BARCBARC NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER
Celebrating Fifty Years of CIRUS and 25 years of DHRUVA at BARC
The CIRUS reactor, one of the high-flux research reactors at BARC, was commissioned on 10th July, 1960. It was built in collaboration with Canada, under the leadership of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha. It was around CIRUS, that the nuclear programme of the country was initiated and has since steadily evolved over the years. All these years, CIRUS has proved very useful to Indian Scientists in basic research using the neutron, in the production of radioisotopes for use in Industry, Materials testing, Medicine and Biology and in training Engineers for energy production involving heavy water as moderator and natural uranium as fuel. Now after 50 years of successful operation, it has been decided to permanently shut down the reactor and subsequently decommission it. Again CIRUS will provide invaluable experience to Indian Scientists and Engineers in the decommissioning of a research reactor.
The Dhruva research reactor has been one of the most powerful research reactors in the world. It completed 25 years of successful operation, on 8th August, 2010. Project R-5 as it was called then, was mainly used for neutronic research. Its commissioning also facilitated the production of high specific gravity radioisotopes in large quantities especially for medical applications. Special materials irradiation, neutron scattering, testing and utilization of pneumatic carrier facility for trace element analysis have also been carried out extensively. After the decommissioning of CIRUS, Dhruva will become one of the most important research reactors for many years to come.
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 CONTENTS
PM inaugurates new reprocessing plant at Tarapur 01 PM’s address on the occasion of the inauguration 02 ≠÷æ÷ æ÷¬÷‘ 2011 çÍ˙ Üæ÷√÷∏¸ Ø÷∏ ◊≠÷§Í¸ø÷ç˙, ≥÷÷Ø÷Ü çÎ˙¶¸ ç˙÷ √÷”§Í¸ø÷¸ 04 New Year Message from Director, BARC 05
Innovative Process Flowsheet for the Recovery of Uranium from Tummalapalle Ore 06 A.K. Suri
Research Articles • Simultaneous Measurement of Particle Velocity and Shock Velocity for Megabar 13 Laser Driven Shock studies S. Chaurasia et al. • Challenges in Core Reactivity Management and Control Optimization in Physics 22 Design of Compact High Temperature Reactor D. K. Dwivedi et al. • Shelf Life Extension of Litchi (Litchi chinensis) and Overcoming Quarantine Barriers 29 to International Trade using Radiation Technology Satyendra Gautam et al.
Technology Development Article • Development of a Novel Spent Fuel Chopper for PHWR Fuel 35 Shaji Karunakaran et al.
Feature Article • U-Ti alloy as a promising storage material for hydrogen isotopes 39 S.C. Parida et al.
News and Events • Report on DAE-BRNS Theme Meeting on Advanced Applications of 45 Physiological Variability (AAPV-2010) • Vigilance Awareness Week at BARC 47 • Development of a Networked Patient Call System for BARC Hospital 48 Arnab Jana et al. • Monitoring of Radioactive Waste Drums using various Techniques (RWDM - 2010): 50 Report of a Theme Meeting • Status and Trends in Thermal Reactor Spent Fuel Reprocessing in India: Report 52 on DAE-BRNS Theme Meeting • Third Supervisory Training Programme on Spent Fuel Reprocessing 53 at BARC Trombay: a report
BARC Scientists Honoured 55
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 I BARCBARC NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER
Editorial Committee From the Editor’s Desk
Chairman You will be having this issue in your hands in 2011. Let me Dr. V. Venugopal, wish you on my own behalf and also on behalf of all the Director, RC&I Group committee members, a very happy and scientifically rewarding 2011. Edited by Dr. K. Bhanumurthy This is the last issue of the BARC Newsletter for the year 2010. Head, SIRD Obtaining the articles from diverse areas of our centre, editing and bringing out the seven issues in 2010 (including the Founder’s Day Special Issue) was a challenge for us. Yes, there Associate Editors for this issue were few mistakes and there is large scope for further Mr. G. Venugopala Rao improvement. Further improvement is possible through close Dr. A. Ballal interactions between the editorial committee and the authors.
Members We have tried to cover most of the core areas of R&D in BARC Dr. V. Venugopal, RC&I Group and incorporate the suggestions received from our BARC Dr. D.N. Badodkar, DRHR fraternity. We wish to cover several other areas in the next year. Dr. A.P. Tiwari, RCnD I understand from the available statistics, that a large number Dr. Madangopal Krishnan, MSD of articles published in BARC Newsletter are downloaded and Dr. A.K. Tyagi, CD this trend is increasing. Dr. P.V. Varde, RRSD Dr. S.M. Yusuf, SSPD All of this has been possible due to your support and cooperation. Mr. Avaneesh Sharma, RED Please write to us and give your comments/suggestions as this will provide us scope for further improvement. We sincerely Dr. C. Srinivas, BETDD thank you all. We hope that you continue to do the same in Dr. G. Rami Reddy, RSD the coming year and keep sending us your findings through Dr. S.K. Mukherjee, FCD the contributory articles. Mr. G. Venugopala Rao, APPD Dr. Anand Ballal, MBD Dr. K. Bhanumurthy, SIRD Dr. K. Bhanumurthy Dr. S.C. Deokattey, SIRD On behalf of the Editorial Committee
II ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 PM inaugurates new reprocessing plant at Tarapur
The Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh dedicated the 100 Te annual capacity nuclear power reactor fuel reprocessing plant (PREFRE-2) at BARC, Tarapur, to the nation on 7th January, 2011.
On this occasion, Honourable Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, visited the process cell area and fuel handling area of PREFRE-2 plant along with Mr. K. Sankaranarayanan, Honourable Governor, Maharashtra State, Mr. Prithviraj Chavan, Honourable Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Mr. Ajit Pawar, Honourable Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, Chairman, AEC, & Dr. R.K. Sinha, Director, BARC.
Mr. S. Basu, Chief Executive, Nuclear Recycle Board, Mr. R.D. Changrani, Chief Superintendent, TNRPO & Dr. Jose Pannakkal, Head, AFFF escorted the visiting dignitaries.
After the visit, a plaque was unveiled by the Honourable Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to inaugurate the reprocessing plant, PREFRE-2.
Dr. S. Banerjee, Chairman, AEC welcomed the Prime Minister, dignitaries and the invitees.
Thereafter the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan singh addressed the gathering of Scientists and Engineers. After the Prime Minister’s address, Dr. R.K. Sinha, Director, BARC thanked the Prime Minister, the dignitaries and the invitees who attended the function.
PREFRE-2: The plant has been designed to process spent fuel from 220 MW PHWRs with an average burnup of 7000MWD/Te and cooling period of more than 3 years. PREFRE-2 aims to employ CHOP-LEACH head end treatment and solvent extraction process for the processing of dissolved spent fuel. The salient features of PREFRE-2 include engineered safety, redundancy in safety related equipment and components, defense in depth philosophy, fail safe logic, remote operation and maintenance. The plant has nominal processing capacity of 100 tonne heavy metal per annum. The plant has 5 process cells in a row and shares with PREFRE-1, certain facilities like, spent fuel pool, ADU conversion facility and utility services. The plant aims at reduced generation of nuclear waste. Low corrosion special
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh unveiling the plaque to material for process equipment and inaugurate the Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant-2 at Tarapur, piping has been used. Quality assurance in Maharashtra on January 07, 2011. The Governor of has been observed at all stages of Maharashtra, Mr. S. Sankaranarayanan, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Prithviraj Chavan and the National Security design. procurement, fabrication and Advisor, Mr. Shivshankar Menon are also seen. installation of plant systems. It is a 100 percent indigenous plant.
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 1 BARCBARC NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER
PM’s address on the occasion of the inauguration at Tarapur
“I am delighted to be present at the historic occasion of the commissioning of the second Power Reactor Reprocessing Plant at Tarapur.
This is a significant milestone in our country’s three-stage indigenous nuclear programme. I heartily congratulate the scientists and engineers who were involved in the design, construction and commissioning
of this unique complex and state of the art facility. This is yet another instance that once we make up our
mind, India can do anything.
We have come a long way since the first reprocessing of spent fuel in India in the year 1964 at Trombay.
The recycling and optimal utilization of Uranium is essential to meet our current and future energy security needs. The vision of the founding fathers of our nuclear programme, Jawaharlal Nehru and Homi Bhabha,
was to achieve the mastery of the complete fuel cycle, thus enabling India to use our vast and abundant
thorium resources in advanced nuclear power reactors. The reprocessing of spent fuel is therefore the key to our three stage indigenous nuclear power programme. Reprocessing is essential in the transition to the
second stage of fast breeder reactors which we have
begun, and in the subsequent third stage using thorium in advanced reactors.
Reprocessing spent fuel will also ensure that we are better able to manage the wastes which are by-
products of the nuclear fuel cycle.
Tarapur, itself is an outstanding example of nuclear
energy’s capacity to provide the clean, safe and
economical energy that our nation requires for its development and growth. This site is home to the
Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh oldest boiling water reactors in the world. Here we addressing the BARC fraternity have built our own reactors as well. And we have
2 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 subsequently added the entire range of facilities covering the entire fuel cycle from fuel fabrication to reprocessing and waste immobilization.
Taken together, the atomic energy programme of India represents a very important and significant step towards technological and energy self-reliance and security. That we have done so by the efforts of our own scientists and engineers is tribute to the vision of the founders of our atomic energy programme. Given the advanced status of our indigenous programme and the capabilities of our scientists and engineers we can now confidently utilize the new opportunities that have been created with the opening up of international cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
As we move forward in the years to come to realize the potential of atomic energy to contribute to our nation’s development, I would urge that we pay greater attention to capacity building, training and nurturing young and fresh talent which is in abundant supply in our country.
I once again congratulate all those who have played a role in this important landmark and who have contributed to the development of our capabilities in atomic energy. In their own way, each one of our scientists and engineers engaged in this very important national project are nation builders. I commend you all for your dedication and your hard work and your commitment to the goal of our national development. I wish you even greater success in your service to our nation. I thank each one of you on this historic occasion.”
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 3 BARCBARC NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER
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4 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 New Year Message from Director, BARC
“I would like to offer you my heartfelt good wishes for the new year 2011. Each new year brings new hopes and aspirations, new goals and targets and new challenges for forays into unexplored areas. BARC is the centre of excellence, both in strategic and nonstrategic applications of nuclear energy and I hope that we continue to maintain these high standards of excellence, a legacy from Dr. Homi Bhabha.
We have made rapid strides in our PHWR, AHWR and CHTR programmes. Apart from the ongoing work for the manufacture of fuels for FBTR and PFBR, the development of advanced metallic fuels for FBRs is well under way. The new PREFRE-2 has augmented our fuel reprocessing capabilities and the commissioning of the Additional Waste Tank Farm (AWTF) as well as extensive work on the Spent Fuel Storage Facility (SFSF) has further strengthened our waste management facilities.
The preparedness of the Emergency Response Centres (ERCs) was successfully put to test, during the recent radiological incident at New Delhi. A new stand-alone model of the environmental radiation monitor as well as bench-top and portable continuous radon monitors were also developed. In the area of robotics, a new device named Compact Laparoscope Manipulator (CoLaM) was developed, which would be of help to surgeons during laparoscopic surgeries. Under the Electronics and Instrumentation programme, compact, portable, hand-held Tele-Radionuclide Detection Systems were developed. Much of the R&D work on materials and metallurgy was concentrated on developing fuels and structural materials for advanced reactor systems.
BARC has been at the forefront of societal applications of nuclear energy such as in Agriculture, Medicine, and Food Technology. Two new mutant varieties of breeder seeds, one each of groundnut and pigeon pea were released for cultivation during 2010. Radiochemical evaluation and commercial production of two new diagnostic agents for cancer were carried out at RMC. Biodegradable and anti-microbial packaging material was prepared, using different natural bio-polymers. Fifty Nisargaruna solid waste treatment plants were established in various parts of the country.
I look forward to your continued support, cooperation and constructive interactions in all application areas. Our current achievements are but stepping stones to further research, development and deliverables for the benefit of society.
I once again wish you and your families a very happy and a prosperous New Year!”
