Sustainable Energy Security from
Fast Breeder Reactors
P. Puthiya Vinayagam and P. Chellapandi
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research
Kalpakkam, India
6th Nuclear Energy Conclave
Organised by India Energy Forum at New Delhi on 14th October 2014
FBR : A Vital Stage in Indian Nuclear Power Program
Nat U
Stage I
 Provides a perfect link covering the
natural nuclear resources of India
 Effective utilisation of uranium – better
resource management
Pu &
Depleted U
 Long term energy supply
 Higher growth rate with breeding
Stage II
Pu
Th
U233
Stage III
U233
Th
 Waste management - Incineration of
radioactive waste from spent fuel and
reduction of
long term storage
requirements
 Enhanced performance parameters – high
temp of operation leading to higher
thermodynamic efficiency
 Closed fuel cycle program is essential in
the 2nd and 3rd stage
FBRs : Inevitable for long term security & sustainability of nuclear power
Growth and Waste Minimization Strategy
Growth
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)
FBR Program in India
• FBR program started with construction of test reactor –
Fast Breeder Test Reactor with French know-how
• Prototype scale reactor : PFBR 500 MWe - Indigenous
Design & Construction – Under commissioning
• Comprehensiveness in development of Design based on
systematic R&D
• Synthesis of Operating Experiences
• National & International Collaborations
• Emphasis on sustaining quality human resources
• Future FBR Design : Improved economy & enhanced
safety
Fast Breeder Test Reactor
FBTR, in operation since 1985, is the
flag-ship of IGCAR and is the test bed
for fast reactor fuels and materials.
40 MWt
13.5 MWe
22 campaigns were completed so far for
various irradiation programs.
Loop type
Training of PFBR operators in progress
(Pu-U)C fuel
Major Achievements
 High burnup experience from mixed carbide fuel (165 GWd/t)
 PFBR MOX fuel tested and design demonstrated (112 GWd/t)
 Structural materials irradiation program
 Irradiation testing of advanced fuel types (vibrocompacted MOX fuel)
 Sodium systems performance is excellent and confidence in operation
 Material and fuel irradiation for other Indian reactors which are under
development
Evolution of SFR Power Reactor Concepts
MFBR
1000 MWe
FBR 1 & 2 - 500 MWe
MOX, Pool, Twin
units, Indigeneous
PFBR - 500 MWe
MOX , Pool type, Indigeneous
Metal fuel Demonstration
Fast Reactor – 500 MWe
Same reactor concepts,
Indigeneous
FBR-600 MWe
Preliminary Conceptual Design options worked out
Power : 600 MWe with expanded core
Targets : Higher breeding ratio compared to PFBR
Vessel size : same as PFBR
Reactor Assembly design concepts : same as FBR1&2
Core type: Heterogeneous as an option
Advantage : Existing MOX technology & economy
Design Approach for Future FBRs

Improved economy
- Higher reactor power (600 MWe – Specific capital cost reduction)
- Core optimisation for higher breeding ratio (not fuel inventory alone)
- Specific material inventory reduction (t/MWe) (~ 20% in 316LN &
carbon steel, ~ 15% in Ferritic steel, ~ 6% in sodium)
- Simplified systems and components (e.g fuel handling)
- Integrated manufacture & erection - reduction of gestation period
-Twin units sharing non-safety systems (cost reduction)
-Steam generator (longer length ) & Standardized turbine

Enhanced safety
- Addition of passive features in shutdown systems & addition
of 3rd system based on liquid absorbers / B4C granules
- Enhanced reliability of decay heat removal systems with addition
of passive features
- Enhanced in-service inspection and repair features
No major R&D requirement for Design as well as Technology
development beyond those planned for 500 MWe reactors
FBR-600 MWe : Plant Parameters
Parameter
PFBR
FBR-600
500
600
MOX
MOX
397 / 547
397 / 557
Homogeneous
Heterogeneous
2
1
20.7 / 27.7
29.5
Fissile inventory, kg
1980
3310
Breeding ratio
1.05
1.13
Secondary loops
2
2
No. of Primary Sodium Pump
2
3
No. of IHX
