India's fast breeder reactor project to start by September: Officials

[warrior monk]

With authorities working to complete all tests and ensure regulatory compliances, India's first indigenously designed 500-MW fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam would start nuclear power generation by September, nuclear power officials said.

"We are closely working with Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to complete all tests and ensure regulatory compliances. We hope to start power generation this September," P. Chellapandi, chairman and managing director, Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), told IANS.

The project site at Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam, around 80 km from here, has been undertaken by BHAVINI, the country's second nuclear power plant operator tasked with operating fast breeder reactors.

"The plant is expected to be commissioned this year. Different processes are expected to be over in one or two months. Thereafter, fuel will have to be loaded into the reactor," Sekhar Basu, a member of Atomic Energy Commission and director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), told IANS.

The prototype fast breeder reactor will use a blend of plutonium and uranium oxide for fuel, called MOX fuel.

Chellapandi said the unit would be connected to the southern grid and start feeding power to the tune of 30 percent of its total capacity.

According to Basu, also a director at Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), the second 1,000-MW unit at Kudankulam plant is also expected to be commissioned this year.

The NPCIL has set up two 1,000-MW nuclear power plants at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, around 650 km from here.

Both units are supplied by Russian company Rosatom.

The first unit was connected to the southern grid in December 2014 and is now operating at around 60 percent of its capacity.

Basu said the first unit would be refuelled. One third of fuel pins have to be changed every year.

He said the refuelling process is being prolonged since the second unit is yet to go on stream.

According to NPCIL, the second unit at Kudankulam has achieved a physical progress of 98.23 percent as on May 2015.

http://www.moneylife.in/article/ind...ct-to-start-by-september-officials/42305.html

 

[warrior monk]

Currently only 3 countries are operating breeder reactors in the world India , Japan and Russia. It will be the only 3rd generation breeder reactor in the world.We are also building 4 more of these babies.
Cum on daddy needs those Plutonium and breeder reactors are the best as far as making plutonium is concerned
We need more breeder reactorsand fast .

 

[blueblood]

Currently only 3 countries are operating breeder reactors in the world India , Japan and Russia. It will be the only 3rd generation breeder reactor in the world.We are also building 4 more of these babies.
Cum on daddy needs those Plutonium and breeder reactors are the best as far as making plutonium is concerned
We need more breeder reactorsand fast .

"Come", spellings can change the meaning of the sentence and also the smilies.:biggrin2:

 

[Rowdy]

Ohhh yeahh baby ....
India needs energy and lots of it .
India Becomes 3rd Largest Oil Importer
India is now the world’s third largest importer of crude oil after the United States and China.

The country’s oil imports have steadily climbed along with its growing economy. India has surpassed Japan in terms of oil imports multiple times over the past few years, and could trade spots again. But while they duel it out in the short-term, the outlook is clear. India’s import dependence is rising fast and it will be one of the largest sources of demand growth for the foreseeable future.

Saudis Said to Discuss Sweetening India Oil Deals With Own Ships
Saudi Arabia is said to be in talks with Indian oil buyers to ship crude on the Middle East supplier’s own tankers, potentially cutting the cost of cargoes.

While the world’s biggest crude exporter won’t offer to sell its crude at a discount to its official selling price, it may pass on the benefit of lower shipping costs, four people with knowledge of the matter said, asking not to be identified because the talks are confidential. The use of vessels owned by Saudi Arabia may reduce the cost of its supplies by 25 to 30 cents a barrel, two officials at two Indian refiners said.
OPEC’s biggest member is seeking to defend market share amid competition from other suppliers and as refiners across Asia look for bargains from Europe to Mexico. Producers are vying for sales as a global glut is exacerbated by the highest U.S. output in more than three decades and as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries pumps at the fastest pace since 2012.

“Everybody is trying to capture market share,” Ehsan Ul-Haq, an analyst at KBC Energy Economics in London, said by phone. “One of the things the Saudis can do is to provide better freight in order to somehow influence refiners to take more crude from them.”