(R. K. Sinha)
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 5 BARC NEWSLETTER
Innovative process flowsheet for the recovery of Uranium from Tummalapalle Ore
A.K Suri Director, Materials Group, BARC, Mumbai
aimed at development of environmentally friendly 1. INTRODUCTION technologies for the exploitation of various types of ore deposits has also been given renewed thrust. Natural uranium (~99.3% U238 + ~ 0.7 % U235) is the basic raw material for nuclear fuel in Pressurized Amongst the potential uranium ore deposits Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR). The energy in the discovered by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for reactor is derived from the ‘fission’ of U235, the only Exploration and Research (AMD), the exploration ‘fissile’ isotope in nature. These reactors also wing of DAE, out-side the Singhbhum Thrust Belt transmute the more abundant U238 to man–made in Jharkhand, the Proterozoic Cuddapah Basin in fissile isotope Pu239, which could be subjected to southern India emerges as a major uranium multiple recycling, as fuel, in fast reactor for efficient province. Sustained exploration by AMD since 1986 utilization of natural uranium resources and to had indicated a potential 160 km long belt of ensure long term sustainability of nuclear energy. carbonate hosted stratabound uranium Thus the Indian nuclear power program has accorded mineralization in impure dolostone of the Vempalle a high priority to the use of all the three main formation with the establishment of a low-grade fissionable materials, U235, Pu239 and U233, to meet but large tonnage uranium deposit in Tummalapalle the challenge of reaching energy independence - Gadankipalle area in Cuddapah district of Andhra through a well calibrated deployment of domestic Pradesh (Dhana Raju et al, 1993). Detailed uranium and thorium resources (Anil Kakodkar, exploration carried out over a stretch of about 9.5 2008). Though the country has good resource base km so far in Tummalapalle - Rachakuntapalle tract of thorium which is the precursor of U233, the (Fig. 1) has established a resource of 29000 tonnes conventional uranium ore deposits are limited and of U3O8 in about 61 million tonnes ore of 0.05% lean in tenor. The indigenous supply of uranium to eU3O8 (Rai A.K. et al., 2009). The complex nature the power reactors of the country is met mainly of uranium mineralization in the ore viz. absence from the uranium ore deposits located in East of discrete mineral phase, ultra-fine dissemination Singhbhum of Jharkhand milled at Jaduguda and in various minerals, lean tenor and the need for Turamdih. The rising demand for nuclear power deploying the alkaline leaching route for its has naturally necessitated increased supplies of extraction warranted exhaustive research uranium. In view of this, the Department of Atomic investigations for making the process flowsheet Energy (DAE) has launched an aggressive exploration techno-economically viable as well as eco-friendly. campaign for augmentation of indigenous uranium It may be noted that the existing uranium ore ore resources. Simultaneously research activity processing mills at Jaduguda and Turamdih in India
6 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 use conventional sulfuric acid leaching technology The research and development work on the for the production of yellow cake or magnesium Tummalapalle ore encompassed not only the bench- diuranate, hence the switch-over to alkaline leaching scale experimental studies in the laboratory but also technology on commercial scale would be a first setting-up of Technology Demonstration Pilot-plant time venture. for alkaline processing of uranium ores at M/s UCIL complex, Jaduguda, with combined efforts of The following discussion presents the salient Scientists and Engineers of BARC, NPCIL, AMD and features of the ore processing flowsheet for UCIL (Suri A.K. 2008 and Suri A.K. et al., 2009). uranium recovery from the Tummalapalle ore which was the fore-runner for the commercial plant 2. PROCESS DEVELOPMENT coming up at Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh Nature of host rock of valuable mineral/metal with a slated capacity to treat 3000 tonnes of ore determines the process development strategy in any per day using state-of-art alkaline pressure leach ore processing scheme. It is all the more critical in process technology. processing of uranium ores as the purity levels of final product in processing scheme – yellow cake, is very demanding. Achieving of good quality yellow cake product from low-grade uranium
ores (U3O8 <0.2%) is quite challenging.
The different process options generally considered for the exploitation of low-grade ores are (i) pre-concentration of the valuable mineral by suitable physical separation technique followed by leaching of the pre- concentrate and (ii) direct “whole ore leaching” technique. Pre-concentration by physical separation methods would result in reducing the mass of the ore that goes for chemical attack subsequently. Thus the “pre- concentration - chemical leaching” route has got obvious technical, economical and environmental advantages. However, the absence of discrete uranium phase in physically recoverable size ranges in the Tummalapalle ore eliminates the application of physical beneficiation for direct pre-concentration of the uranium values. Nevertheless, the technique of “reverse physical beneficiation” for the separation of sulphide minerals as well as “thermal processing” methods like calcination-
Fig. 1: Geological map of Kadapa basin showing quenching-dissolution / desliming were uranium occurences attempted. The limited success met with all the pre-concentration methods prompted for
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choosing direct “whole ore leaching” route for the scale studies on Tummalapalle ore was centered on recovery of uranium values from the Tummalapalle (i) atmospheric as well as autoclave leaching, (ii) ore. filtration of leach slurry, (iii) determine the threshold uranium concentration required for direct precipitation of uranium from the leach liquor The generic flowsheet for chemical processing of efficiently both quality-wise and quantity-wise, (iv) uranium ores consists of different unit operations reagents recovery and (v) flowsheet synthesis cum like, comminution, leaching, solid-liquid separation, locked-cycle testing. liquor purification, precipitation of dissolved uranium and effluents processing. The type of 2.1 Characterisation leaching - acid or alkaline, depends upon the nature of the host rock. Wherever the host rock is acid The mineralogical composition of the exploratory consuming in nature, alkaline route is chartered mine ore sample used for the flowsheet development upon. Since the host rock for uranium work (Table 1) indicate presence of 83.2% by weight mineralization in Tummalapalle deposit is primarily of carbonate minerals. Siliceous minerals in the ore dolostone type only alkaline leaching route is viable are quartz, feldspar and chlorite (13%). Collophane for the recovery of uranium values. (4%) is the only phosphate bearing phase. Pyrite is the predominant sulphide ore mineral along with Amongst the various unit operations mentioned few grains of chalcopyrite and galena. The iron earlier for uranium ore processing, the leaching stage is of critical significance as higher the leachability Table 1: Mineralogical Composition of attained higher would be the yield of the final Tummalapalle Uranium Ore product. Sub-optimal leachability of uranium would have high negative impact as more than 50% of Mineral % Weight the direct extraction cost is towards mining and Carbonates 83.2 comminution. Leaching of uranium values can be Quartz + Feldspar 11.3 accomplished under normal or elevated pressure and temperature conditions. The choice depends Collophane 4.3 upon the nature of mineralization of valuable mineral. Generally refractory mineral phases, either Pyrite 0.47 physical or chemical, require drastic leaching conditions which are possible only in an autoclave Chalcopyrite 0.05 reactor. Similarly, solid-liquid separation of alkaline leach slurries is rather sluggish due to high viscosity Galena Traces of alkaline solutions. Optimum process conditions Magnetite 0.15 have to be developed diligently for increasing the rate of filtration with minimum dissolved solute loss Ilmenite + Leucoxene 0.25 in the leach residue. Though alkaline leaching with sodium carbonate - sodium bicarbonate reagent Iron Hydroxide (Goethite) 0.27 combination is relatively selective in comparison to sulfuric acid leaching, the process conditions are Pitchblende in intimate 0.1 very aggressive and chemicals or lixiviants are very association with Pyrite expensive underlining that their inventory too plays vital role in overall economy. Thus the focus of bench Total 100.0
8 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 bearing oxides are magnetite, ilmenite and goethite. Heavy media separation of various closely sized feed fractions using bromoform (BR) and methylene iodide (MI) liquids have indicated that about 91% of the uranium values are present in lighter fractions (specific gravity <3.2) (Fig. 2) as ultra-fine disseminations. The remaining 9% of uranium values reporting in methylene iodide heavies fraction are accounted towards discrete pitchblende, which is mostly associated with pyrite. Pitchblende occurring with pyrite is present as fine orbicular cluster separated by thin disconnected rims of pyrite or as garlands around pyrite. Fig. 2: Distribution of uranium as a function of size and density The chemical assay of some important constituents in the ore indicates U3O8 content of 0.048% and the total sulfur as 0.6% (Table 2). The sulfur values 2Na 4 UO 2 (CO 3 ) 3+6NaOH → Na 2 U 2 O 7 + 6Na 2 CO 3 + 3H 2O [3] are contributed by the sulfide minerals mainly pyrite.
NaHCO 3 +NaOH → Na 2 CO 3 CO 3 +H 2 O [4] The Bonds Work Index of the ore sample is 13.6 kWh/metric ton. Depending upon the reaction conditions other minerals present in the ore like sulphides, silica and 2.2 Process Chemistry alumina too undergo dissolution as given in [5], [6] and [7]. The alkaline leaching process for uranium is well known; it is in fact quite selective towards 2FeS 2 +7O 2 +8Na 2CO 3 +6H 2 O → 2Fe(OH) 2 + 4Na 2SO 4 +8NaHCO 3 [5] solubilization of uranium values and yield relatively pure leach liquor as compared to acid [6] SiO2+2Na2CO3+H2O→ Na2SiO3 + 2NaHCO3 leaching. The essential chemical reactions in the alkaline leaching of uranium ores include oxidation Al2O3 .3H2O+2Na2CO3→ 2NaAlO2+2NaHCO3+2H2O [7] of UIV to UVI:
Though sodium carbonate is consumed in different [1] competitive reactions as illustrated in [5], [6] and and subsequent dissolution of UVI: [7], the consumption is maximum due to sulfide minerals which are more reactive at higher than boiling temperature of water in the presence of UO +3Na CO +H O→Na UO (CO ) +2NaOH [2] 3 2 3 2 4 2 3 3 oxygen or oxidant. However, the sodium bicarbonate generated as a reaction product can be The sodium hydroxide generated in reaction [2] re-converted to sodium carbonate and re-used or could result in precipitation of dissolved uranium recycled. Similarly sodium sulfate formed during as per chemical equation [3] and this back the reaction of sulfides with sodium carbonate has precipitation during leaching is prevented by the to be taken-out of the process stream as excess buffering action of sodium bicarbonate as shown concentration would hamper the leaching of in equation [4].
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 9 BARC NEWSLETTER
concentration would hamper the leaching of up to set up a pilot-plant facility at the premises of uranium. The dissolved uranium values are Uranium Corporation of India Limited, Jaduguda precipitated back using the chemical reaction given and test the process on a pilot-scale. Batch type in [3] as sodium diuranate product (SDU). pilot facility was set up by middle of 2005 and on its successful demonstration it was decided to design 2.3 Process Flowsheet and set up a continuous leach autoclave reactor to gain an operating experience as well as generate Extensive laboratory studies were carried out on engineering data for setting up of a commercial alkaline leaching - both atmospheric and under plant. elevated temperature and pressure, under various process variable settings, which include mesh-of- A schematic process flowsheet developed for the grind, oxidant, lixiviant dosage, contact time, recovery of uranium values from the Tummalapalle temperature and pressure. As an illustration the ore is given in Fig. 4. leachability obtained with different oxidants are shown in Fig 3. Based upon the outcome of bench- Since the uranium content of the ore is very low,
scale studies, a tentative process flowsheet was 0.05% U3O8, and a minimum concentration of developed with alkaline pressure leaching for leachant has to be retained for effective leaching of solubilizing the uranium values from this ore using the ore, a leaching circuit with counter-current sodium carbonate as leachant, industrial oxygen as washing was found to be very effective in reducing the oxidant at elevated temperature and pressure. the loss of uranium to the tailings. By re-circulating The major issue was containing the loss of uranium most of the leach liquor, with a small fraction as and the price of uranium to a value comparable to bleed, the concentration of uranium in the leach the existing price structure. For this, the process liquor could be raised to a level which is suitable flowsheet was engineered in such a manner that for direct precipitation of uranium as sodium both the objectives could be achieved by alkaline diuranate. The distribution of chemical species in processing scheme. The laboratory experiments were the SDU cake of Tummalapalle is shown in Table. carried out to simulate the tentative scheme and The leach liquor after precipitation of uranium on achieving a positive result a decision was taken contains large proportion of reagents with substantial concentration of sodium, carbonate, hydroxyl and sulfate ions. While sulfate is recovered as by-product by either freeze crystallization or evaporation. Rest of the solution is suitable as feed for the regeneration of lixiviants. Causticization of certain fraction of the solution followed by carbonation has been adopted to reuse almost all the reagents. In this process scheme the solution Fig. 3: Uranium leachability with various oxidants balance and the solution
10 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 Fig. 4: Process flow sheet for processing Tummalapalle ore chemistry control is extremely important to attain . Regeneration and recycle of cost-intensive the twin objectives of reducing the uranium loss reagents thereby reducing the fresh reagent and obtaining uranium concentration suitable for inventory to bare minimum level inspite of direct precipitation. These have been accomplished the need to maintain very high solution both in the laboratory and in pilot-plant. concentration of leachants during leaching stage and, minimum fresh water inventory; 2.4 Interesting Features of the Process . Relatively pure yellow cake product with U3O8 assay of about 77 - 80% and with The process flowsheet developed for the minimum impurities load for subsequent Tummalapalle ore could qualify for commercial yellow cake processing stage. exploitation mainly due to certain special attributes . Stabilized tailings for safe disposal to imbibed in the overall exploitation scheme, which environment and practically zero liquid waste include: generation. . Fewer number of processing stages as . A technology which has relatively low compared to conventional uranium ore equipment corrosion in comparison to processing flowsheet; conventional sulfuric acid leaching route.
