Nuclear Energy in India : Updates

[Gautam]

Any NEWS on Kalpakkam PFBR?

The PFBR will be operational by October 2022. They made some changes to the control computers. The computers will use the SHAKTI processors both in standalone & in conjunction with commercial off the shelf Motorola chips. That caused yet another delay.

I was writing an article about Indian processors. Then I got lazy & later git swamped by work. It will take some time but I will complete it.

 

[gearedcombustor]

BARC in it's August newsletter has confirmed forging of specimens of 350 mm to 750 mm thick reactor pressure vessel forgings for validation for the IPWR-900 program

http://www.barc.gov.in/barc_nl/2021/2021070808.pdf (Nice pic inside)

Wikipedia links to paper that says it is probably 20MnMoNi55 which they are now calling “APURVA” (Advanced Purified Reactor Vessel Alloy)

Based on comparing the BARC image in the newsletter and this video (

) from L&TSSHF so this is very likely to be from L&TSSHF Hazira (L&T NPCIL JV) that has a 9000 Ton forge press. They planned another 17000 Ton press but status is unknown.

Also see https://corpwebstorage.blob.core.windows.net/media/35198/ltsshf-brochure.pdf

Otehr potential future forging locations are Bharat Forge which has a 16000 Ton forge press (Not nuclear certified). HEC Ranchi and MIDHANI Hyderabad both have 6000 Ton forge press.

 

[RISING SUN]

India to increase nuclear energy capacity three times in next 10 years to reduce its carbon footprints | India News - Times of India

India News: NEW DELHI: With India is exploring multiple options to lower its carbon footprints, the government on Tuesday said the country would produce three tim.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

 

[RISING SUN]

India beats Germany, UK and Turkey to bag IAEA external auditor job

In the first round of voting for the post, Germany got 36 votes, India 30, the UK eight, Russia 11, Turkey 9, Egypt 20, Republic of Korea 2 and the Philippines 7 votes. The second round boiled down to the race between India and Germany.

www.hindustantimes.com

 

[gearedcombustor]

Any NEWS on Kalpakkam PFBR?

Fuel is ready for loading and moved closed to PFBR in early 2020 but it hasn't received the fuelling clearance from AERB as of yet.

They are replacing a big chunk of nitrogen guard pipe circuit that envelops the sodium pipelines due to issues discovered during trials. Before covid, this was expected to be complete by December 2020 and fuelling to start in Feb 2021 and criticality by December 2021.

The current revised plan targets criticality by October 2022. Fuelling might start around Dec 2021/Jan 2022

During 2018 to 2020, they replaced the Large Rotatable Plug and modified the Small rotatable plug due to design deficiencies discovered in the system during trials. The Primary Sodium pumps were also redesigned due to undisclosed issues.

AERB also ordered additional research studies on sodium fires due to leaks from LRP and SRP after the new Japan FBR fire incident.

These studies are being completed right now and we have seen publications on these issues from IGCAR.

The Russian incidents of jammed LRP in their new BN series reactors are also leading AERB to take a cautious approach.

DAE and AERB also will only permit construction start/concrete pour for FBR-1 and 2 in Kalpakkam only after PFBR proved safe criticality. Hence their construction is also delayed and only land/site preparation works are being permitted.

Only safety considerations/studies are leading to PFBR start-up delays. The core fuel bundle and the reactor are ready to start criticality trials once the guard pipe upgrade is complete.

 

[Tatvamasi]

Fuel is ready for loading and moved closed to PFBR in early 2020 but it hasn't received the fuelling clearance from AERB as of yet.

They are replacing a big chunk of nitrogen guard pipe circuit that envelops the sodium pipelines due to issues discovered during trials. Before covid, this was expected to be complete by December 2020 and fuelling to start in Feb 2021 and criticality by December 2021.

The current revised plan targets criticality by October 2022. Fuelling might start around Dec 2021/Jan 2022

During 2018 to 2020, they replaced the Large Rotatable Plug and modified the Small rotatable plug due to design deficiencies discovered in the system during trials. The Primary Sodium pumps were also redesigned due to undisclosed issues.

