber) – To prevent energetics

20. Design Improvements in Reactor Assembly of FBR-600 MWe
Box type –> Dome shape
Conical–> Single torus
Welded Grid Plate
Bolted Grid Plate
Headers: 2 to 3
PFBR
FBR-600 MWe
GP- bolted -> welded

21. Road Map for Metal Fuel Reactor & Metal Fuel Cycle Technologies
Pin level irradiation in FBTR
Assembly Level in Irradiation in FBTR
Loading as part of driver core in FBTR
Initiation Phase
Development of pyro-processing technology in laboratory & pilot scale
Feasibility of aqueous reprocessing of metal fuels
Demonstration of closed fuel cycle technology
Metal Fuel Test Reactor
Demonstration of fuel cycle closure along with test reactor
Demonstration Phase
Metal Fuel Breeder Reactor (1000 MWe)
Deployment Phase

22. FBR and Associated Fuel Cycle Program
FRFCF
FBTR (40 MWt)
Since 1985
PFBR – 500 MWe
FBR-600 MWe
ABTR (~100 MWt)
Metal Fuel Power Reactors (along with Fuel Cycle facilities)
CORAL
Since 2003
DFRP
Fuel Cycle

23. FRFCF
Consists of cluster of fuel cycle plants co-located with PFBR at Kalpakkam and is self-contained with all facilities for recycling fuel.
Plants and Facilities in FRFCF
Core Subassemblies Plant (CSP)
Fuel Reprocessing Plant (FRP)
Reprocessed Uranium oxide Plant (RUP)
Waste Management Plant(WMP)
Common Services, Support & Utilities
Fuel Fabrication Plant (FFP)
Objective
To close the PFBR fuel cycle & operate on a sustained basis
PFBR
FBRs 1&2
FRFCF
Reservoir

24. Summary
Fast Breeder Reactors – Essential for India’s Energy Security and Sustainability
Experience from FBTR operation and PFBR design, manufacture, construction & safety review have given confidence for FBR deployment in series in closed fuel cycle mode. No technological constraints are foreseen.
Towards ensuring higher growth rate, R&D on metal fuel with high breeding potential along with associated fuel cycle technologies is in progress.
Comprehensive & Challenging R&D activities are taken up in several areas
DAE’s strong emphasis on the R&D towards building up a substantial fast reactor program in the future

25. Thank You