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. Production of sodium sulfate by-product with less than permissible levels of radioactivity. Rai A.K., Zakaulla S., Chaki Anjan, 2009. Proterozoic stratabound carbonate rock (dolostone) hosted Thus many challenges inherent in the ore uranium deposits in Vempalle formation in characteristics were converted into opportunities Cuddapah basin, India. International Symposium on such that a vast resource could be put to use for Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Country’s nuclear power programme at a Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and competitive cost. Demand, Economics and Environmental Issues (URAM-2009) 22-26 June 2009, Vienna, Austria. 3.0 CONCLUSIONS Suri, A.K., 2008. Uranium Processing – A New A good understanding of the nature of Alkaline Route. Transaction of Indian Institution of mineralization of uranium values in the ore, uranium Metals, Vol.61, No.1., February 2008. process chemistry and different unit operations, has led to the development of well integrated specially Suri, A.K., Ghosh S.K. and Padmanabhan N.P.H. engineered alkaline leaching process flowsheet to Recent Pilot-plant Experience On Alkaline Leaching treat the low-grade uranium deposit in the alkaline of Low Grade Uranium Ore In India. Presented at host rock. The objective of making a techno- International Symposium on Uranium Raw Material economically viable process flowsheet could be for Nuclear Fuel Cycle (URAM 2009) organized by realized primarily by reducing the number of stages IAEA, Vienna, Austria, June 22-26., 2009. Paper of unit operations and conservation of leachants by IAEA-CN-175/65 regeneration and recycle. Effective recycle of process solution led to minimization of fresh water ACKNOWLEDGEMENT inventory as well as quantum of liquid effluent discharge. Inevitable chemical species viz. sodium I would like to acknowledge the generous sulphate and calcium carbonate, in the process were support that I have received from my several converted into useful by-products by carefully colleagues who have worked on this programme tailored sequence of chemical steps. The process and have given their best to accomplish the task in technology developed is being translated for really a short time frame. I would like to place my industrial adoption by UCIL and the mine and the sincere gratitude to the then Secretary, DAE Dr. mill are in advanced stages of completion. Anil Kakodkar for reposing trust in me to explore the possibility of converting a deposit to a resource. 4.0. REFERENCES I would be failing in my duty if I do not place on record the support that I have received from the Anil Kakodkar, 2008. Evolving Indian Nuclear Power then Director, BARC Dr. S. Banerjee, Mr. S.K. Jain, Programme: Rationale and Perspective. Nuclear CMD, NPCIL, Mr. R. Gupta, CMD, UCIL and India, Volume 41, No. 11-12, May - June 2008. Director, AMD, Mr. R.M. Sinha and Dr. A. Chaki.
Dhana Raju, R, Minati Roy, Madhuparna Roy and Vasudeva, S.G. Uranium Mineralization in South-western part of Cuddapah Basin: A Petromineralogical and Geochemical Study, Journal of Geological Society of India, Vol. 42, Aug 1993, pp.135 - 149.
12 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 studies onlaserdrivenshocks invarioustypesof Our grouphasbeenengaged inthegenerationand explosives etc other conventionalmeans(gasguns,chemical lasers onvarioustargets Mbar canbegeneratedbyfocusinghighpower high pressures investigate theEOSofcondensedmatteratsuch and increasingly usedtogenerateextremepressures astrophysics science, inertialconfinementfusionand for severalfieldsofPhysics,inparticular, tomaterial The studyofEquationState(EOS)isinterest Introduction Raja RamannaFellow, PhysicsGroup L. J.Dhareshwar, Theoretical PhysicsDivision N.K. Gupta High PressureandSynchrotronRadiationPhysicsDivision,Group S. M.SharmaandKailas S. Chaurasia,P. Leshma,S.Tripathi, C.G.Murali,D.S.Munda, shock studies and shockvelocityformegabarlaserdriven Simultaneous measurementofparticlevelocity with thelaserintensityupto2.5x10 measuredwiththeopticalstreakcamera.Theshockpressure technique andshockvelocityis (particle velocity)ofalaserdriventargetfoilhasbeenmeasuredwithmulti-frameopticalshadowgraph camera hasbeenusedtomeasureshockpressurewithanaccuracyof+/-7%.Freesurfacevelocity technique toachievethis.Multi-frameopticalshadowgraphycoupledwithanstreak the simultaneousmeasurementsofshockvelocityandparticlevelocity. We havedevelopedanaccurate of equation-of-state(EOS)materialssubjectedtomulti-Megabarpressurebylaserablationinvolves Studies ofhydrodynamicsthelaserdriventargetsareimportantforvariousapplications.Determination Abstract 1,2 5 . Lately, highpowerlasersarebeing ), except with nuclearexplosions. ), exceptwith 3 . Dynamicpressureofhundreds 4 , whichisnotpossiblewith 14 W/cm 2 isabout25Mbarinaluminumfoils. hydrodynamic codesimulations. results havebeenfound to matchwith1-D temporal andspatialresolution. Theexperimental withhigh shadowgraphy diagnostictechnique, the newlydevelopedmulti-frameoptical instabilities. However, thisreportlaysemphasison and restrictingthegrowthofhydrodynamic targets withtheaimofenhancementinpressure Experiments havealsobeendonewithcomplex diagnostics andtechniquesinourlaboratory. been extensivelyusedtotestthevariousshock materials suchasaluminum,copperandgoldhave Megabar achievedinaluminumtargets.Standard of laserdrivenshockpressuresuptoabout25 Nd:Glass laser usingahighpower,materials, sub-nanosecond 6,7 . Thisarticlepresentsmeasurements ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
RESEARCH ARTICLE 13 14 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 Hugoniot equations pulse canbeexpressedintheformofRankine- energy insidethetarget,beforeandaftershock Conservation ofmass,momentumandinternal in materialdensityaswellinternalenergy. moving intotheinterioroftargetandachange leading totheformationofanintenseshockwave plasma exertsahighpressureinaninwarddirection, laser, intothe vacuum.Theoutwardexpanding very highvelocityinadirectionoppositetothe matter, hotplasma iscreatedwhichexpandsata When apulsedhighpowerlaserinteractswith Equation ofStateamaterial Shock productionanddeterminationof ultra highintensitylasers. in thestudyofconceptimpactfusionusing ICF. Thisdiagnosticcouldalsobeeffectivelyutilized the efficientcompressionoffusionfuelpelletin acceleration phase,whichisthedecidingfactorin hydrodynamic instabilitiesduringthefoil diagnostics. Itcanbeusedtostudygrowthof applications ofmulti-frameshadowgraphy further. BesideEOSstudies,thereareseveralother resolution. Thisisexpectedtoimprovetheprecision streak cameraof2pstemporal to 1psanduse the durationofopticalprobepulsefrom500ps the nextstageofexperiments,itisplannedtoreduce measurement ofshockpressureistoabout7%.In intense laserbeam.Thefinalaccuracyinthe surface velocityoftargetfoilsirradiatedwithan of 12 shadowgraphs withspatialandtemporalresolution We havedevelopedmultiframeoptical an opticalstreakcamerawitha20psresolution. laboratory particle velocityinthetargetmaterial.Inour simultaneous measurementofshockvelocityand Direct measurementoftheEOSdatarequires μ m and 500psrespectively,m tomeasurefree , wehavemeasuredshockvelocityusing 8 givenbelow. (3) (2) (1) Here, developed 16J/300-800psNd:Glasslasersystem have beencarriedoutusinganindigenously article Laser drivenshockstudiesreportedinthis surface velocityinAluminum Measurement ofshockvelocityandfree frame opticalshadowgraphy. irradiated targetfoilwasdeterminedusingmulti- velocity (halfoffreesurfacevelocity)inthelaser using anopticalstreakcameraandtheparticle In ourexperiments,shockvelocitywasmeasured measurement ofshockvelocityandparticlevelocity. experiments carryoutthesimultaneous measurement oftwovariablesandmostthelaser determination ofEOSrequiressimultaneous relations. Ontheotherhand,experimental the system.EOSprovidesthesetwoadditional and henceoneneedstwomoreequationstoclose Rankine -Hugoniotrelationsrelatefiveunknowns material (i.e.beforeshockpassage).Theabovethree indicates thevaluesinun-perturbedstateof material (aftershockpassage).Thesubscript‘0’ velocity andthespecificinternalenergyof velocity, themassdensity, thepressure,shock laser intensityonthetargetis>10 increases thelaserpulseenergyto16Jandfocused of 10 100 mJperpulsewithapeaktobackgroundcontrast commercial laseroscillatorwithoutputenergyof This pulsed-singleshotlasersystemconsistsofa up isshowninfigure1b. the lasersystemtogetherwith thediagnosticset target foilsisshowninfigure 1a.Photographof time (shockvelocity)andfreesurfacevelocityof the simultaneousmeasurementofshocktransit shock luminosity. Theschematicofthesetupfor shot byrecordingatimefiducialalongwiththe laser pulsearrivingatthetargetisrecordedinevery luminosity attherearoftarget.Theinstant pulse onthetargetandonsetofshock time intervalbetweenthearrivalofmainlaser shock transittimeisobtainedbydeterminingthe 5 . Achainofamplifiersfollowingtheoscillator u p , ρ , p,u s andEarerespectivelythefluid 14 W/cm 2 . The 9 . beam. Thishasbeenachieved withthehelpofan desired delaytimeswithrespect tothemainlaser introduced initspathtorecord shadowgramsat beam splitterBS2.Anappropriatedelayhastobe the mainbeamatfinalstagebyintroducing probe isderivedbyextracting1%oflaserlightfrom second harmonicbacklightingprobebeam.This Two frameopticalshadowgraphyissetupusinga shown infigure2c. intensity plotoffiducialandshockluminosityis 10 The fiducialandtheshockluminositystreakof (shock velocity)inthetargetofknownthickness. velocity ismeasuredbyrecordingshocktransittime Subsequently, thetargetfoilisintroduced andshock path ofthebeamasshowninfigure2a. the fiducialhasbeendonewithoutatargetin main beamwith shot image.Synchronizationofthe and synchronizedwiththeeventtorecordsingle grabber cardisalsoappropriatelyexternallytriggered frame grabbercardforfurtheranalysis.The image formedonthephosphorscreentoPCwitha The streakcamerareadoutsystemtransfersthe the timeatwhichlaserisincidentontarget. the timemarkerinalllasershotsanddesignates