4
4
No. of Secondary Sodium Pump
2
2
No. of SG / loop (tube height, m)
4 (23 m)
3 (30 m)
Steam temp/Pressure (oC / MPa)
490 / 17
510 / 17
12.9
12.9
75
85
Power, MWe
Fuel
Reactor coolant inlet/outlet temp, oC
Core layout
No. of enrichment zones
Fissile enrichment, %
Main vessel diameter, m
Load factor, %
Strategy for the Development of Metal Fuel Reactors
 Pin and subassembly level irradiation in FBTR mainly to demonstrate pin
production, reprocessing and re-fabrication technologies
 Irradiation of a few subassemblies in PFBR after demonstrating the
stable operation at rated power levels
 Re-fabrication of pins for both FBTR & PFBR irradiation pins in an
integrated facility
 Accumulating operating experiences through demonstration plant Metal
Demonstration Fast Reactor (MDFR), preferably of medium size plant
with reasonable breeding
 Deriving technological maturity on pyro metallurgical recycle technology
in industrial scale
 Demonstration of closed fuel cycle mode through MDFR
Series construction of 500-1000 MWe plants
Metallic Fuel Development
Pin Irradiation
in FBTR
Subassembly
Irradiation in FBTR
Doubling time:
30years for oxide, 12 years for metal (ternary fuel)
and 8 years for improved metallic fuel (binary fuel
without Zr)
Reference compositions:
U-19%Pu-6%Zr (sodium bonded)
Substantial Core Metallic U-15% Pu (mechanically bonded)
Fuel in FBTR
Experimental
Fast Reactor
Metallic Fuel Design
1000 MWe Units
Sodium bonded EU-6%Zr and U-Pu-Zr pins
fabricated and are under irradiation in FBTR
Physicochemical property measurements and clad
compatibility studies under way
Scenario for Metal Fuel Power Reactor
 Assessment with optimum pin diameter 8 – 8.5 mm for growth
 Based on preliminary assessments with a matrix of case studies
Parameter
LHR, W/cm
Breeding Ratio
Sodium Bond
10 % Zr
6 %Zr
420-470
450-530
1.2 – 1.25
1.30 – 1.35
Mech Bond
0 % Zr
375-400
1.4 – 1.45
(including ext. blanket )
Burnup, GWd/t
Sodium Void Reactivity coeff, $
100-125
4.5 – 5.0
100-125
5.0 – 5.5
100-125
5.5 – 6.0
Fissile enrichment zones (500/1000)
2/3
2/3
2/3
No of SA (500 MWe)
180
195
220
Na outlet temp oC
510-520
510-520
510-520
Spent fuel storage
Sodium
Sodium
Water
Reprocessing
Pyro
Pyro
Purex
Plant Parameters : A Comparison (MOX & Metal)
Parameter(s)
Unit
PFBR
MDFR-500
Reactor thermal power
MWt
1253
1350
Electrical output (Gross)
MWe
500
500
Gross thermal efficiency
--
40
37.5
Fuel
--
PuO2-UO2
U-Pu-6%Zr
Coolant
--
Sodium
Sodium
Concept of Pri. Na circuit
--
Pool
Pool
Reactor coolant inlet temp.
K (oC)
670 (397)
633 (360)
Reactor coolant outlet temp.
K (oC)
820 (547)
783 (510)
Steam temp. at SG outlet
K (oC)
766 (493)
736 (463)
Closed Fuel Cycle for PFBR
• Closure of fuel cycle of PFBR is
essential to make it self-sustaining
• Thermal reactor Plutonium will be used
for building of more FBRs.
• Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility
(FRFCF) being located at Kalpakkam.
• FRFCF would be a ‘first of its kind’
facility in the country
• Co-location of the facility with reactor
would reduce cost due to transport and
also avoid security issues
• Basic technologies required
facility is available
for the
• Designed to augment additional
capacity to meet the requirements of
two more 500 MWe FBRs to be built at
Kalpakkam site.
FRFCF – Bird’s Eye View
Sustainability Consideration
Minor Actinide Management – A scenario
 MA Burner – design to burn selfproduction and external MA
feed;
 MA Burnt ~ 100 kg/GWey
 MA produced ~ 20 kg/GWey
 Net Transmutation ~80kg/GWey
•
Study based on Indian
power reactor program
•
Metal fast reactors are
ideal for MA burning
•
Introduction
of
MA
Burner together with
power production at an
appropriate time
Summary
• Fast Breeder Reactors – Essential for 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 higher growth rate, R&D on metal fuel with
high breeding potential along with associated fuel
cycle technologies is in progress.
Thank You for your attention