IGCAR : Annual Report - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

IGC
Annual Report 2007
IV.D. FRFCF
IV.D.1. Status of work on Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility
A Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle
Facility (FRFCF), that is a first of
its kind in the country, is
planned to reprocess the spent
fuel from PFBR to recover
plutonium and uranium, and
recycle them to manufacture
fresh fuel and supply to PFBR
for reloads. This would lead to
closing of the PFBR fuel cycle
and eliminate transport of
plutonium required for PFBR in
public domain. This large
project, which is a green-field
project, would require
developing the complete
designs of plant and machinery
needed to achieve the
objective. The facility will
contain a reprocessing plant, a
fuel fabrication plant, a
reprocessed uranium oxide
plant, a core sub assembly
plant, and an integrated waste
management plant. The facility
would be self-contained and
located at Kalpakkam. The
work is being piloted by IGCAR
with technical support from
BARC and NFC. The project
will continue on to the XII Plan
as well. The site selected for
FRFCF has been approved by
AERB after evaluation. As a
preparatory step to construction
of FRFCF, sanction has been
obtained for development of
infrastructure for FRFCF and
appointment of consultants for
detailed design. Basic
infrastructure is being created
to reduce the lead time
Fig.1 Work on main power station building in progress at FRFCF site
Fig.2 PDSC Members inspecting the FRFCF site. Soil load bearing capacity
test set up is in the background.
required to commence the
construction work once the
FRFCF project is sanctioned.
Design of selected
infrastructure buildings has
been completed. Construction
activity related to Main power
station(Fig.1), Stores, and
workshop buildings is in
progress. Work on construction
power supply system has
been completed. Topographic
survey, and Geotechnical /
hydrogeological investigations
of the site have been completed
and the results of geotechnical
investigations are presented in
the article "Integration of
Geophysical and Geotechnical
Investigation at FRFCF Site".
AERB has constituted a Project
Design Safety Committee for
FRFCF and review of the
preliminary safety analysis
report is in progress.
The committee inspected
the FRFCF site during
geotechnical investigation
phase (Fig.2). Appointment of
consultants for the detailed
design is being processed.
Detailed project report for
FRFCF is planned to be
submitted for financial sanction
during the year 2008-09.
114 FUEL CYCLE