on streakcamerascreen.Thefiducialthusforms a fiber, toobtainthetimereference signal(fiducial) made incidentontothestreakcameraslitthrough second harmonicat0.532μm.Thisvisiblebeamis Dideuterium Phosphate)crystaltogenerateits laser beamisfocusedintoaKD*P(Potassium caused byshockluminosity. Otherpartofthesplit of streak with theeventbeingrecorded,i.e,glow pulse issuitablydelayedsoastobesynchronized camera usingaphotodiode.Theelectricaltrigger to generateanelectricaltriggerpulseforthestreak divided againintotwobeams.Oneofthemisused laser beamextractedbyasplitterBS1.Thisis pulse isgeneratedusingafractionoftheoscillator control thetimingofstreaksweep.Thetrigger target foilrearsidebytriggeringappropriatelyto with theappearanceofshockluminosityon Optical streakcameraisaccuratelysynchronized μm aluminum,isshowninfigure2band resolution (<1ps)isinplanby usingfemtosecond existing lasersystem.Infuture, bettertemporal to about300pswith the be improved further 8.29 nsrespectively.The temporal resolutioncan of 0ns,2.924.826.39nsand 2.5 x10 10 μmthickaluminiumfoilatlaserintensityof in figure4a.Typical shadowgrams recordedfor The temporallaserpulseprofileisshown duration. the setupis500psasdecidedbyprobepulse shown infigure3a-f.Thetemporalresolutionof vacuum bi-planarphotodiodes(risetime80ps)as (20 pstemporalresolution)andverifiedwiththe measured withthehelpofopticalstreakcamera to 4.82nsand8.29ns.Allthesedelaysare shadowgrams delayofprobebeamsarechanged beam ontargetsandinthesecondsetof 2.92 nsand6.39withrespecttoarrivalofmain in thetwoarmsofprobebeam(PB)isfixedat of shadowgramsrecordedwithonelasershot,delay in twolasershotsofsameenergies.Inthefirstset performed whereinfoilmotionhasbeenrecorded shadowgrams is0.1ns.Experimentshavebeen between thetwoframesofoptical stage. Inthissetup,accuracyindelaysetting delay armusingtheprismmountedontranslation both thearmsbychangingdelayinmain laser shot,aconstantdelaycanbeintroducedin delays betweenthetwoframes.Forsubsequent in thepresentsetup,perlasershot,wecanfixtwo recorded withthecamerasCCD1andCCD2.Thus, beams withthehelpofpolarizingbeamsplitterand After this,thetwopulsesaresplitagaininto foil isalignedatthecentreoffieldview. and illuminatethetargetedgesuchthat They arepropagatedalongthesameopticalpath second harmonic(532nm)fortheshadowgraphy. pass throughtheKD*Pcrystalandareconvertedto then of 3.47nsinonearm.Theseprobepulses, to recombineagain,thesetwobeamsafteradelay different delays.Apolarizingbeamsplitterisused BS4, forthetwoshadowgramframesat prism. Further, thisbeamissplitintotwopartswith optical delaycomprisingofmirrorsM6,M7anda 14 W/cm 2 areshowninfigure4b-ffordelays ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
RESEARCH ARTICLE 15 16 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 novelty ofthisshadowgraphexperimentalsetupis CCD cameraplaneismeasuredtobe3.457.The optical magnificationfromtargetplaneontothe resolution orpixelsizewhichis6.45μ experimental setupislimitedbytheCCDcamera about 12 Spatial resolutionhasbeenmeasuredtobe pulses. Fig.1: (a)Experimentalsetupforsimultaneousmeasurementofshock velocityusingopticalstreakcamera μ m. Theultimatespatialresolutionofthe and freesurfacevelocitymeasurement usingtwoframeopticalshadowgraph. (b) Photographoftheexperimental setupalongwiththelasersystem m . Theoverall . of femtoseconds. can befurtherimprovedevenuptoafewhundreds by theexposuretimeorprobepulseduration,it CCD cameras.Sincetemporalresolutionislimited high temporalresolutionincomparisontoexpensive that, itusesinexpensiveCCDcamerastoobtain a (b) (a) (b) delaybetweenprobebeam1and2.(c)(d)arethe processedresultsofthestreakcamerarecord using thesoftwareforstreakshown in(a)and(b).(e)(f)showtheoscilloscopeprofileforsame delay (b) Streakrecordofthefiducialandshockluminositysignalsin10 (c) Plotofintensityprofilefiducialandshockluminosity. X-axis showstimeintermsofpixelnumbers Fig. 3:(a)Streakcamerameasurementofdelaybetweenmainbeam to firstprobebeamand Fig. 2:Shockvelocitymeasurement:(a)Synchronizationofmainbeamwithfiducial. (1pixel =6.56ps)andYaxisshowsintensityoftheglowinnumberspixels. as measuredwiththestreakcamera. μ m Alfoilatlaserintensity1x10 ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 14 W/cm 2
RESEARCH ARTICLE 17 18 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 shots was1.1x10 shown infigure5a.Laserintensitythesetwo namely, 2.92ns,4.826.39nsand8.29isas target foilmovementatthefourtimedelays, as describedinthelastsection.Atypicalplotof using twoframeopticalshadowgraphytechniques foil rearsurfacewasmeasured velocity ofthetarget foil thicknessandtheshocktransittime.Freesurface of theparticlevelocitywithlaser intensityisshown taken ashalfofthefreesurface velocity. Thescaling the particlevelocity foil andisobservedtobe2.8x10 gives thefreesurfacevelocity velocity was variedfrom5x10 a 10 focused laserintensityof3x10 estimated shockpressureexceeding20Mbarata In theexperimentspresentedhere,wehave Results anddiscussion μm Aluminumtargetfoil.Thelaserintensity Fig.4: Shadowgramrecordedof10 u shown in(a)laserpulsedurationmeasuredwithstreakcameraabout520psec(FWHM),Risetime-375ps s was calculatedfromtheknowntarget (b) unexposedfoiltarget(c)ata2.92nsdelaywithrespecttomainlaserbeam(d)4.82 (e) 6.39nsdelay(f)8.29delay. Arrowinthesefiguresshowsthedirectionoflaserbeam. 14 W/cm u p 13 behindtheshockhasbeen to3x10 2 . Theslopeoftheplot u f s oftheirradiated 14 6 μ cm/s.Further; W/cm m Alfoilirradiatedwithlaserintensity2.5x10 14 W/cm 2 . Shock 2 on can berepresentedas in figure5b.Aleastsquarefittoexperimentaldata profiles ofparticlevelocity, iontemperature,density in figure7a-dwhereinweshow thecalculatedspace shock intheAluminiumfoil. Thisisdemonstrated This canbeexplainedintermsofnon-uniformity data forpressurearelowercomparedtosimulation. From thisfigure,wenotethatourexperimental Experimental pointsareindicatedasblacksquares. Hugoniot forAluminumisshowninsolidblueline. velocity inAluminum.Infigure6b,thestandard is thestandardtheoreticalsimulationforshock with laserintensityI.Solidredcurveinthisfigure Figure 6ashowsthescalingofshockvelocityu using theformulagivenin(2). calculated fromthemeasuredvaluesofu simulation oftheexperiment.Shockpressurewas using onedimensionalLagrangianhydrodynamic Solid lineinthisfigureshowsthevaluescalculated which isclosetovaluereportedintheliterature. 14 W/cm uI p 2 oflaserpulseshape = α where α = 0.61, s and u p s incident laserpulse.TheshockHugoniotcurvein strength ofshockisbecausetimevariation its fullstrengthatabout250ps.Theinitiallow observed fromthisfigurethattheshockbuildsupto curves inthisfigureareatthemarkedtime.Itis and hydrodynamicpressuresinthefoil.Various Fig.5: (a)Target foilsmovement withrespecttoopticaldelayofprobepulseatalaserintensity1.1x10 the redcurveistheoreticallysimulatedresults.(b)Pointsareshowing thescalingofshockpressure Fig. 6:(a)Scalingofshockvelocitywithincidentlaserintensity. Points aretheexperimentaldataand with particlevelocitymeasured twoframeopticalshadowgraphytechnique (b) Scalingofparticlevelocitywithlaserintensity. Points arethe experimental valuesandlineshowsthetheoreticalcalculation. and lineindicatestheoreticalHugoniot curveforAluminum. future experiments. problem canbemitigatedusingsteptargetsinour slight underpredictionofshockpressures.This average shockvelocityinthetarget.Thisleadsto strength. Ourmeasuredshockvelocityisinfactan figure 6(b)assumesasinglestrongshockofconstant ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 14 W/cm 2 .
RESEARCH ARTICLE 19 20 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 experimentally measuredvalues ofshockpressures free surfacevelocity(particle velocity).The simultaneously measurethe shockvelocityand used alongwiththeopticalstreakcameracan of alaserdriventarget.Thisdiagnosticswhen therefore theparticlevelocitybehindshockwave) to accuratelymeasurethefreesurfacevelocity(and of12 500 psandspatialresolution optical shadowgraphy, withtemporalresolutionof diagnostic technique,namely, themulti-frame We havesuccessfullydemonstratedthatthenew Conclusion (d) hydrodynamicpressure.Eachcurvedenoteinspaceprofileatthemarkedtime.Theseresultsarefor Fig.7: Spaceprofilesof(a)particlevelocity(b)iontemperature(c)densityand laser powerof5x10 μ m canbeused 14 W/cm 2 atpulserisetimeof375ps. targets canovercomethisdifference. initial non-uniformityofthe shock.Useofstep Hugoniot curveforAluminum. Thisisbecauseof experimentally isslightlylowerthanthestandard done. TheshockHugoniotdataobtained and shockpressurewithlaserintensityhasbeen theoretical simulations.Thescalingofshockvelocity earlier reportedbyotherauthorsandalsowith determined andisobservedtomatchwiththevalues particle velocitywithlaserintensityhasbeen of more than 2.5 x10 2.5 of morethan when the16J/500pslaserisfocusedtoanintensity in 10 m Aluminum targets exceeded 25 Mbar 25 μm Aluminumtargetsexceeded 14 W/cm 2 . Thescalingof .M.Koeing:‘Laserdrivenshockwave 4. .G.Collins,P. 3. P. M.Celliers,G.W. 2. J.Lindl:‘Developmentoftheindirectdrive 1. References Appl. Phys.Lett. acceleration experimentsusingplasticfoams’ Nova’ measurements ofhydrogenisotopeson 5564. Metallic Fluid Transformation ofLiquidDeuteriumintoa Phys. Plasmas the targetphysicsbasisforignitionandgain’ approach toinertialconfinementfusionand Phys. Plasmas 2(1995):3933.
Celliers : ‘ Celliers : Phys. Rev. Lett. 75(1999):3026. Collins : Shock-Induced 5(1998):1864. Equation ofstate 84(2000): .S.Chaurasia:BARCReport,BARC/2008/E/ 9. Ya.Zeldovich, Yu.Raizer, PhysicsofShock 8. S.Chaurasia:‘StudiesonLaserdrivenshocks 7. L.J.Dhareshwar:‘Measurementoflaser 6. R.J.Trainor: ‘Ultrahigh-PressureLaser-Driven 5. 006, 2008. 1967). Phenomena Waves andHighTemperature Hydrodynamic pressure’ IoP in AluminumandGoldtargetsat>10Mbar Shock waves aluminium targetsbyopticalshadowgraphy’ driven shockwavetransittimethroughthin Phys. Rev. Lett. Shock-Wave ExperimentsinAluminum’
J. Physics (Academic Press,NewYork, 4, (2005):231. 42(1979):1154. ISSUE NO. 317 •NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 208 (2010):012093.