AERB also ordered additional research studies on sodium fires due to leaks from LRP and SRP after the new Japan FBR fire incident.

These studies are being completed right now and we have seen publications on these issues from IGCAR.

The Russian incidents of jammed LRP in their new BN series reactors are also leading AERB to take a cautious approach.

DAE and AERB also will only permit construction start/concrete pour for FBR-1 and 2 in Kalpakkam only after PFBR proved safe criticality. Hence their construction is also delayed and only land/site preparation works are being permitted.

Only safety considerations/studies are leading to PFBR start-up delays. The core fuel bundle and the reactor are ready to start criticality trials once the guard pipe upgrade is complete.

Any progress on IPWR-900?

 

[gearedcombustor]

Any progress on IPWR-900?

Design is ready for the reactor core and has been ready since 2018.

They are validating all the designs now, core catcher design was built and validated in 2020, the reactor pressure vessels specimens were forged this year as reported in my earlier post and are being validated now.

It's not clear how many more validation steps are left before design is approved by AERB and site selection permission is given. No update from AERB on whether the final Consenting design review has begun. Pre-consenting design review was completed in 2016.

No update from DAE on any site selection. If they build the first AHWR-300 in Tarapur based on CGI drawings in publications, there will be no space left in the cramped Tarapur for IPWR-900. Kalpakkam is also full with plans for FBR-1 and 2. DAE will also prefer the first site to be close to Mumbai because almost all BARC and NPCIL engineers will be available to support. The farther the site the longer it will be to solve the teething issues in a first of a kind reactor.

I think either Jaitapur or Rawatbhata are likely. Kaiga is also a possibility. Jaitapur is the closest non-Tarapur site to Mumbai and will be chosen if the French plan gets cancelled or shelved as I expect. The French designs are not economically viable for Indian application due to their inefficient sizing.

No site has been chosen/announced yet.

Enriched Fuel sourcing is another issue. RMP doesn't appear to have the capacity to enrich fuel for large civil cores as its capacity will be full with naval requirements. The new SMEF construction appears to have started in early 2021 - earth work can be seen on Google earth. Once SMEF is ready, it can probably make 0.5 to 1 cores every year. If they are able to source enriched safeguarded fuel from other countries, things will be much faster.

 

[gearedcombustor]

Most of the ancillary/non-reactor components of IPWR-900 will remain the same design as in IPHWR-700 albeit with slight power rating upgrades wherever required. The design of non-reactor components by vendors will be quick and execution cheap due to commonality with the IPHWR-700's being built by the boatload.

 

[Tatvamasi]

Design is ready for the reactor core and has been ready since 2018.

They are validating all the designs now, core catcher design was built and validated in 2020, the reactor pressure vessels specimens were forged this year as reported in my earlier post and are being validated now.

It's not clear how many more validation steps are left before design is approved by AERB and site selection permission is given. No update from AERB on whether the final Consenting design review has begun. Pre-consenting design review was completed in 2016.

No update from DAE on any site selection. If they build the first AHWR-300 in Tarapur based on CGI drawings in publications, there will be no space left in the cramped Tarapur for IPWR-900. Kalpakkam is also full with plans for FBR-1 and 2. DAE will also prefer the first site to be close to Mumbai because almost all BARC and NPCIL engineers will be available to support. The farther the site the longer it will be to solve the teething issues in a first of a kind reactor.

I think either Jaitapur or Rawatbhata are likely. Kaiga is also a possibility. Jaitapur is the closest non-Tarapur site to Mumbai and will be chosen if the French plan gets cancelled or shelved as I expect. The French designs are not economically viable for Indian application due to their inefficient sizing.

No site has been chosen/announced yet.

Enriched Fuel sourcing is another issue. RMP doesn't appear to have the capacity to enrich fuel for large civil cores as its capacity will be full with naval requirements. The new SMEF construction appears to have started in early 2021 - earth work can be seen on Google earth. Once SMEF is ready, it can probably make 0.5 to 1 cores every year. If they are able to source enriched safeguarded fuel from other countries, things will be much faster.