State-run Saudi Arabian Oil Co.’s press office didn’t respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Mattu J.P. Singh, a New Delhi-based spokeswoman for India’s oil ministry, declined to comment.
Shipping Plan
Saudi Arabia may sell its supply to India on a delivered basis, meaning shipping costs are included in the price paid by the buyer for the cargo, the people said. The Middle East nation typically sells its crude on a free-on-board basis, where the buyer arranges freight.

The two sides are still discussing the plan, which would need government approval, said the people. Saudi Aramco, as the state oil company is known, sells its crude to Asia at a monthly differential to the average of the Dubai and Oman grades.

“The main obstacle for Saudi Aramco is that it issues its OSPs before others in the region so no matter what discount it gives others can always sell at lower prices,” said Kamel al-Harami, an independent industry analyst and former chief executive officer of Kuwait Petroleum International. “The only way to fix this situation is by giving sweeteners or indirect discounts such as crude delivery to customers.”

Saudi Arabia is leading OPEC’s policy of maintaining output, aimed at keeping market share and forcing other higher-cost producers including U.S. shale companies to slow drilling activity.

Its strategy seems to be working in some Asian nations. South Korea bought a record amount of Saudi crude last month, and the Middle East has held on its rank as the biggest supplier to China, the world’s second-largest oil user.

“India is one of the spaces where the Saudis haven’t made a big push yet,” said Amrita Sen, a London-based analyst with Energy Aspects Ltd. “I think this is one of the ways by which they can make a big push.”

Make oil cheaper ..... Let the Iranian sanctions come off....!!!

 

[pmaitra]

The Saudis are also trying to set up an oil alliance with Russia, if this article, entitled "About-Face! Saudi Arabia and Russia Ink Six New Deals, Embark on New 'Petroleum Alliance'" is to be believed.

Looks like (speculation) Russia and Saudi are trying to cut out their target-customer zones.

 

[Rowdy]

The Saudis are also trying to set up an oil alliance with Russia, if this article, entitled "About-Face! Saudi Arabia and Russia Ink Six New Deals, Embark on New 'Petroleum Alliance'" is to be believed.

Looks like (speculation) Russia and Saudi are trying to cut out their target-customer zones.

Then US and Iran will pump it up

 

[pmaitra]

Then US and Iran will pump it up

God knows what is happening. There is a lot of shifts happening. The Saudis are drifting away from the US. The US is drifting away from Israel. Iran is drifting away from Russia, as they are fed up of Russia dangling the carrot of the S-300, but not really delivering. Of course, Turkey is drifting away from the EU after being repeatedly denied membership, and Greece from the EuroZone.

 

[warrior monk]

So Saudis supply 760,000 bpd to India if we take 30 cents discount then we save 83.22 million $ per annum not bad , I think we should increase our strategic petroleum reserves . If iran deal passes through then oil futures may go down .

 

[Rowdy]

God knows what is happening. There is a lot of shifts happening. The Saudis are drifting away from the US. The US is drifting away from Israel. Iran is drifting away from Russia, as they are fed up of Russia dangling the carrot of the S-300, but not really delivering. Of course, Turkey is drifting away from the EU after being repeatedly denied membership, and Greece from the EuroZone.

and all the conflicts!!!!
SYMPTOMS OF A POWER SHIFT.

 

[warrior monk]

This fast breeder reactor reactor has a doubling time of about 13 years that means it can double the plutonium which the core is made up off in its radial and axial blankets of uranium into Pu 239.
If India decides to make it complete military use it will generate 140 to 150 kgs weapons grade Plutonium per year which is 95 % and above Pu 239 and less than 5 % Pu 240.
That means we can produce 35 to 40 warheads per year just from this reactor provided reprocessing facilities is there.
or
in other words
1 Fast breeder reactor = 2 x ( Pakistan's complete nuclear weapons program)
We also have 8 heavy water reactors with online refuelling capability in our military program.