RESEARCH ARTICLE 21 22 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 Reactor PhysicsDesignDivision D. K.Dwivedi,AnuragGupta,P. D.Krishnani Compact HighTemperature Reactor control optimizationinphysicsdesignof Challenges incorereactivitymanagementand heat efficiently, inaneco-friendly manner, ona reactors arehighlysuitedfor supplying thisprocess hydrogen andoxygen.Hightemperaturenuclear heat (700to850°C)isusedconvertwaterinto thermo-chemical cyclesinwhichhigh-temperature produce hydrogenfromnuclearenergyinvolves hydrogen. Oneofthemostefficientmethodsto reactors willneedtobeutilizedinfuture,produce With continuouslyincreasingdemands,nuclear technology componentofahydrogeneconomy. and economicalwatersplitting,thus,isthekey the processgeneratescarbondioxide(CO the steamreformingofmethaneornaturalgasbut atmosphere. Bulkhydrogenisusuallyproducedby fossil fuels,inwhichthecarbonisreleasedto and tosolvesomeofthenegativeeffectsusing sustainable energyformeetingthegrowingdemand Hydrogen asfuelcanprovideclean,reliableand 1. INTRODUCTION carried outforthepresentcoreconfigurationofreactorarealsopresented. physics modellingoftheCHTRcorearediscussed.Somepreliminarysafetyrelatedstudies article presentsthesalientfeaturesofphysicsdesignCHTR.Difficultiesencounteredin (CHTR) isbeingdevelopedasatechnologydemonstratorandcriticalfacilityforthisprogram.This hydrogen production,unattendednuclearpowerpacksetc.TheCompactHighTemperature Reactor crucial applicationsofnuclearenergyotherthanthoseforgridbasedelectricitygeneration,suchas- India ispursuingacomprehensivehightemperaturereactorprogramtofulfilitsneedsforseveral Abstract 2 ). Efficient block typereactor. and berylliumoxidemoderated, verticalprismatic the reactorandlongercorelife coolant, compactdesigntominimizeweightof removal bynaturalcirculationofliquidmetal - useofthoriumbasedfuel,passivecoreheat is beingdesignedonthebasisofguidelinessuchas KWth CompactHighTemperature Reactor(CHTR) for thehightemperaturereactorprogram,100 As atechnologydemonstratorandcriticalfacility generation applications,hasbeeninitiatedinIndia for processheatandnon-gridbasedelectricity develop ahightemperaturereactorsystemmainly Keeping thisinmind,aprogramtodesignand conventional nuclearreactors. efficiency forelectricitygenerationascomparedto applications, hightemperaturereactorshavehigher sustainable basis.Inadditiontoprocessheat as aU 233 -Th fuelled,lead-bismutheutecticcooled 1,2 . CHTRisdesigned 1 . to negligibleburnuppenalty(reductioninfullpower Although afasterdepletionrateofgadoliniumleads provide sufficientreductionininitialexcessreactivity. in centralportionoffuelassemblywasfoundto reactivity. Mixingofsmallamountgadolinium neutron absorbers,soastocontroltheinitialexcess optimize theamount,locationandtypeofburnable A coremanagementstudywascarriedoutto the requiredreactivityworthofshutdownsystems. should beminimizedwhichwillresultinlowering safely pointofview, theburnupreactivityswing, needs tobeminimized.Fromreactorshutdownand flux/power. Therefore,theexcessinitialreactivity be addedtothecoreleadingsharpriseinneutron such acontrolrod,largerpositivereactivitywill is high.Incaseofaninadvertentwithdrawal of controlrods,theworthsinglerod reactivity hastobecontrolledbyasmallernumber shutdown systemsofCHTRislimited.Asthislarge space availableforabsorberrodscontroland initial excessreactivity. Duetoitscompactcore, years ofcontinuousoperation,resultinginalarge the CHTRtogenerate100kW A relativelyhighinitialfissilecontentisrequiredin TEMPERATURE REACTOR(CHTR) 2. PHYSICS DESIGNOFTHE COMPACTPHYSICS HIGH Fig. 1a:CrosssectionalviewoftheCHTRcore 1b:AxialviewoftheCHTRcore th full power Fig. 1:Viewofthe100kWthCHTR core
for 15 coolant is1000/900 outside thecore.Theoutlet/inlettemperatureof returning throughdown-comertubeslocated upward betweenthetopandbottomplenum tube, liquidmetal(Pb-Bieutectic)coolantflows graphite tubes.Inthecentralportionof moderator blocks(Fig.2)containingcentrallylocated its core(Fig.1)consistsof19hexagonalBeO At thecurrentstageofconceptualdesignCHTR, 2.1 CHTRcoredescription introduced inthefixedBeOreflectors(Fig.1). as BurnupCompensationRods(BCRs),whichwere with thehelpofspecialabsorberrodsnownamed within thelimitsofpermissibleFTC,wasachieved balance ofputtingsufficientburnableabsorber amount ofburnableabsorberinthecore.Thefine temperature). ThevalueoftheFTC,thus,limits negative feedbackofreactivitywithriseinthefuel stability, meansstronger morenegativevalueofFTC in thefueltemperatureandisameasureof change inreactivityofthereactorperdegree negative, whichislessadvantageous(FTCthe makes fueltemperaturecoefficient(FTC)less life duetoresidualburnablepoisonnuclides),it equispaced longitudinalboresof10mmdiameter. within itthenuclearfuelwhichisplacedinside12 o C. Eachgraphitetubecarries ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
RESEARCH ARTICLE 23 24 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 average fueltemperatureis1000 coated particlesembeddedingraphitematrix.The approximately 35mmlengthmadefromTRISO These boresarefilledwithfuelcompactsof 75 mmisusedforjoiningthefueltubesegments. 700 mmlengthbelongstothefuelandremaining These fueltubeshavealengthof775mm,which, carried outwith2-stagecalculations.Inthefirst The physicsdesignsimulationoftheCHTRhasbeen Physicsanalysismethodology 2.2 cycle. kept completelyinsidethecoreduringinitiallife reactivity, are allBurnupCompensationRods(BCR) fuel assembly in thelowertwofueltubesegmentsofcentral poison isaddedinthekernelofTRISOparticles outer 30/50 SiC (30 layers: three soft pyroliticcarbon(90μ (U +Th)carbidekernel(250 particles (Fig.3)areintheformofmicro-spheres μ m thickness)andhardcarbonlayer(inner/ μ m thickness).Gadoliniumasburnable 3,4 . To controltheinitialhighexcess Fig. 2:FuelAssembly μ m radius)coatedwith o C. TheTRISO m thickness), with codecalledMRIF had beencarriedout Preliminary transientanalysis above codeswerealsousedforburnupcalculations. reactor modelwiththermal-hydraulicsfeedbacks. mesh diffusion theorycodeTriHTR cross-sections wereusedintriangular/hexagonal ENDFB-VI library calculations havebeendoneusingthe172-group Collision Probability/InterfaceCurrentmethods.The probability codeITRAN cross-sections wereobtainedwithcollision computed. The22-energy-groupcell-homogenized for suchacoreandflux,criticalityetc.are simulated. Theneutrondiffusionequationissolved constructed withthesehomogenizedcelltypes,was condensed. Inthesecondstage,reactorcore, energy groupsoftheneutronspectrumwerealso calculations wereperformed.Inthisstage,the moderator, averyfinedetailedneutrontransport fuel pins,structuralmaterial,clad,coolantand stage, foreachtypeoffuelassemblycontaining 6 . These22-groupcellhomogenized Fig. 3:TRISOfuel 8 5 whichisbasedonpoint . Thecodeusesfirstflight 7 . Boththe inside thecore.SubsequentlyBCRswillberemoved the configurationwithgadoliniumandallBCRs colour) showsthevariationofk assembly. InFig.4,thelowermostcurve(inblue has beenaddedtothefuelincentral quantity (29.75gm)ofburnablepoisongadolinium (Fig.4).ToBCRs controlit,asmall is quitelargeeveninthepresenceof be seenthattheinitialcorereactivity design parametersofthecore.Itcan configuration. Table-1 showsthemajor could beachievedwiththeabove core lifeofabout15fullpoweryears in 8kgof(U+Th)asnuclearfuel.A kg U(93% design oftheCHTRcorecontains2.9 instrumentation systems.Thecurrent difficult todesignthecontroland compactness ofthecoremakesitvery several challenges.Moreover, the nuclear dataathightemperaturespose non-standard materialsandnon-availabilityof operating temperatureisachallengingtask.Useof Physics designofareactorcorewithveryhigh 2.3 Corereactivitymanagementschemes Core diameter Thickness oftop/bottomreflector Active coreheight Reflector Moderator Hexagonal pitch Number offueltube Inlet/outlet coolanttemperature Coolant Burnable poison Initial fissileinventory Fuel Core refuelling interval Thermal Power 233 +otherisotopesofU) eff Table 1-MajordesignparametersofCHTRcore withburnupfor the gadoliniumasburnableabsorberandwhenburnupcompensations Fig. 4:
k eff gadolinium andmanualmovementofBCRsinCHTR. out bythecombinationsofburnablepoison The longtermcontrolofcorereactivityiscarried 2.4 ControlandShutdownSystems axial powerpeaking(Fig.5). flux flatteninginthecoreandalsoalowerradial/ The additionofgadoliniumalsoresultedinbetter to compensateforreactivitylosswithfuelburnup. withburnupforconfigurationsandwithout rods areinsideandoutsidethecore. 1.27 m 13.5 cm 900 100 kW BeO Pb (U 19 15 cm 15 29.75 gm Gd in the fuel of of fuel the in Gd gm 29.75 2.71 kg 15 effectivefullpoweryears BeO andgraphite 77.5 cm 233 -Bi eutectic o Th)C C/1000 th 2 basedTRISOcoatedparticles o C ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 central FA
RESEARCH ARTICLE 25 26 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 power setback;andsupervisedwithdrawalofburnup control ofpoweranddistribution;reactor The functionsofcontrolrodsincludeautomatic and controlofreactorisdonebytherods. Fine adjustmentofreactivityforpowerregulation reactivity throughoutthecorelife(Table 2). down systemstoprovidesufficientnegative designed tohavethefollowingcontrolandshut and toshutdownthereactorifrequired,CHTRis operation. To control/adjustsmallexcessreactivity few hundredeffectivefullpowerdaysofreactor several stepsandclampedattheiraxialpositionfor life, BCRswillbetakenpartiallyoutofthecorein After 3000effectivefullpowerdaysofinitialcore Secondary ShutdownSystem Primary ShutdownSystem Control Fig. 5:Radialpowerdistributionin CHTR atzeroburnup. Table 2:ControlandShutdownsystemsforCHTR 12 axiallymovableCylindrical BeOblocksgoingoutofthecore. central coolantchannel) 6 shutoffrodslikecontrolrodininnersixcoolantchannels (except coolant channelsofthetwelveouterfuelassemblies. (neutron absorberofhighdensityandmeltingpoint) inthe 12 controlrodsmadefromamixofTantalum andTungsten core. when allburnupcompensationrodsareinsidethe reactive coreoperatingconditionat‘0’burnupand shutdown systems,giveninTable-3, areinmost are independentofeachother. Theworthsof withdrawn outofthecore.Bothshutdownsystems by allowinghighleakageofneutronswhen reflector blocksactasSecondaryShut-downSystem shutdown system.The12axiallymovableBeO rods intheinnersixcoolantchannelsactasprimary compensation rods(BCRs).Sixtantalum/tungsten and burnupcompensationrodsinHotColdoperating Table 3:Worth ofPrimary&Secondaryshutdownsystems rods OUT 6 burnupcompensation one blockfailurecondition) activated Secondary shutdownsystem one rodfailurecondition) activated Primary shutdownsystem all movableBeOblocksIN all BCRsIN,AllPSRsOUTand All controlrodsOUT Reactor State (with postulated (with postulated condition atinitialcorelifecycle ( when ) odto condition condition (1000 .821.1285 1.0822 0.9267 0.8860 0.9173 0.8756 1.0536 1.0117 o Cold Hot 0 )(27 C) k eff 0 C) -5.65 x10 worth ofasinglecontrolrodis1.04mkandFTC core configurationitwasfoundthatmaximum content whichleadtoimprovedFTC.Inthepresent configuration aswellreductioningadolinium maximum worthofacontrolrodincritical Compensation Rodshelpedinreducingthe situation ofsupercriticality. TheadditionofBurnup fraction, condition hastobesmallerthanthedelayedneutron The maximumworthofacontrolrodincritical reactivity feedbackisintroducedbytheriseinfuel subsequent riseinfueltemperatures.Anegative mk in5second.Thisresultspowerriseand withdrawal introducesapositivereactivityof1.04 temperature feedbackwascarriedout.The based onpoint-reactorkineticsmodelwith state isconsidered.Apreliminarysafetyanalysis inadvertent withdrawalofacontrolrodincritical postulated accidentalscenarioinwhichan negative FTCcanbegaugedbyanalyzinga The effectofsmallersinglecontrolrodworthand ROD WITHDRAWALACCIDENT ANALYSIS OFINADVERTENTCONTROL 3. at zeroburnup. β –6 eff Fig. 6a:Variationofpowerwhen / , topreventanypostulatedaccidental 1.04 mkaddedin5seconds. 0 C, inhotoperatingcriticalcondition of primaryandsecondaryshutdownsystemsare stabilize withinthepermissiblelimits.Theworths importantly, thefuelandcoolanttemperatures at lessthan3timestheinitialpower. More addition, thepowerrisessharplyandthenstabilizes analysis hasshownthatincaseoffastreactivity power distributionincore.Apreliminarykinetics (BCRs). Thisalsoresultedinabetterfluxprofileand (gadolinium) andtheBurnupCompensationRods devising acombinationofburnableabsorber initial corereactivitywhichwascontrolledby fissile contentforlargercoreliferesultedinahigh kg, mixedwith5.1kgofTh uranium (93%U effective fullpoweryearsofCHTRcorelife,the configuration fortheCHTR.Inordertoachieve15 have beencarriedouttoarriveatafeasible High Temperature Reactors.Detailedphysicsstudies technology roadmapforthedevelopmentofIndian Reactor (CHTR)isanimportantstepinthefuture Development oftheCompactHighTemperature CONCLUSIONSANDDISCUSSION 4. (Figs. 6a,6b). stabilizes atabout2.8timestheinitialpower temperature duetonegativeFTCandthepower Fig. 6b:Variationoftemperaturesfuel and coolantinfasttransient. 233 ) requirementisfoundtobe2.9 ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 232 inthefuel.Ahigher
RESEARCH ARTICLE 27 28 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 .D.SahaandR.K.Sinha,“Indianadvanced 1. REFERENCES 5. reactors beingdesignedinIndia. stepping stoneforthefuturehightemperature in thecomplexmodellingofCHTRwillactasa etc., whicharebeingtackled.Thelessonslearned obtaining morenegativefueltemperaturecoefficient system inasmallcorehavinghighneutronleakage, two independentshutdownaswellcontrol simulation ofmicroscopicTRISOparticles,designing Tantalum etc.,Thereareseveralchallengessuchas standard materialssuchasBeO, Lead-Bismuth, of dataatveryhightemperaturesandusenon- the challengeposedbydifficultiessuchaspaucity research activitiesarecurrentlyunderwaytomeet The designofCHTRisindigenousandvarious most reactivesituations. independently found tobeadequateshutdownthereactor BARC Sep.-Oct.2010P65,Newsletter Programme: Anoverview Indian HighTemperature Reactor I.V. DuleraandR.K.Sinha Mumbai, Nov. 15-18,2005. of IndianNuclearSociety(INSAC-2005), nuclear reactors”,16thAnnualconference , evenincaseofonerodfailure, .Balraman,V. andTrasi, M.S.,1981.Report: 8. JagannathanV. andJainR.P., “TRIHEX-3D, A 7. http://www-nds.iaea.org/wimsd/ 6. KrishnaniP.D., 1982.CLUB-A multigroup 5. AnuragGupta,AshokKumar, D.K.Dwivedi 4. D.K.Dwivedi,AnuragGupta,AshokKumar, 3. Kakodkar, R.K.SinhaandA. “Indian 2. BARC/I-639. triangulaisation”, Report:BARC-1515. hexagonal latticecoreanalyseswithauto- multigroup diffusiontheorycodefor downloads.htm cluster lattices, integral transporttheorycodeforanalysisof 2008. 08), Interlaken,Switzerland,Sept14-19, conference onPhysicsofReactors(PHYSOR- (CHTR)”, ProceedingsofInternational Compact HighTemperature Reactor and P.D. Krishnani,“Physicsdesignof 2009, NewDelhi. Conference onPeacefulUseofAtomicEnergy High Temperature Reactor”,International P.D. Krishnani,“PhysicsdesignofCompact 13 Reactor Technology”, IndianNuclearSociety, Programme RelatedtoInnovativeNuclear Mumbai, India,2002. th AnnualConference–INSAC2002, Ann. Nucl.Energy , 9,p.255.
