CHEM02200704003 Nilamadhab Pandhy - Homi Bhabha National ...

Chapter 1
C H A P T E R 1
Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing & Material Challenges
The chapter introduces the Indian nuclear power programme towards meeting the increasing
energy requirement. The requirement for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, and various problems
and challenges in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing is briefly explained. Out of several problems the
chapter focuses on the material selection, and their implementation for successful reprocessing
plant application.
1.1 Introduction to Indian nuclear power programme
To date nuclear energy [23] is considered as an important part of energy source by several
countries with rising energy demand. The growing interest of nuclear energy is due to large part to
its negligible Green House Gas (GHG) emission, and its long term economic competitiveness
[24]. The projected energy demand for future (2032) published by Government of India (GoI) is
60 GWe. To meet the demand India needs 25 % of total power production from nuclear sector, a
22% hike from the current level and towards this, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has
chalked out a three stage power programme [25]. With the utilization of the available resources, it
is expected that nuclear power production capacity will increase up to 20, 000 MWe by the year
2020. This involves setting up of pressurized heavy water reactors, and imported light water
reactors. The second stage envisages building a chain of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR) multiplying
fissile material inventory along with power production. Subsequently, FBRs will be the stronghold
of India’s nuclear power programme. Third stage consists of exploiting the vast resources of
thorium through the route of fast, thermal or accelerator driven sub-critical reactors. Thorium is
present in a larger quantity in the total estimated reserves of monazite in India to about 8 million