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A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid, which in turn runs through steam turbines. These either drive a ship's propellers or turn electrical generators' shafts. Nuclear generated steam in principle can be used for industrial process heat or for district heating. Some reactors are used to produce isotopes for medical and industrial use, or for production of weapons-grade plutonium. As of 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency reports there are 422 nuclear power reactors and 223 nuclear research reactors in operation around the world.
A pressurized water reactor (PWR) is a type of light-water nuclear reactor. PWRs constitute the large majority of the world's nuclear power plants. In a PWR, the primary coolant (water) is pumped under high pressure to the reactor core where it is heated by the energy released by the fission of atoms. The heated, high pressure water then flows to a steam generator, where it transfers its thermal energy to lower pressure water of a secondary system where steam is generated. The steam then drives turbines, which spin an electric generator. In contrast to a boiling water reactor (BWR), pressure in the primary coolant loop prevents the water from boiling within the reactor. All light-water reactors use ordinary water as both coolant and neutron moderator. Most use anywhere from two to four vertically mounted steam generators; VVER reactors use horizontal steam generators.
The light-water reactor (LWR) is a type of thermal-neutron reactor that uses normal water, as opposed to heavy water, as both its coolant and neutron moderator; furthermore a solid form of fissile elements is used as fuel. Thermal-neutron reactors are the most common type of nuclear reactor, and light-water reactors are the most common type of thermal-neutron reactor.
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is India's premier nuclear research facility, headquartered in Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was founded by Homi Jehangir Bhabha as the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) in January 1954 as a multidisciplinary research program essential for India's nuclear program. It operates under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India.
The Advanced CANDU reactor (ACR), or ACR-1000, was a proposed Generation III+ nuclear reactor design, developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). It combined features of the existing CANDU pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) with features of light-water cooled pressurized water reactors (PWR). From CANDU, it took the heavy water moderator, which gave the design an improved neutron economy that allowed it to burn a variety of fuels. It replaced the heavy water cooling loop with one containing conventional light water, reducing costs. The name refers to its design power in the 1,000 MWe class, with the baseline around 1,200 MWe.
A reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in a nuclear power plant is the pressure vessel containing the nuclear reactor coolant, core shroud, and the reactor core.
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The Dhruva reactor is India's largest nuclear research reactor. It was the first nuclear reactor in Asia proper. Located in the Mumbai suburb of Trombay at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), it is India's primary generator of weapons-grade plutonium-bearing spent fuel for its nuclear weapons program. Originally named the R-5, this open pool reactor first went critical on 8 August 1985 after 10 years of construction. However, the unit did not attain full power until 1988. The reactor experienced at least one serious accident when 4 metric tons of heavy water overflowed from the reactor core in 1985 following vibration problems.
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The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a 500 MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor presently being constructed at the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) in Kalpakkam, India. The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is responsible for the design of this reactor. The facility builds on the decades of experience gained from operating the lower power Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). Originally planned to be commissioned in 2010, the construction of the reactor suffered from multiple delays. As of December 2022, the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor was expected for completion in 2024.
Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after coal, gas, hydroelectricity and wind power. As of November 2020, India has 22 nuclear reactors in operation in 8 nuclear power plants, with a total installed capacity of 7,380 MW. Nuclear power produced a total of 43 TWh in 2020-21, contributing 3.11% of total power generation in India. 10 more reactors are under construction with a combined generation capacity of 8,000 MW.
India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Homi Bhabha, the well-known physicist, in the 1950s to secure the country's long term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India. The ultimate focus of the programme is on enabling the thorium reserves of India to be utilised in meeting the country's energy requirements. Thorium is particularly attractive for India, as India has only around 1–2% of the global uranium reserves, but one of the largest shares of global thorium reserves at about 25% of the world's known thorium reserves. However, thorium is more difficult to use than uranium as a fuel because it requires breeding, and global uranium prices remain low enough that breeding is not cost effective.
A core catcher is a device provided to catch the molten core material (corium) of a nuclear reactor in case of a nuclear meltdown and prevent it from escaping the containment building.
Ratan Kumar Sinha, is an Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer. He had served as the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Government of India from April 2012 to October 2015. Prior to that, Ratan Kumar Sinha had served as Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai from May 2010 to June 2012. During the four decades of his career, Ratan Kumar Sinha held several important positions related to design & development of nuclear reactors for the Indian nuclear programme. He has been actively involved in the development of the advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR) and Compact High Temperature Reactor (CHTR), two of the highly acknowledged technological innovations which are suitable for large scale deployment of nuclear power, particularly in India.
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Sekhar Basu was an Indian nuclear scientist who served as the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). He also served as the Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the Project Director of Nuclear Submarine Program and later as the Chief Executive of the Nuclear Recycle Board at BARC. He was a recipient of India's fourth highest civilian honor Padma Shri in 2014.
The IPHWR-700 is an Indian pressurized heavy-water reactor designed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. It is a Generation III reactor developed from earlier CANDU based 220 MW and 540 MW designs. It can generate 700 MW of electricity. Currently there are 6 units under construction and 10 more units planned, at a cost of INR 1.05 trillion.
The IPHWR-220 is an Indian pressurized heavy-water reactor designed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. It is a Generation II reactor developed from earlier CANDU based RAPS-1 and RAPS-2 reactors built at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan. The design was later expanded into 540 MW and 700 MW designs. It can generate 220 MW of electricity. Currently there are 14 units operational at various locations in India.
The IPHWR is a class of Indian pressurized heavy-water reactors designed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. The baseline 220 MWe design was developed from the CANDU based RAPS-1 and RAPS-2 reactors built at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan. The design was later expanded into 540 MW and 700 MW designs. Currently there are 17 units of various types operational at various locations in India.
References
- ↑ "BARC begins work on 900 MW pressurised water reactor". Business Standard India. Indo-Asian News Service. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Grover, R.B. (2017). "Opening up of international civil nuclear cooperation with India and related developments". Progress in Nuclear Energy . 101: 160–167. doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2016.09.016.
- 1 2 National report to The Convention on Nuclear safety, Seventh Review Meeting of Contracting Parties, March 2017 (PDF). Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Government of India. August 2016. p. 2. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- 1 2 Mishra, P.K; Shrivastav, Vivek. "Heavy steel forgings for Pressurised Water Reactor program" (PDF). BARC Newsletter. 377 (July–August 2021): 38. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- 1 2 AB, Mukherjee. "IPWR Indian Pressurized Water Reactor". India Energy Forum (10th Nuclear Conclave).
- 1 2 3 Raj, Devesh; Kannan, Umasankari (10 March 2020). "Estimation of safety parameters of equilibrium cycle of Indian Pressurized Water Reactor (IPWR)". Life Cycle Reliability and Safety Engineering. 9 (2): 129–134. doi:10.1007/s41872-020-00115-2. S2CID 216161923 . Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Annual Report 2018-19, Department of Atomic Energy (PDF). Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. p. Chapter 1, Page 49. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Mohanty, Ajit Kumar (26 January 2020). "Republic Day address of Director, BARC" (PDF). Bhabha Atomic Research Centre . Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ↑ "DAE Annual Report 2016-17" (PDF). Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India : 52. 2017.
Types of nuclear fission reactor | |||||||||||||||
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| Light water | |||||||||||||||
| Heavy water by coolant |
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None (fast-neutron) |
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| Others | |||||||||||||||