30 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 requirement inconsideration. samples treatedat0.5kGykeepingquarantine further detailedstudieswereperformedwith doses werefoundtoinduceearlypericarpbrowning was carriedoutwiththesesamplesonly. Sincehigher condition duringthisperiodandhence,furtherstudy samples storedat4ºCwereobservedtobeingood did notlastmorethan15days.Radiationtreated weeks. Nonirradiatedcontrolsamplesstoredat4ºC Similarly, samplesstored at10ºCspoiledwithintwo rotting ofthefruitwereobservedinthesesamples. radiation doseused.Visiblefungalgrowthand could notlastmorethanaweekirrespectiveofthe indicated thatfruitsstoredatambienttemperature Sensory analysisandphysiologicalexaminations (26 ±2ºC),10and4ºC]. samples werestoredatthreetemperatures[ambient performed atdifferentdoses(0.15to2kGy)and Research Centre.Gammaradiationtreatmentwas at F h; activity1.97PetaBq;doseuniformityratio1.25) Package Irradiator(AECL,Canada;doserate2.4kGy/ subjected togammaradiationinacobalt-60Food were packedinlowdensitypolythenepacketsand removed manuallyandthehealthyfruits(15pieces) ood Technology Division,BhabhaAtomic Table 1.Physicalattributesoffreshlitchi fruit. values wasnoticedindicatingincreaseinthedullness storage at4°CamarginaldecreaseinC*andh LABCH systemwasalsoperformed[6].During analysis ofcolorimetricparameterslitchiusing factors whichlimitpostharvestmarketabilityoflitchi, Table 1.Aspericarpbrowningisoneofthemajor processed litchifruitsandfindingsaredisplayedin determined fornon-irradiatedaswellradiation texture andtotalsolublesolids(TSS)werealso such asmoisturecontent,pH,titratableacidity, found tobe1.05±0.01.Otherphysicalproperties the pulpweight.Specificgravityofjuicewas around 18%each.Juicecontributed~82±2%of weight, whereas,pericarpandseed,contributed Pulp contributedaround64%ofthetotalfruit ‘China’ fruitwasaround21,and26g,respectively. The averageweightofasingleripened‘Shahi’,and 1. life extensionoflitchi. standardize theoptimalprocessparametersforshelf radioprotective propertieswereevaluatedto microbiological, organoleptic,antioxidantand During storagephysical,biochemical, Results andDiscussion Physical properties mg%. Flavonoidcontentin‘Shahi’and‘China’was be around17mg%,whereasin‘China’itwas25 In var. ‘Shahi’totalvitaminCcontentwasfoundto content inlitchifruitsrangedbetween10-13g%. [8, 9]andresultsaredisplayedinTable 2.Sugar C, flavonoid,andphenolcontentasdescribedearlier attributes suchastotalandreducingsugar, vitamin Litchi wasalsocharacterizedforbiochemical 2. Biochemicalproperties to radiationtreatmentorstorage. in mostofthephysicalattributeswasobserveddue 0.5 kGyirradiatedsamples.Nosignificantvariation in browning[7].However, browningwaslessin increase inthepolyphenoloxidaseactivityresulting of colourwhichprobablycouldbeduetoan Table 3.Microbiologicalload(logcfu/g)inradiationtreatedandnontreatedlitchistoredat4°C. Table 2.Biochemicalandantioxidantproperties ofjuicefromfreshlitchifruit. surface andinternalbacterialloadwascomparatively storage at4ºConday10.Interestingly, in‘China’ the beginningandincreasedto4logcfu/gduring was almostonelogcycle/gless(~3cfu/g)at cfu/g, respectively(Table 3).Internalbacterialload were foundtobeintherangeof~4,and~3log Surface bacterialloadandyeast-moldcountinlitchi 3. Microbiologicalanalysis or storage. attributes wasobservedduetoradiationtreatment significant variationinmostofthebiochemical whereas, in‘China’itwas318μgGAE/g.No to be312μggallicacidequivalents(GAE)/g, weight. Thephenoliccontentin‘Shahi’wasfound around 31μgcatechinequivalents(CE)/goffruit ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
RESEARCH ARTICLE 31 32 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 (satisfactory -good).Onday28,irradiatedfruit good) andonday15,intherangeof3.8to5.2 was ratedintherangeof4.7to5.6(good-very acceptable. Onday1,nonirradiated‘Shahi’fruit analysis wasperformedtillthesampleswerevisibly satisfactory, 3-fair, 2-poor, 1-verypoor).Sensory scale (7-excellent,6-verygood,5-good,4- acceptability wereanalyzedona7-pointhedonic flavour, aftertaste,texture,juicinessandoverall attributes oflitchisuchasappearance,colour, odour, of anyfoodpreservationtechnique.Sensory Organoleptic (sensory)attributesreflecttheefficacy 4. Organolepticanalysis adverse effectonthesensoryqualities. substantially toimprovetheshelflifewithoutany can reducethemicrobialcountsofdicedtomatoes [10] havealsoreportedthatirradiationat0.5kGy surface microbialloadsignificantly. Prakash at 4ºC.Radiationtreatment0.5kGyreducedthe less than‘Shahi’anddidnotincreaseduringstorage Fig. 1:Agarosegelelectrophoresisprofiledisplayingradioprotection of pBR322 plasmidDNAbylitchijuice. et al. property. respectively. Radiationtreatmentdidnotaffectthis was equivalentto~1,and2mMofBHT, of ‘Shahi’was0.22,and‘China’0.39which equivalent to~2.5mMofBHT. Thereducingpower activity wasfoundtobe85-89%,which juice (dilution,1:20),theDPPHradicalscavenging hydroxytoluene (BHT)(Table 2).Infreshlitchifruit [9] andalsocomparedwithbutylated antioxidant power(FRAP)assayasdescribedearlier DPPH radicalscavengingactivityandferricreducing Antioxidant propertieswereanalyzedbymeasuring 5. Antioxidantactivities attributes. treatment oflitchididnotaffectthesensory 28. Thusthesefindingsindicatedthattheradiation the rangeof4.5to5.5(good-verygood)onday - verygood).Irradiated‘China’fruitwasratedin (0.5 kGy)wasratedintherangeof4.6to5.5(good 0.1 kGyandinthepresenceoflitchijuice,D antioxidants, capableofprotecting thecellandDNA Besides, litchiwasalsofound tobearichsourceof similar storageconditionspoiledwithintwoweeks. the otherhand,nonirradiatedfruitstoredunder without affectingtheoverallqualityattributes.On was extendedupto28dayswhenstoredat4°C The shelflifeoftheradiation(0.5kGy)treatedfruit shelf lifeextensionandquarantinetreatment. Radiation treatmentoflitchiwasaimedtoachieve Conclusion ability oflitchijuice(Fig.1Aand1B). was significantlyinhibitedindicatingradioprotective 2), whereas,inpresenceoflitchijuice,degradation degradation ofpBR322plasmidDNA(Fig.1A,lane dose ofgammaradiationtherewasalmostcomplete increased to0.27kGy. Whenexposedtoa1kGy (D described earlier[9].Thedecimalreductiondose Radiation protectionanalysiswasperformedas 6. Radioprotectiveproperty 10 ) for E coli insaline(0.85%)wasfoundtobe Fig. 2:Radiationprocessingincombinationwithlowtemperaturestorageincreased the shelflifeoflitchiuptofourweeks. 10 .Hallman,G.J.,Phillips,T.W. “Ionizing 4. Jiang,Y.M., Zhu,X.R.,Li,Y.B. “Postharvest 3. Nakasone,H.Y., Paull, R.E.Tropical fruits, 2. Lee,H.S.,Wicker, L.“Anthocyanin pigments 1. References in developedcountries. increase itsshelflifeforexportandmarketaccess provide basisforradiationprocessingoflitchito conducted onalargescale,thefindingscould from radiationinduceddamage.Asthestudywas reproduction, andimplications forageneric meal moth(Lepidoptera:Pyralidae) toprevent moth (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae)andIndian irradiation ofadults 430–436. LWT FoodScienceTechnology control oflitchifruitrotbyBacillussubtilis 1998. series. in: Cropproductionscienceinhorticulture Science in theskinoflycheefruit”. CAB InternationalWallingford,UK (1991)56:466–468. ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 Angoumois Journal ofFood (2001)34: grain ”. ,
RESEARCH ARTICLE 33 34 RESEARCH ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 .Hajare,SN.,SaxenaS,KumarWadhawan 8. Ruenroengklin,N.,Sun,J.,Shi,Xue,S., 7. Sun,J.,Xiang,X.,Yu, C.,Shi,J.,Peng, H., 6. 5 Sharma,A.“Radiationtechnologyenabled . Food Chemistry degradation causedbypolyphenoloxidase”. exogenous phenolicsinlitchianthocyanin Jun, Jiang,Y. “Roleofendogenous and Scientia Horticulturae enzymes duringlitchifruitdevelopment”. substrates andactivitiesofsomerelated “Variations incontentsofbrowning Yang, B.,Yang, S.,Yang, E.,Jiang,Y. (2008) 296:2-8. from DeogarhtoDC”. market accesstoIndianmango–Journey 1056. Economic Entomology irradiation treatmentforinsects”. (2009) 115,1253-1256. (2009) 120:555-559. (2008) 101:1051- BARC Newsletter Journal of 10. Prakash, A., Manley, Prakash,A., J.,DeCosta,S., 10. SaxenaS.,HajareS.N.,MoreV., Kumar S., 9. 390. Radiation PhysicsChemistry(2002)63:387- and sensoryqualitiesofdicedtomatoes”. irradiation onthemicrobiological,physical Caporaso Food Chemistry grown litchi( radioprotective propertiesofcommercially “AntioxidantGautam S.,SharmaA. and Wadhawan S.,MishraB.ParteM.N., Chemistry radiation processing”. chinensis S, SharmaA.“Qualityprofileoflitchi( S, MoreV, MishraBB,Parte MN,Gautam ) cultivarsfromIndiaandeffectof
F., Foley D.“Theeffectsofgamma (2010)79:994–1004. Litchi chinensis (2011)126:39-45. Radiation Physics ) fromIndia”. Litchi Nuclear RecycleBoard D. A.S.Rao and Technology DevelopmentDivision Shaji KarunakaranandK.N.S.Nair subjected tomechanicaldecladding. Development The PHWRfuelwithzircaloy cladding, however, is research reactorisdecladdedusingchemicalprocess. of spentfuel.TheAluminumcladfuelusedinthe exposed toleachacid,whichcallsfordecladding reprocessing duringwhich,thecoreofspentfuelis Spent fueldissolutionistheinitialstepof Tarapur and Kalpakkam. reprocessing facilitiesareinoperationTrombay, indigenously onanindustrialscale.Presently reprocessing hasbeendevelopedandestablished material thatcanberecycled.Thetechnologyfor by reprocessingthespentfuelenablesrecoveryof requirement ofthenation.Closingfuelcycle available resourcestomeetthelongtermenergy nuclear programforefficientmanagementof India hasadoptedclosedfuelcyclestrategyinits INTRODUCTION PHWR fuel Development ofaNovelSpentFuel Chopperfor undergone coldcommissioninginROPTarapur andhotcommissioningisinprogress. existing model.Thefirstspentfuelchopperdesignedandmanufacturedaspernewconcepthas chopper basedongangchoppingconcepthasbeendevelopedincorporatingthegoodfeaturesof years. Inordertoincreasetheproductivityandreducemaintenancedowntime,anewspentfuel Valuable experiencehasbeengainedinoperationandmaintenanceaspectsofthisequipmentoverthe has beeninoperationthepresentoperatingreprocessingplantslocatedTarapur andKalpakkam. purpose shearingmachine.SpentFuelChopperbasedonprogressivefeeding,clampingandchopping Decladding ofspentPHWRfuelisachievedbymechanicallychoppingtheemployingspecial ABSTRACT Kalpakkam. ASFCessentially consistsof: indigenously manufactured and installedinKARP, A similarSFCwithminormodificationswaslater Tarapur. ThischopperwasimportedfromFrance. based onthisconceptwasfirstinstalledinPREFRE, with asingleshearblade.Thespentfuelchopper progressive feeding,clampingandcuttingoffuel present operatingplantsisbasedonaconceptof for furtherextractionprocess.TheSFCusedin the fuelforchemicaldissolutionmakingitamenable bundle orpinsintosmallpiecestherebyexposing Spent FuelChopperisusedforshearingthefuel SPENT FUELCHOPPER(SFC) regard. Spent FuelChopperhasbeenthefirststepinthis and developmentofaruggedreliable program hasbeenthepriorityforlastfewyears of highthroughputequipmentforourreprocessing ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