 

[Rowdy]

This fast breeder reactor reactor has a doubling time of about 13 years that means it can double the plutonium which the core is made up off in its radial and axial blankets of uranium into Pu 239.
If India decides to make it complete military use it will generate 140 to 150 kgs weapons grade Plutonium per year which is 95 % and above Pu 239 and less than 5 % Pu 240.
That means we can produce 35 to 40 warheads per year just from this reactor provided reprocessing facilities is there.
or
in other words
1 Fast breeder reactor = 2 x ( Pakistan's complete nuclear weapons program)
We also have 8 heavy water reactors with online refuelling capability in our military program.

What is the status of our K15 sub launched ICBM?
And out third stage (Thorium) reactors?

 

[warrior monk]

Forget K-15 , K-4 is nearly ready and best will be the k-5 which will be MIRVed under 13 meters length body made up off composites and can carry 6 to 8 boosted fission warheads atleast per launch .
And far as our thorium reactors are concerned our AHWR is being built but will take 8 to 10 years to complete , , it will be fuelled by reactor grade plutonium of which we produce 1400 kgs per year.
Here the Th 232 will transmutate to U 233 which is what is fissile , by the way we tested a U 233 fissionable device in 1998 tests .
U 233 is much better than u 235 almost as good as Pu 239 for bomb making as it requires no enrichment and only a small amount is good for a device.
We will be among a few countries that has 3 ways to the bomb that is Pu 239 , U -235 and U -233

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Forget K-15 , K-4 is nearly ready and best will be the k-5 which will be MIRVed under 13 meters length body made up off composites and can carry 6 to 8 boosted fission warheads atleast per launch .
And far as our thorium reactors are concerned our AHWR is being built but will take 8 to 10 years to complete , , it will be fuelled by reactor grade plutonium of which we produce 1400 kgs per year.
Here the Th 232 will transmutate to U 233 which is what is fissile , by the way we tested a U 233 fissionable device in 1998 tests .
U 233 is much better than u 235 almost as good as Pu 239 for bomb making as it requires no enrichment and only a small amount is good for a device.
We will be among a few countries that has 3 ways to the bomb that is Pu 239 , U -235 and U -233

Given your knowledge on this matter, can you throw some light on war heads produced by China and Pak. Which reactors do they use for producing fissile material and their annual production? Pak is supposed to ramp up production of its n-warheads.

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

@Mad Indian should be happy with all the power generation facility in TN!!

 

[Rowdy]

Forget K-15 , K-4 is nearly ready and best will be the k-5 which will be MIRVed under 13 meters length body made up off composites and can carry 6 to 8 boosted fission warheads atleast per launch .
And far as our thorium reactors are concerned our AHWR is being built but will take 8 to 10 years to complete , , it will be fuelled by reactor grade plutonium of which we produce 1400 kgs per year.
Here the Th 232 will transmutate to U 233 which is what is fissile , by the way we tested a U 233 fissionable device in 1998 tests .
U 233 is much better than u 235 almost as good as Pu 239 for bomb making as it requires no enrichment and only a small amount is good for a device.
We will be among a few countries that has 3 ways to the bomb that is Pu 239 , U -235 and U -233

Waiting for a 14000km ICBM

 

[Ind4Ever]

This fast breeder reactor reactor has a doubling time of about 13 years that means it can double the plutonium which the core is made up off in its radial and axial blankets of uranium into Pu 239.
If India decides to make it complete military use it will generate 140 to 150 kgs weapons grade Plutonium per year which is 95 % and above Pu 239 and less than 5 % Pu 240.
That means we can produce 35 to 40 warheads per year just from this reactor provided reprocessing facilities is there.
or
in other words
1 Fast breeder reactor = 2 x ( Pakistan's complete nuclear weapons program)
We also have 8 heavy water reactors with online refuelling capability in our military program.

nice info ... But i don't have knowledge about Pu 240 or Pu239 or what ever . Can u share some info on this subjects that are these terms and how its important to India ?

 

[warrior monk]

Given your knowledge on this matter, can you throw some light on war heads produced by China and Pak. Which reactors do they use for producing fissile material and their annual production? Pak is supposed to ramp up production of its n-warheads.

