Printed from the Economic Times of India
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BARC surges ahead with advanced heavy water reactors
15 Aug, 2007, 1600 hrs IST, PTI
MUMBAI: An advanced heavy water reactor (AHWR) that will test crucial technology to be used in future thorium-based nuclear reactors will be commissioned soon, the chief of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre said on Wednesday.
The commissioning of various systems of the AHWR, including the moderator system, the loading of fuel assemblies and shut-off rods and the deployment of an advanced alarm annunciation system that was developed in-house has been completed, BARC Director S Banerjee said while addressing staff on the 60th anniversary of India's independence.
The pre-licensing safety review of the AHWR by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has been completed and a preliminary safety analysis report is being prepared, he said.
The manufacturing of the prototype fuelling machine for the AHWR is on in full swing and it will be tested in integrated facilities being jointly created by BARC and the Nuclear Power Corporation at the Research and Development Centre in Tarapur, Banerjee said.
Speaking on the development of other advanced technologies, he said the physics design of the compact high temperature reactor (CHTR) has been optimised for extending the core life from 3,000 to 5,500 full power days.
A liquid metal natural circulation loop using lead bismuth eutectic alloy as the coolant has been installed to study the CHTR's behaviour, he said.
Simultaneously, designs for a 600-MW high temperature reactor for hydrogen production and a five-MW multi-purpose nuclear power pack are currently being prepared.
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