35 ARTICLE 36 TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 . . . . . throughput andlowerdown time formaintenance. the provenaspectsofexisting designforhigher novel SFCbasedonanewconcept,whileretaining years. Theseexperienceshelpedinconceivinga operation andmaintenanceoftheseSFC’soverthe Valuable experiencehasbeengainedthrough housed inadissolvercellisshownFig.1. door. Atypicallayoutofthespentfuelchopper diverted todissolverlimb1or2usingtheclapper in openconditionandthenthechoppedfuelis is fedintothedistributorwithdoor shearing thefuelinsetlengths.Thechopped then rigidlyclampedbymaingagpriortothe unit thefuelispre-clampedbyauxiliarygagand its actuatingdevicesfromoutsidethecell.Inshear fuel pusherisconnectedtothemagazinewith chain magazinewhichhousesthefor mechanism operatedfromoutsidethecell.The is pushedintoshearunitusingfuelpusherdrive The spentfuelwhichisloadedintothemagazine Fuel ShearingSystem, Fuel FeedSystem, Control system Hydraulic Systemand Fuel Distribution, Fig. 1:Typical layoutofspentfuel chopper indissolvercell )FuelShear Unit:Asinglemoduleoffixed a) follows: had beenfrozenalready. Themajorchangesareas kept similartoSFCalreadyinuseastheplantlayout The structureandthelayoutofnewSFCare the featuresofSFCisgivenbelow. MW) PHWRfuelbundles.Abriefdescriptionof designed toreceiveandhandleabatchof10(220 of ROP, Tarapur andP3A Kalpakkam.Ithasbeen has beendevelopedtosuittheexistingsitelayout with theexistingSFC,anewspentfuelchopper Based onthestudiesandexperiencegathered CHOPPING SPENT FUELCHOPPERBASEDONGANG and reducedmaintenancerequirements. actuators (forgaggingandcutting)alsomeanteasier Similarly asingleactuatorinplaceofmultiple be eliminated,thussimplifyingtheshearinternals. requirement ofgagging(clamping)systemcould complete fuelbundleinsinglestroke,the As thegangchoppinginvolvedcuttingofa found tobewithinpracticalandacceptableranges. the hydraulicsystemandqualityofcut.Thesewere heavy densityconcrete)toassessthetonnageof simulated fuel(Zircaloycladdedfilledwith chopping. Mocktrialswereconductedwith our advantagebyadaptingtheconceptofgang (compared toLWR/BWRfuel)canbeutilized was seenthattheshorterlengthofPHWRfuel cutting bladesinordertosavetimeandlabour. It Gang cuttingisanoperationinvolvingmultiple GANG CHOPPING-ANEWCONCEPT length (Fig.2). fuel bundleintomultiplesegmentsofdesired by thehydraulicram,shearscomplete plates inaguidedfashionwhichonactuation and movingbladesassembledoncarrier b Hydraulic actuatorforfuelfeed:Fuelpushing b) )Thehydraulicramdesign:Asingle d) Fuelpositioning unit:Alsoknownas c) (Fig. 3). precise controloftorqueandposition with pressuresensorandrotaryencoderfor is actuatedbyhydraulicmotoraccompanied and stationarypistonarrangement for cylinder assemblywithmoving cylinder cutting tools(Fig.4) feed systemandpositionsitbetweenthe the completefuelwhenpushedby addition totheexistingdesignforreceiving Component Transfer Assembly, itisanew Fig. 3:Fuelfeedsystemwithhydraulicdrive Fig. 2:Shearmodulewithmultipleblades )ProvisionforremoteviewingofSFC: f) Controlswithsafetyfeatures:Introduction e) have visualfeedback. the functioningofcomponentsinorderto CCTV cameraforcontinuousmonitoringof system forfacilitatingtheviewingthrough shear zone,fuelfeedanddistribution Introduction oftransparentwindowsonthe like reedswitchesandlimitswitches. based onthefeedbackfromfieldsensors of PLCbasedcontrolswithsafetyinterlock assembly viaapusherrod.(Fig.5) transmitting theforcetomovingtool Fig. 4:ComponentTransfer Assembly Fig. 5:HydraulicRam ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
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37 ARTICLE 38 TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ARTICLE BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 presently underhotcommisioning. with non-reactorgrade,PHWRfuelbundleandis (Fig. 7).TheSFChasundergonecoldcommisioning also carriedoutasapartofcommissioningtrials maintenance trialsofindividualsubassemblieswere installed andcommissionedatROPTarapur. Remote Subsequent tothefinalacceptanceofSFC,itwas considering thesafetyaspectswerealsocarriedout. control logicsforsimulatedaccidentalconditions used forcarryingoutloadtrials.Verificationofthe filled withAluminacement/steatitepelletswere fuel usingcoldworkedSS304tubesascladmaterial without loadswerecarriedout(Fig.6).Simulated subassemblies andcompleteassemblywith assurance plan.Extensivetestingofindividual activity wascompletedasperanelaboratequality Ltd underanMoUwithBARC.Themanufacturing capacity of200Te was manufactured byM/sHMT Based ontheinhousedesign,anewSFCwith INSTALLATION MANUFACTURING, TESTINGAND for thenewSFChasbeensourcedindigenously. maintenance. Allthemajorcomponentsemployed are locatedinoperatingareafreelyaccessiblefor actuators andpowerpacks,PLCcontrolpanel manipulator equipment suchasin-cellcrane,masterslave have beendesignedforremotehandingemploying cylinders fordistributoranddoorsetc module componentstransfersystem,pneumatic All thecomponentswithinhotcelllikeshear , powermanipulatoretc.Thehydraulic machine forlongerdurationwithoutfailure. process ofreprocessingandtheavailability significantly improvethecapacityofheadend down time.ThenewlydevelopedSFCwill system willenableeasymaintenanceandreduced through put.Themodulardesignofindividualsub help inplanningnewreprocessingplantsforhigher based onthisnewgangchoppingconceptshould Indigenous developmentofthespentfuelchopper SUMMARY Fig. 7:Remotehandlingtrialofshear Fig. 6:SFCatHMTduringtrials module ofSFCatROP, Tarapur hydrogen isotopes U-Ti alloyasapromisingstoragematerialfor Radiochemistry andIsotopeGroup V. Venugopal and Product DevelopmentDivision S.C. Parida,RamAvtarJat,M.B.Rajan,S.G.KulkarniandZileySinghChaudhary decomposition reactions,compatible absorption- capacity, facilereversibilityofhydrideformationand requirements suchashighhydrogenstorage used asastoragemedium,itshouldsatisfycertain absorption andrelease.Forthemetalhydridetobe of thematerial,andmechanismsforhydrogen stability ofthehydride,hydrogenstoichiometry chemical bonddeterminesthethermodynamic their alloystoformhydrides.Thenatureofthe with manytransitionmetals,f-blockelementsand reactions. Atelevatedtemperatures,hydrogenreacts physisorption, chemisorptionorbychemical combining itwithasolidstatematerialthrough isotopes canbestoredinthesolidstateby liquid storageincryogenictanks.Hydrogenandits gaseous storageinhighpressuregascylindersand method overotherconventionalmethodslike solid stateisthesafestandmostadvantageous Storage ofhydrogenisotopes(H,DandT)inthe Introduction some aspectsofstoragebehaviorhydrogenisotopesinuranium-titaniumalloy. temperature. Uraniumalloysarebetterchoicewithrespecttoaboveproperties.Thispapersummarizes powder whichleadstohighpyrophorocity. Ithasalsoverylowretentionpowerfor However, ithasseveraldisadvantageswithrespecttohandlingduetheformationofveryfine Conventionally, uraniummetalisusedforthestorageofheavierisotopeshydrogen(DandT). Abstract The heaviestisotopeofhydrogen( of 300-400 desorption ofT uranium. However, fortheappropriateabsorption- alloys oftitanium,zirconium,lanthanumand Some ofthemetallicsystemsusedforT-storageare using eitherthegaseousorliquidformofstorage. metallic bedsisratedtobemoresuitablethanthat conditions. Inthissense,T-storageequipmentusing easily intotheenvironmentunderambient be designedinsuchawaythatitdoesnotrelease equipment usedforthestorageofthisisotopeshould does notexistinsignificantamount.Thereforeany reactor technology. Itisradioactiveinnatureand the criticallyimportantelementsinfieldoffusion Storage of chosen aspotentialmediumforhydrogenstorage. In recentyears,someselectedmetalhydridesare desorption kinetics,resistancetodeactivationetc. o C, onlyZrCoandsomeofthe uranium 3 H isotopeasmetalhydrides 2 atintermediatetemperature range ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 3 He atambient 3 H orT)isoneof
FEATURE ARTICLE 39 BARCBARC NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER
alloys are suitable candidate materials. In particular, on hydrogenation. Such powdering reduces its heat ZrCo alloy absorbs reversibly an appreciable amount conductivity and hence temperature control of of hydrogen isotopes (maximum H/ZrCO = 3), specimens becomes difficult. Further, in an exhibits low hydrogen release pressure under accidental situation, the powder may ignite on ambient conditions and resistant to pyrophorocity coming in contact with leaking air. Therefore, U is and hence considered as a suitable material for desired to be improved as to its hydrogen storage storage and transport of hydrogen isotopes in the property by alloying. The hydrogen storage behavior international thermonuclear experimental reactors of uranium alloys has been studied to a limited
FEATURE ARTICLE FEATURE (ITER). Research on storage and release behavior of extent and hence opens up a new area of research.
ZrCo alloy with respect to H2, D2 and T2 has been In particular, U-Zr and U-Ti alloys are thought to be carried out in our laboratory [1] and it was promising materials for T-storage [2, 3]. The U-Ti demonstrated that this alloy has favorable system comprises of an intermetallic compound
dissociation pressures and reaction kinetics for this U2Ti. As titanium exhibits high durability to
ITER application. However, under high hydrogen powdering on hydrogenation, the U2Ti intermetallic pressure at high temperatures or during repeated compound may possess an excellent durability to absorption-desorption, this alloy loose its hydriding powdering. The 3He retention capacity of uranium ability. Under thermal cycling, ZrCo undergoes bed is very low even at ambient conditions whereas
hydrogen induced disproportionation into more that for titanium is very high. Hence, U2Ti alloy is
stable hydride ZrH2 and hydrogen non-absorptive expected to have intermediate capacity for retention 3 intermetallic compound ZrCo2, thus reducing its of He. storage and recovery ability. We have studied the hydrogen absorption-
On the other hand, uranium bed, in particular, is desorption behavior of U2Ti, and its application as
predominantly used to pump, store and purify T2 in a storage material. In order to get an insight into
gaseous form because: (i) large quantities of T2 can the T2 storage behavior of U2Ti, we first carried out be stored in the smallest volume (T/U atomic ratio a detailed study of its hydrogen storage behavior, upto 3); (ii) it exhibits a dissociation pressure less and subsequently extrapolated our results to draw -3 than 10 Pa at 298 K, thus preventing the release conclusions regarding its T2 storage property.
of T2 to the atmosphere under ambient conditions;
(iii) the pressure of T2 can be controlled by adjusting Thermodynamics of hydrogen absorption- the uranium bed temperature. Typically at 700 K, it desorption exhibits a dissociation pressure sufficiently high to release T ; (iv) the PC isotherms show a wide plateau, 2 In general, the metal-hydrogen reaction can be assuring a constant release pressure over a wide expressed by the following reaction:
hydrogen concentration range; (v) fast uptake of T2 even at low pressures is possible; (vi) surplus T can 2 (1) easily be recovered at room temperature from the vacuum system and be reabsorbed back onto the where, M is a metal, a solid solution or an getter for later use thereby reducing the discharge intermetallic compound, MH is the metal hydride, to the environment by orders of magnitude; (vii) x ‘x’ is the ratio of hydrogen to metal denoted as H/ the decay product 3He which has accumulated M and Q is the heat released during reaction. during storage can simply be pumped off.
