FBR-600

The Fast Breeder Reactor-600 (FBR-600) or Commercial Fast Breeder Reactor (CFBR) is a 600 MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor presently being constructed. The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is responsible for the design of this reactor as a successor for Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).[1] The 1st twin unit would come up at Kalpakkam, close to the PFBR site itself.

Designed to "burn" a mixture of Uranium Oxide and Plutonium Oxide to generate 600 MWe of power each, current plans involve building 6 Units, co-locating 2 at any given place. This arrangement would facilitate cost-rationalisation, using common auxiliaries to serve both Reactors.[1]

Design features

According to the research conducted at IGCAR, the improved design concepts indicated significant economic advantages by reducing material inventory by 25%, simplifying fuel handling scheme and by reducing manufacture time with enhanced safety parameters.

Comparison of PFBR and CFBR specifications[2]
Parameters PFBR CFBR-600
Power, MWe 500 600
Fuel MOX MOX
Core layout Homogenous Heterogenous
No of enrichment zone 2 1
Fissile enrichment 20.7/27.7 29.5
Fissile inventory, kg 1980 3310
Breeding Ratio 1.05 1.13
Load factor 75 85

Safety features

CFBR designs mentions a new and improved decay heat removal (DHR) system, reactor shutdown system from its predecessor PFBR. Passive safety features include new Hydraulically Suspended Absorber Rods (HSAR) which fall into the core under the influence of gravity if coolant flow is lost, and the inclusion of an Ultimate Shutdown System (USD) which would use pressurized gas to forcefully inject neutron poisons directly into the core to halt re-criticality incidents. [3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "FBR-600 - India's Next-gen Commercial Fast Breeder Reactor [CFBR] - AA Me, IN". www.aame.in. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  2. Puthiyavinayagam, P (June 28, 2016). "Progress in Fast Reactor Programme of India: April 2014 – March 2015" (PDF). Conference Proceedings at the 48th Annual Meeting of TWGFR, IAEA.
  3. http://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/pram/085/03/0525-0538
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