Good writeup here : India’s dual track approach to nuclear new-build - Nuclear Engineering International

 

[gearedcombustor]

Coal crisis:

Nuclear plants are operating at near full capacity and exceeding their planned targets which is rare as purchasers prioritise cheap coal based power over nuclear if they can avoid although it is against the Central guidelines.

Central guidance says Solar+Wind+Hydro+Nuclear are Must Run category which means any power produced should be considered primary and purchased in full at any PPA price. Cheaper Coal and other thermal is considered dynamic load and should cover the rest only.

KAPS-1, MAPS-1, NAPS-1 are down for their 20-year enmass refuelling. KAPS-3 is operating at low load although it is still in tetsing and not commissioned and is not reflected in this report as it is directly selling to exchange.

Data for September: (October data is much wilder - We are only 10 days into october but they exceeded their 17 days target)

 

[Golden_Rule]

Fuel is ready for loading and moved closed to PFBR in early 2020 but it hasn't received the fuelling clearance from AERB as of yet.

They are replacing a big chunk of nitrogen guard pipe circuit that envelops the sodium pipelines due to issues discovered during trials. Before covid, this was expected to be complete by December 2020 and fuelling to start in Feb 2021 and criticality by December 2021.

The current revised plan targets criticality by October 2022. Fuelling might start around Dec 2021/Jan 2022

During 2018 to 2020, they replaced the Large Rotatable Plug and modified the Small rotatable plug due to design deficiencies discovered in the system during trials. The Primary Sodium pumps were also redesigned due to undisclosed issues.

AERB also ordered additional research studies on sodium fires due to leaks from LRP and SRP after the new Japan FBR fire incident.

These studies are being completed right now and we have seen publications on these issues from IGCAR.

The Russian incidents of jammed LRP in their new BN series reactors are also leading AERB to take a cautious approach.

DAE and AERB also will only permit construction start/concrete pour for FBR-1 and 2 in Kalpakkam only after PFBR proved safe criticality. Hence their construction is also delayed and only land/site preparation works are being permitted.

Only safety considerations/studies are leading to PFBR start-up delays. The core fuel bundle and the reactor are ready to start criticality trials once the guard pipe upgrade is complete.

Thanks for the great summary.

The cautious approach by AERB and IGCAR demonstrates the indigenous technologies developed; testing and validating them at production scale at every incremental build in the first prototype FBR is the right approach. This will bear fruits in the subsequent designs and construction of future three-stage fuel cycle plants.

 

[gearedcombustor]

Thanks for the great summary.

The cautious approach by AERB and IGCAR demonstrates the indigenous technologies developed; testing and validating them at production scale at every incremental build in the first prototype FBR is the right approach. This will bear fruits in the subsequent designs and construction of future three-stage fuel cycle plants.

PMO and AEC aren't pushing them on PFBR and letting them take their time to figure out all the problems. I am not a big fan of this approach as it can lead to overcautious safety assessments. But we do not know their exact thinking process as they don't talk. Hoping the best.

 

[Golden_Rule]

PMO and AEC aren't pushing them on PFBR and letting them take their time to figure out all the problems. I am not a big fan of this approach as it can lead to overcautious safety assessments. But we do not know their exact thinking process as they don't talk. Hoping the best.

I think that being overcautious in the first attempt for handling such technologies is a wise way to tread, which if failed or causing any leakage or accident can lead to heavy loss of life. Over and above that, the Lutyens mafia is infamously waiting for a pin to drop from the vessel to start criticizing our scientists.

Studying the Operational aspects, our scientists can always get rid of the fat and over design in subsequent builds.

 

[vstol Jockey]

Our Khujli Bander failed to clear the dues of bawana gas based plant of 1500 MW capacity so the GAIL has decided to cut off gas supply. This will leave delhi deficient of 1500 MW. so Khujli bander has done what he does best. Talk about a non existent coal crisis and blame center for the shortage and power disruption in Delhi.

 

[gearedcombustor]

Tenders have been released to complete the final phase of BARC Vizag campus.

Next likely efforts could include start of construction work on High Flux Research Reactor and Innovative High temperature Reactor ar Vizag.

