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Fast Reactor Technology Group


Mandate

The Fast Reactor Technology Group (FRTG) is a multidisciplinary group engaged in the design, fabrication, erection and operation of sodium test facilities, development and testing of components and equipments for the fast breeder reactor programme.  The group has a proven expertise in diverse disciplines such as the design, fabrication, erection and operation of sodium loops, development of sodium instrumentation and electromagnetic devices, functional in-sodium testing of full scale reactor components/mechanisms, development of techniques for sodium purification and cold trap regeneration, sodium/NaK handling and disposal, sodium removal techniques for cleaning large sodium wetted components, studies on sodium fires, sodium leak detection, basic studies on sodium-water reaction, process improvement, applied studies on FBR steam generator, thermal hydraulics studies on scaled models and design/development of remote handling and inspection devices for reactor applications.

Over the years the group has indigenously established as many as 13 sodium test facilities that have been utilised for basic studies on materials in sodium as well as for functional testing of full scale reactor equipments. A new facility, the Sodium Technology Complex (STC), presently under commissioning further augments the testing capability. In addition, the group is also equipped with water test facilities for basic and applied studies on reactor thermal hydraulics.

Indigenous development of sodium technology has always been the primary objective of the group and towards this end the group has collaborated with Indian industry to develop technologies for sodium application such as level probes, pressure and flow measurement devices, under sodium inspection sensors, mechanical and electromagnetic pumps, and in-service inspection equipment and robotic systems for reactor application.



Facilities

Some of the important facilities available are:

  1. Large Components Test Rig (LCTR): This large capacity sodium facility has been used primarily for performance testing of full scale reactor machines and mechanisms such as the reactor shutdown mechanisms, fuel handling machines, under sodium viewing mechanism, failed fuel location mechanism, electromagnetic pumps, flowmeters, etc.

  2. Steam Generator Test Facility (SGTF): The facility houses a full scale sector model of the fast breeder reactor steam generator. It has been employed to validate the heat transfer capacity as well as to study the instability behaviour of the once through type steam generator used in FBR's.

  3. Safety Grade Decay Heat Removal in Natrium (SADHANA) facility: This scaled down facility of the PFBR safety grade heat removal System has been invaluable in the characterisation of the natural convection in the primary sodium pool.

  4. Sodium Water Reaction Test Rig (SOWART): This facility is employed for studies related to the damaging effects of sodium-water reaction, on the steam generator tubes, such as self wastage and impingement wastage. This facility has also served as a test bed for development of different types of hydrogen sensors.

  5. Thermal shock Test Facility (TSTF): This unique facility simulates the thermal shock experienced by components immersed in the sodium pool under reactor transient conditions.

  6. Sodium Facility for Component Testing (SFCT): This facility has employed for the performance testing of different electromagnetic pumps, indigenously developed Inconel625H bellows, frozen seal valves, RADAR level probes etc.

  7. In house workshop equipped with lathe, milling machines, drilling machines, all cut machines and CNC wire cut EDM etc,.


Achievements

The following jobs are few of the important contributions towards PFBR:

  • In-sodium functional and endurance testing of the fuel handling machines, shutdown mechanisms, under sodium scanner, failed fuel location module etc.
  • Sodium removal from large sodium wetted components such as shutdown mechanisms, fuel handling machines, heat exchangers and pumps.
  • Characterisation of Safety Grade Decay Heat Removal (SGDHR) system of PFBR through scaled down studies in sodium
  • Hydraulic studies in water towards development of
    1. gas entrainment mitigation devices
    2. pressure drop devices such as honeycomb orifices and labyrinth
    3. pressure drop in core subassembly.
  • Indigenisation of bellows seal and frozen seal valves for sodium applications.
  • Development of an indigenous remote inspection tool for PFBR SG and deployment in all 8 SG for PSI
  • Development of an Indigenous remote inspection tool for Dissimilar metal weld inspection for PFBR (DISHA) & deployment in the reactor for inspection
  • Development and deployment of a Reactor Core Viewing System (RCVS) for remote core inspection to understand the SA position in the reactor
  • Development of a remote inspection vehicles for waste vault inspection

The group is also active in providing supports towards commissioning activities in PFBR.

  • As part of the ongoing R&D for future FBR’s, the group is engaged in the development of oil less bearings and seals for main coolant pumps, integrated cold trap and integrated plugging Indicator for in-vessel sodium purification, fluorocarbon seals development etc.
    FRTG is committed towards the realisation of Atmanirbharata through the indigenisation of fast reactor technology.