India's three stage nuclear power programme
Encyclopedia
India's three stage nuclear power programme was formulated to use the available uranium
and thorium
reserves found in the monazite
sands of coastal regions of South India
. Importance of nuclear energy
was recognised as soon as India became independent. The Atomic Energy Act, 1948 was published with sole intent to develop nuclear research for peaceful purposes.
fuelled Pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) which would produce Plutonium-239
as by-product.
(FBRs) using plutonium based fuel, would be used to produce uranium-233
from thorium-232.
India's fast breeder reactor is based upon the LMFBR -"Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor." In IGCAR, liquid sodium metal is used as the coolant in the nuclear reactor. Liquid sodium cools the reactor, carrying heat from the primary vessel to the steam generator, a sodium-water heat exchanger also known as NaX.
The PFBR at IGCAR, which is planned to be commissioned in 2012, is a pool type FBR.
fuelled reactors, such as Advanced Heavy Water Reactor
(AHWR).
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
and thorium
Thorium
Thorium is a natural radioactive chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. It was discovered in 1828 and named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder....
reserves found in the monazite
Monazite
Monazite is a reddish-brown phosphate mineral containing rare earth metals. It occurs usually in small isolated crystals. There are actually at least four different kinds of monazite, depending on relative elemental composition of the mineral:...
sands of coastal regions of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Importance of nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
was recognised as soon as India became independent. The Atomic Energy Act, 1948 was published with sole intent to develop nuclear research for peaceful purposes.
Stage I - Pressurised heavy water reactor
Natural uraniumNatural uranium
Natural uranium refers to refined uranium with the same isotopic ratio as found in nature. It contains 0.7 % uranium-235, 99.3 % uranium-238, and a trace of uranium-234 by weight. In terms of the amount of radioactivity, approximately 2.2 % comes from uranium-235, 48.6 % uranium-238, and 49.2 %...
fuelled Pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) which would produce Plutonium-239
Plutonium-239
Plutonium-239 is an isotope of plutonium. Plutonium-239 is the primary fissile isotope used for the production of nuclear weapons, although uranium-235 has also been used and is currently the secondary isotope. Plutonium-239 is also one of the three main isotopes demonstrated usable as fuel in...
as by-product.
Stage II - fast breeder reactor
Fast breeder reactorsBreeder reactor
A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor capable of generating more fissile material than it consumes because its neutron economy is high enough to breed fissile from fertile material like uranium-238 or thorium-232. Breeders were at first considered superior because of their superior fuel economy...
(FBRs) using plutonium based fuel, would be used to produce uranium-233
Uranium-233
Uranium-233 is a fissile isotope of uranium, bred from Thorium as part of the thorium fuel cycle. It has been used in a few nuclear reactors and has been proposed for much wider use as a nuclear fuel. It has a half-life of 160,000 years....
from thorium-232.
India's fast breeder reactor is based upon the LMFBR -"Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor." In IGCAR, liquid sodium metal is used as the coolant in the nuclear reactor. Liquid sodium cools the reactor, carrying heat from the primary vessel to the steam generator, a sodium-water heat exchanger also known as NaX.
The PFBR at IGCAR, which is planned to be commissioned in 2012, is a pool type FBR.
Stage III - Advanced nuclear power system
The advanced nuclear power system involves a self-sustaining series of thorium-232-uranium-233Uranium-233
Uranium-233 is a fissile isotope of uranium, bred from Thorium as part of the thorium fuel cycle. It has been used in a few nuclear reactors and has been proposed for much wider use as a nuclear fuel. It has a half-life of 160,000 years....
fuelled reactors, such as Advanced Heavy Water Reactor
Advanced Heavy Water Reactor
The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor is the latest Indian design for a next generation nuclear reactor that will burn thorium in its fuel core. It is slated to form the third stage in India's 3 stage fuel cycle plan. Thorium is an element that is 3 times more abundant globally than uranium...
(AHWR).
See also
- Energy policy of IndiaEnergy policy of IndiaThe energy policy of India is largely defined by the country's burgeoning energy deficit and increased focus on developing alternative sources of energy, particularly nuclear, solar and wind energy....
- Nuclear power in IndiaNuclear power in IndiaNuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2010, India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation in six nuclear power plants, generating 4,780 MW while seven other reactors are under construction and...
- Energy securityEnergy securityEnergy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
- Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement
- IEEE Spectrum Q&A With: Sudhinder Thakur
- IEEE Spectrum Q&A: Thorium Reactor Designer Ratan Kumar Sinha