NFC Kota construction seems to be nearly complete and will be primary supplier to all the new PHWRs comping up.

GHAVP-1&2 foundation work seems to be nearing completion. Main buildings likely to start construction around January.

KAPP-4 few months away from completion. Covid delayed this one significantly.

RAPP-7&8 are each a year away from completion.

But most of these delays are due to HR issues and not execution issues. KAPP-4, RAPP-7&8 commissioning and GHAVP-1 &2, KKNPP-3 to 6 construction are putting incredible stress on HR resources in NPCIL. They don't have enough trained and experienced people to execute so many projects at the same time. They are being stretched too far. Training and experience validation of new people takes time.

 

[gearedcombustor]

Hearing that the AHWR design is fully complete and BARC/NPCIL have applied to AERB for Construction consent for the first unit at Tarapur.


As per the 2017 plan this was supposed to be complete by December 2020 but this was delayed due to slow down in experiments due to covid.
One of the reasons that the design took so much time was because the fuel fabrication was too unsafe for operators even while hotcells were being utilised and forced BARC to chnage the fuel loading design to make the fuel fabrication safer.
This required the revalidation of all physics parameters.

The fuelling machine prototype, the coolant pumps have all completed five years of validation testing.

The designs for all components including reactor building, turbine building and associated buildings are complete.

C&I, Physics database have also been completed and signed off.

AERB is conducting the final Consenting design review.

NPCIL is awaiting PMO and FinMin clearance to start publishing tenders.

Real Construction start likely from Mid-2022. Commissioning by 2025-27. If they receive PMO and FinMin approval

 

[Gautam]

Some components used by the Indian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (IPHWR) family :

IPHWR-220:

Shuttle Station of 220 MW capacity:

• Used for transferring spent fuel bundles from Transfer Magazine to discharge area. 2 assemblies required per reactor
• Size: 1.2m in dia, 4m in length
• Material: Stainless Steel SS 304
• Weight: about 3 tons per assembly

New Fuel Magazine for the 220 MW IPHWR:

• Used for handling new nuclear fuel bundles from storage area to Transfer Magazine, 2 units per reactor
• Material: Stainless Steel SS 304
• Size :1.4m x 1.2m x 3m
• Weight: 3 tons per assembly
• Critical requirements: Precision distortion controlled fabrication, precision alignment of all tubes with two fuel ports

IPHWR-500:

Shuttle Transfer Stations for 500 MW reactor:

• Used for moving spent nuclear fuel bundles from reactor core to under water storage area
• Material: Stainless Steel SS 304L
• Size: 2m dia x 5.5m height
• Weight: 8 ton

MAL FMAL Doors for 500 MW reactor:

• Air Lock Doors (main & for fuel)
• Material: SA516GR 70
• Size: max 4500 x 5270 (ht) mm
• Weight : 16 Ton / 11 ton
• Heavy Fabrication, Machining & Assembly with door opening closing mechanisms
• Shop testing and demonstration

Drive Mechanisms for Nuclear reactor 500 MW & 220 MW reactor:

Drive Mechanisms move control rods up and down in reactor core to control nuclear reaction and also act as safety mechanism to shut down the reaction.

• Material: SS 304, 17:4 pH
• Size: 500 x 400x 1200 mm height
• Weight of assembly 300 kg

IPHWR-700:

Calandria for 700MW IPHWR:

• Calandria is the horizontal axis cylindrical vessel at the core of reactor assembly with two end shields at both ends.
• The overall size 8282 x 5282 mm having shell of dia. 7864 mm & wall thickness of 32 mm of S.S. 304L.

