Brief Context
Context India has achieved a major milestone as the indigenously built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has attained criticality. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) PFBR is an advanced reactor that generates more fissile fuel than it consumes. India’s PFBR is located at Kalpakkam and operated by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited.
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Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology
Context
- India has achieved a major milestone as the indigenously built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has attained criticality.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
- PFBR is an advanced reactor that generates more fissile fuel than it consumes.
- India’s PFBR is located at Kalpakkam and operated by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited. It uses Uranium–Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel.
- It is called a fast breeder because;
- It uses high-energy, fast neutrons to sustain the fission reaction, rather than the slowed-down thermal neutrons used in standard reactors.
- It converts fertile material (like Uranium-238) into fissile material (Plutonium-239).
- The criticality refers to the point at which a reactor achieves a self-sustaining nuclear fission reaction, where the number of neutrons produced is sufficient to keep the reaction going without external intervention.
Significance of the Achievement
- Advancement of India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Programme: The PFBR marks progress in the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear programme.
- It enables the conversion of fertile material into fissile fuel.
- It lays the foundation for the third stage, which focuses on thorium utilization.
- Harnessing Thorium Potential: India possesses vast thorium reserves, and the PFBR helps generate the required fissile material (U-233) for thorium-based reactors.
- Thorium-232, is not fissile but can be converted into a fissile material.
- Technological and Strategic Significance: India becomes only the second country after Russia to develop a commercial fast breeder reactor.
- It demonstrates advanced indigenous capability in nuclear technology and engineering.
India’s Three-stage nuclear programme
- Establishment: India established the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948.
- In 1956, Asia’s first research reactor, Apsara, was commissioned at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay.
- India was the second Asian nation to build a nuclear power plant in 1969 at Tarapur, just after Japan and long before China.
- India has a three-phase programme of nuclear power visioned by Dr Homi J Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme.
- First Stage (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors – PHWRs): India’s nuclear program initially focused on establishing a fleet of PHWRs.
- These reactors use natural uranium (U-238), which contains minuscule amounts of U-235, as the fissile material.
- Heavy water (deuterium oxide) as both moderator and coolant.
- The primary purpose of this stage was to produce plutonium-239 as a byproduct from the uranium fuel.
- Plutonium-239 is a fissile material used as fuel in nuclear reactors.
- Second Stage (Fast Breeder Reactors – FBRs): The second stage of the program involves the deployment of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs).
- FBRs are designed to produce more fissile material than they consume by utilizing a fast neutron spectrum.
- In this stage, plutonium-239 produced in the first stage is used as fuel along with U-238 to produce energy, U-233, and more Pu-239.
- Uranium-233 is another fissile material that can be used as fuel in nuclear reactors.
- Third Stage (Advanced Heavy Water Reactors – AHWRs): The final stage of the program entails the deployment of Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWRs).
- Pu-239 will be combined with thorium-232 (Th-232) in reactors to produce energy and U-233.
- Thorium is abundantly available in India, and this stage aims to harness its potential as a nuclear fuel.
Source: PIB