Pakistan nuclear weapons complex is small compared to ours they mostly use U-235 based fissionable devices and have around 3 tonnes of HE uranium . Pakistan has 40000 SWU worth of centrifuges which is stolen URECO design by AQ khan.
It takes around 20 to 25 kgs of U 235 to make a fissionable device while it takes only 4 to 5 kgs of Pu 239 to make a fissionable device .
Pakistan doesn't have enough U 238 the ore to generate enough bombs so by 1998 thanks to china they deciced to have small heavy water research reactors of 50 mwt at Khusab and they have produced 3 more of these labeled Khusab -1 to 4 , khusab 4 was completed last year . They can produce at 70 % capacity of about 38 to 45 kgs of Wg Plutonium per year which is abround 9 devices a year and their Uranium another 7 to 10 devices .

China has a huge inventory of HE uranium and 4 tonnes of Plutonium and their bomb capability is fairly advanced but not much is known

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Pakistan nuclear weapons complex is small compared to ours they mostly use U-235 based fissionable devices and have around 3 tonnes of HE uranium . Pakistan has 40000 SWU worth of centrifuges which is stolen URECO design by AQ khan.
It takes around 20 to 25 kgs of U 235 to make a fissionable device while it takes only 4 to 5 kgs of Pu 239 to make a fissionable device .
Pakistan doesn't have enough U 238 the ore to generate enough bombs so by 1998 thanks to china they deciced to have small heavy water research reactors of 50 mwt at Khusab and they have produced 3 more of these labeled Khusab -1 to 4 , khusab 4 was completed last year . They can produce at 70 % capacity of about 38 to 45 kgs of Wg Plutonium per year which is abround 9 devices a year and their Uranium another 7 to 10 devices .

China has a huge inventory of HE uranium and 4 tonnes of Plutonium and their bomb capability is fairly advanced but not much is known

Also, what is the life of a warhead? How is it calculated? So to keep replenishing the stocks, how many such reactors would suffice for India?

 

[warrior monk]

nice info ... But i don't have knowledge about Pu 240 or Pu239 or what ever . Can u share some info on this subjects that are these terms and how its important to India ?

whenever we extract plutonium out of the spent fuel from reactors which have run normally not on low burn up we get plutonium which has both Pu 239 and Pu 240 if the Pu 240 in the mixture is more than 19 % it is reactor grade between 5 to 18 % it is fuel grade Plutonium but if we run our reactors on Low burn up and extract the Plutonium which has 95 % PU 239 and only 5 % Pu 240 that is weapons grade .
You see Pu 240 is not good bomb material as the blast would fizzle so we want as less Pu 240 and more Pu 239 to make bombs.
Always Pu 239 and Pu 240 appears simultaneously the trick is to run the reactor such that fuel is not completely extracted of energy you can have super weapons grade plutonium . But running reactors on low burn up is not feasible otherwise everybody would have made bombs . But Heavy water reactors can pull of that stunt which by the way India has 8 outside safe guards .
Theoretically we can produce 700 to 1000 kg of weapons grade plutonium if we run the reactors at low burnup which is sufficient for 250 to 350 nuclear warheads per year but we require 3 tonnes of uranium ore to do that and we only generate 1200 kgs per year and the reactors would not generate much electricity. But 1 to 2 reactors can be run on low burnup enough for 80 to 100 warheads per year. it depends upon the govt and we need to have enough reprocessing capability .

 

[warrior monk]

Also, what is the life of a warhead? How is it calculated? So to keep replenishing the stocks, how many such reactors would suffice for India?

It depends from 25 years to 75 years for plutonium warheads . most of the warheads designed in 1980s were 25 to 35 years shell life but India has used supercomputers to design its warheads its plutonium pits there are many materials in a nuclear weapon, including metals, high explosives, polymers, and ceramics. The aging of any one of these materials could affect weapon performance, which is why Indian scientists with a wide range of materials expertise are working to understand aging processes.
Using complex differential equations and probability we can recreate blasts in our supercomputers which India does and design long lasting warheads.
Oxidation is a general problem of components of warheads , plus is boosted fission warheads which uses tritium gas to boost warheads has a half life of about 12.5 years so tritium gas needs to be changed but India produces world's largest amount of tritium thanks to our heavy water reactors.