Bridge and Carriage for 700MW reactor:

• Used for positioning fuelling machine head in front of fuel channels in the reactor, remote operation. Two assemblies needed per reactor
• Material: SA 515 Gr70
• Size: 11m wide x 1.9m deep x 14m height
• Weight: 110 tons
• Critical requirements:
  -Precise location of fueling head in front of desired fuel channel, every time
  -Service life of 40 years

 

[Gautam]

Some components used by some Indian nuclear research reactor :

Toroidal Vacuum Vessel

• Its High vacuum vessel with vacuum requirement of 10 to the power−9 Torr
• Material of construction : SS 304L
• Total 111 ports on Toroidal vessel
• All the weld joints tested for helium leak testing at rate of less than 1 x 10-9 Mbar-Liter per sec
• Vessel is undergone various cleaning procedures like buffing, degreasing, Electro- polishing and ultrasonic cleaning to achieve the surface finish of 1 micron and achieve highest cleanliness to reduce out gassing effect
• ID of vacuum vessel is electro-polished to improve surface finish to less than 1 micron All the weld joints tested for helium leak testing at rate of less than 1 x 10-9 mbar Liter per sec
• ID of vacuum vessel is electro-polished to improve surface finish to less than 1 micron

Microtron Magnet Assembly

• Microtron Magnet Assembly is used to generate and energize electrons & photons
• Material of construction : Extra Ferrite Electric Steel (EFE) SS 316 LN
• Welding of EFE required manufacturing of electrodes out of the material itself
• Magnet Pole, Yoke & Vacuum chamber all needed with demanding accuracies
• Flatness of 0.03mm was achieved over a span of 1400mm
• Helium leak testing with leak rate less than 1 x 10-9 Mbar-litre per second

Glove Box

A Glove Box is a sealed container that is designed to allow one to manipulate objects where a separate atmosphere is desired.
Generally, there are two types of glove boxes exist :
-One allows a person to work with hazardous substances, such as radioactive materials or infectious disease agents
-The other allows manipulation of substances that must be contained within a very high purity inert atmosphere such as argon or nitrogen

 

[RISING SUN]

India Says "Need To Be In Nuclear Group NSG", Links It To Climate Goals​

New Delhi:
India made a renewed push for its membership to the coveted Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG ahead of the COP26 climate summit, underlining that its climate and development goals are tied with its entry into the grouping.

The NSG is a 48-member group which regulates global nuclear commerce.

"As I said this is something that needs to be determined based on the type of technologies that would be available for that climate transition. For eg, for our base load to be replaced from coal to may be nuclear, we will need large amounts of capital for setting up nuclear plants both to replace our current demand and for the future demand that our development imperative requires," said Piyush Goyal, India's Sherpa to the G20 Summit.

Admission of new members to the premier group is done through consensus. India had first applied for membership in May 2016. Even though India has the backing of the majority of the group's members, China has been blocking its entry into the bloc.

"Secondly, we will need to be members the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to ensure adequate availability of raw materials for nuclear supply and several other associated concerns around cost of power. So it's going to be a holistic solution which will emerge through dialogue, discussion and the collective effort of all the countries," Piyush Goyal added.

India and Pakistan are not signatories to the NPT. After India requested to be included, Pakistan too applied for the NSG membership in 2016.

India has asked developed nations that have "enjoyed the fruits of energy" to reach net zero faster so that emerging economies use some "carbon space" to drive growth. 'Net zero emissions' refers to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere.

China maintains that there would be no discussion on India's entry into the NSG before reaching a specific plan on non-NPT members' participation in the elite grouping. It has declined to give a timeline to reach a consensus among member states on this issue.

India's focus at the COP26 summit will be on the country's "ambitious" Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals for the post-2020 period under the Paris Agreement.

"India is among the top countries in the world in terms of installed renewable energy, wind and solar energy capacity. At the World Leaders' Summit, I will share India's excellent track record on climate action and our achievements," PM Modi said in a statement ahead of the summit.


In August a bombshell "code red" report from the world's top climate science body warned that Earth's average temperature will hit the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold around 2030, a decade earlier than projected only three years ago.

India Says "Need To Be In Nuclear Group NSG", Links It To Climate Goals

India made a renewed push for its membership to the coveted Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG ahead of the COP26 climate summit, underlining that its climate and development goals are tied with its entry into the grouping.

www.ndtv.com

 

[RISING SUN]

India will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024: Govt | India News - Times of India

India News: The nation will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024 and a new nuclear project, the first in northern India, will come up 150 kms away from Delhi in Gor

timesofindia.indiatimes.com