IGCAR : Annual Report - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

IGC
Annual Report 2007
The construction of PFBR has
progressed very well (Fig.1-3).
The manufacturing of safety
vessel with thermal insulation,
large diameter main sodium
and argon tanks, and thermal
baffles has been completed.
Manufacturing of long delivery
mechanical components of
Nuclear Steam Supply System
(NSSS), viz grid plate,
shutdown mechanisms, core
support structure, top shields,
IHX, sodium pumps, steam
generators, inclined fuel
Fig.1 Overall view of the reactor site
transfer machine and decay
heat removal heat exchangers
are in different stages of
progress in Indian industries.
Manufacturing of main vessel
and inner vessel is in advanced
stage at site assembly shop.
Construction of 8 numbers of
Nuclear Island Connected
Buildings, diesel generator
buildings, service building,
service water pump house and
ventilation stack is in progress
at various elevations. The
Fig.2 Reactor vessel
Fig.3 Safety vessel
contracts for construction of
turbine building, sea-water
intake structure and sea-water
outfall channel have been
awarded.
Purchase orders have been
placed for main plant
turbo generator package,
instrumentation and control
package, 6.6 kV switchgear,
diesel generators, switchyard
and main cranes. Overall, the
project is on schedule and the
reactor is expected to be
commissioned by September
2010.
II.2. Design and Development of
Thermal Insulation for Safety Vessel
In PFBR, which is a 500 MWe
sodium cooled pool type
reactor, all reactor internals
including core and primary
coolant (sodium) are contained
in a single vessel called main
vessel surrounded by safety
vessel, which serves the
purpose of containing sodium
and ensuring minimum sodium
level to facilitate core cooling
in the unlikely event of leak in
main vessel. The load from
these vessels is transferred to
concrete structure known as
reactor vault. To limit the heat
flux to reactor vault concrete
and thereby ensuring the
integrity of the same, stainless
steel plate type thermal
insulation which can withstand
high gamma radiation is
provided on outer surface of
the safety vessel.
Design
Thermal insulation on safety
12 PROTOTYPE FAST BREEDER REACTOR