However, U easily disintegrates into fine powder
40 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 from PCisotherms,usingthefollowingequations: ( At higherH the H with smallpressurevariations.Inthepure determines howmuchH isotherms showaflatplateau,thelengthofwhich ( start toseenucleationandgrowthofthehydride hydrogen atomsbecomelocallyimportant,andwe of Hinthemetalisincreased,interactionsbetween hydrogen pressuretogetherwiththeconcentration hydrogen asasolidsolution( (PCIs). Thehostmetalinitiallydissolvessome represented bypressure-compositionisotherms The behaviorofmetal-hydridesystemscanbebest is thereverse. hydride interface.Fordehydrogenation,theprocess mechanism and(5)hydrideformationatthemetal/ the hydridelayer;eitherbyaninterstitialoravacancy atoms; (4)diffusionofhydrogenatomsthrough chemisorption; (3)surfacepenetrationofhydrogen dissociation ofhydrogenmoleculesand physisorption ofhydrogenmolecules;(2) the followingfiveessentialprocesses:(1) exothermic. Metalhydrideformationcomprisesof The hydrogenabsorptionreactionisgenerally free energy( Thermodynamic parameterslikechangesinstandard pressure. than lessstablehydridestoreachacertainplateau reaction. Stablehydridesrequirehighertemperatures enthalpy andentropyofthemetal-hydrogen on temperatureandisrelatedtothechangesin plateau orequilibriumpressuredependsstrongly transition from region endsinacriticalpoint hydride phasesmaybeformed.Thetwo-phase = = Δ=− Δ β ) phase.Whilethetwophasescoexist, r rpH S GRTK RTP o ) ofmetal-hydrogenreactionarecalculated 2 o pressurerisessteeplywiththeconcentration. 2 pressure,furtherplateausand Δ r G nln ln α o to ),
enthalpy ( β phasesiscontinuous.The 2 2 canbestoredreversibly x T Δ C , abovewhichthe α r H -phase). Asthe o ) andentropy 2 (2) β -phase, decides thenatureofisotopeeffect.When effect. Theenthalpyofhydrogenationreactionalso S isotopes inthegasphasefolloworder hydrides. Sincetheabsoluteentropiesofhydrogen the relativestabilitiesofcorrespondingisotope factors namely, entropyandenthalpythatcontrol arises fromtheinterplayoftwothermodynamic the typeofhydrogenisotopes.Theisotopeeffect hydrogen systemsareaffectedtosomeextentby isotherms (PCIs)ofmetalorintermetalliccompound- It iswellknownthatthepressure-composition pressure ofmetal-hydrogensystems Hydrogen IsotopeEffectondissociation systems underconsiderationisapproximatelysame. hydrogen, theentropyforallmetalhydrogen change frommolecularhydrogentodissolved the entropychangecorrespondsmostlyto from theslopeandinterceptusingequation(4).As function of(1/ Hoff plotisconstructedbyplottinglnP pressures From anumberofmeasurementsplateau the isotopeeffectisnormal. will beobservedwhereasabovethistemperature Below acertaintemperature, temperature dependentisotopeeffectisexpected. hydride ismorenegativethanthelighterones,a other hand,whenthe p of thehydrogenisotopeswillfollowtrend: is alwaysobserved.Inthiscasetheplateaupressure the heavierisotopehydrides,a of thelighterisotopehydrideismorenegativethan lighter onesleadingtoa‘ heavier isotopehydrideismorenegativethanthe l Δ=Δ−Δ o n (T (T rr rr 2 GHTS P 2 ) > )> H oo 2 S p =− o (D (D P 22 R R x xRT 2 (H 2 ) > )> ΔΔ 2 ) atdifferenttemperatures,avan’t T rr S p ). The HS o (H (H oo 2 2 ) atalltemperatures.Onthe ), thereforethe ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 Δ Δ r H positive ornormal f H o o o and oftheheavierisotope
inverse normal
Δ r S o
isotopeeffect are evaluated isotopeeffect Δ f S o ’ isotope ofthe (H (4) 2 Δ ) as f (3) H o
FEATURE ARTICLE 41 BARCBARC NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER
The U-H system shows positive isotope effect. resistance furnace; (3) a hydrogen reservoir of known Literature data on this system shows that the volume; (4) Piezoresistive-type pressure transducer enthalpy of hydrogenation of uranium metal is nearly of range 0 - 0.15 MPa to monitor system pressure;
same (within 1 kJ/mole) for H2, D2 and T2. Hence, (5) a rotary vacuum pump backed by a diffusion the difference in equilibrium plateau pressure for pump; (6) a pirani gauge with gauge head to these three isotopes arises due to the difference in measure vacuum pressure; (7) K-type thermocouples entropy of reaction. Hence, by knowing the van’t to measure the temperature. The reaction vessels Hoff relation for only one hydrogen isotope in the are made of quartz while the other parts are made
FEATURE ARTICLE FEATURE uranium system and the isotopic effect on the mostly of stainless steel. The maximum attainable entropy of hydrogenation reaction, one can predict vacuum is of the order of 10-5 Pa. the equilibrium plateau pressures of higher isotopes
D2 and T2. Hydrogen absorption-desorption properties of
U2Ti Studies on hydrogen storage behavior of U-Ti system Typical hydrogen absorption-desorption curves for three successive hydrogen absorption-desorption In the present investigation, the hydrogen cycles are shown in Fig.2 which indicate two-stage absorption-desorption behavior and the Pressure- absorption-desorption for this alloy. From the Composition Isotherms (PCIs) of the intermetallic hydrogen concentration measurement, it is inferred
compound U2Ti was investigated using a Sievert- that the high-temperature absorption is primarily type volumetric apparatus (Fig.1).The apparatus due to the reaction: essentially comprises of: (1) a cylindrical sample holder of known volume; (2) a kanthal wire wound (5)
Fig.1: Schematic of Sievert’s type volumetric apparatus
42 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 be attributedtothereaction: was observedinthistemperatureregionwhichcan in Fig.3.Inallthethreecases,onlyoneplateau temperatures 616,647and678Kwhichareshown U In thisstudy, Pressure-Composition-Isotherms for Pressure-Composition IsothermsofU form. macrocrystalline alloytoamicrocrystalline cycle, indicatingconversionofthe is observedtodecreasewitheachsuccessive thermal cycles.Also,theextentofhysteresis decomposition increasedwithnumberof β partial decompositionofU in thefinalpressureofsystemdueto seen thataftereachcycletherewasadecrease of hysteresis.Fromthisfigure,itcanalsobe and desorptioncurvesindicatingthepresence A misfitwasobservedbetweentheabsorption the reaction: whereas thelowtemperatureabsorptionisdueto (Ti) and 2 Ti-H systemweregeneratedatthreedifferent Fig. 2:Hydrogenabsorption-desorption γ (U) phases.Theextentof cycles ofU 2 Ti 2 Ti matrixto (6) (7) 2 Ti decomposition ofU entropy changeofthereaction(7)for From thisrelation,theenthalpychangeand be expressedbytheequation: dependence oftheplateaupressurewasfoundto Fig.3. Fromthevan’tHoffplot,temperature a van’tHoffplotwasconstructedandisshownin Using theplateaupressuresofthesethreeisotherms reported here. the secondplateauisinprogressandhencenot observed athighertemperatures.Investigationof desorption studies(Fig.2)itisexpectedtobe these temperaturesbutbasedontheabsorption- entropy ofhydrogenationreaction ofuraniummetal From theexperimentaldata, theincrementin for UH in Fig.4whichshowsahigherdissociationpressure and thoseofUH The valuesofdissociationpressuresreaction(7) agreement withthevaluesreportedinliterature[2]. to be83.7±6.4kJ/molH from U However, theplateaucorrespondingtodesorption H 2 ·K), respectively. Thesevaluesareingood Fig.3: Pressure-Composition-Isothermsand 3 2 . TiH 2.4 the van’tHoffplot. togenerateU 3 fromliterature[4]arecompared 2 TiH ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 7.6 to U 2 and116.6±9.9J/(mol 2 Ti wasnotobservedat 2 TiH 2.4 werededuced (8)
FEATURE ARTICLE 43 BARCBARC NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER
Table 1: Summary of isotope effect on the plateau pressures of U-H and U2Ti-H systems. FEATURE ARTICLE FEATURE
desorption. With each cycle, a slight decrease in the final dissociation pressure was observed which
was attributed to the partial decomposition of U2Ti phase to β(Ti) and α(U) phase. The Pressure- Composition Isotherms were generated at 616, 647 and 678 K and from the van’t Hoff plot the enthalpy and entropy change of the reaction for
decomposition of U2TiH7.6 to U2TiH2.4 were deduced
to be 83.7±6.4 kJ/mol H2 and 116.6±9.9 J/(mol
H2·K), respectively. Using positive isotope effect, the equilibrium plateau pressures of the heavier
isotopes D2 and T2 were predicted.
Fig. 4: Comparision of dissociation pressures in U-H
and U2Ti-H systems U-H system Ref.[3], U2Ti-H system References (this study)
1. Naik Y., Rama Rao G.A. and Venugopal V. is 2.49 J/(mol H ·K) from H to D and 1.16 J/(mol 2 2 2 “Zirconium-cobalt intermetallic compound H ·K) from D to T . Using the same experimental 2 2 2 for storage and recovery of hydrogen entropy increment value and the experimental isotopes”. Intermetallics 9 (2001): 309-312. enthalpy of reaction obtained in this study, we have 2. Yanamoto T., Tanaka S. and Yamawaki M. calculated the equilibrium plateau pressures of D 2 “Hydrogen absorption-desorption properties
and T2 for the reaction (7) and compared them in of U2Ti”. Journal of Nuclear Materials 170 Fig.4. However, it is important to validate these (1990): 140-146. predictions with experimental data and hence the 3. Asada K., Ono K., Yamagichi K., Yamamoto PCT experiments with heavier isotopes of hydrogen T., Maekawa A., Oe S. and Yamawaki M. are in progress. “Hydrogen absorption properties of uranium alloys”. Journal of Alloys and Compounds Conclusions 231 (1995): 780-784. 4. DOE Handbook “Tritium handling and safe
The hydrogen absorption-desorption cycles of U2Ti storage”. DOE-HDBK-1129-99, March 1999. showed hysteresis with two-step absorption-
44 ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010 (AAPV-2010) ofVariability Applications Physiological Advanced Report onDAE-BRNSThemeMeeting theme meetings.Ithelpsinfocuseddiscussionon his welcomeaddress,emphasizedtheneedforsuch Mr. R.K.Patil, AssociateDirector(C),E&IGroup,in manufacturing industriesandscientistsfromBARC. country, representativesfrommedicalinstruments ayurvedic systemsofmedicinefromalloverthe experts fromallopathic,homoeopathicand was attendedbynearly100delegatesincluding Anushaktinagar, Mumbai400094.Thismeeting Multipurpose Hall,Training SchoolHostel, was heldduring28 Applications ofPhysiologicalVariability (AAPV-2010) The DAE-BRNSThemeMeetingonAdvanced th –29 th Dr. R.K.Sinha,Director, BARCdeliveringtheinaugurallecture October2010atthe Bhabhatron andHandheldTele-ECG; whichare Impedance Cardio-vasograph,MedicalAnalyzer, Monitor, Non-invasiveBloodPressureMonitor, about CardiacOutputMonitor, OxygenSaturation by privateindustries.Hespecificallymentioned years andmanyofthemarebeingmanufactured and effectivemedicalinstrumentsforthepast30 that BARChasbeendevelopingsimple,low-cost Centre, inauguratedthethememeetingandsaid Dr. R.K.Sinha,Director, BhabhaAtomicResearch different systemsofmedicine. his happinessovertheparticipationbyexpertsfrom the subjectandpreparingaroadmap.Heexpressed ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
NEWS & EVENTS 45 46 NEWS & EVENTS BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 Session III: variability. Session II: meeting. following sessionswereconductedduringthetheme Head, MedicalServices,BARCHospital.The ended withavoteofthanksbyDr. P.N. Jangle, of physiologicalvariability. Theinauguralsession measurement techniquesandclinicalapplications occasion. Thebookcontainedintroduction, the HandbookonPhysiologicalVariabilitythis Dr. K.B.Sainis,Director, BiomedicalGroup,released but alsoinayurvedaandhomoeopathy. usefulness ofthismodalitynotonlyinallopathy human body. Heexpressedhishappinessoverthe effect ofdiseasesandcorrectivetherapyonthe stressed thatthesenewmodalitieswouldrevealthe theme meetingi.e.physiologicalvariability, he information toremoteserver. Onthetopicof detection inpublicplacesandteletransferofthe Medical Division,BARC. variability, waschairedbyDr. V. Karira,Head, technology usedinT pleasure atthedeploymentofMobileBased commercially available.Healsoexpressedhis
Principles andpracticesofphysiological Clinicalapplicationsofphysiological ele-ECG forradioactivematerial Convener. The thememeetingendedwiththanksfromthe Director, MaharashtraAyurvedicCouncil. Ayurveda, waschairedbyDr. BhaskarSathaye,Ex. The lastsession, Hospitals, Mumbai. from GrantMedicalCollegeandJ.J.Groupof discussion waschairedbyProf.AlakaK.Deshpande, Instrumentation –VisionandPerspective.Panel Session VI Medical EquipmentSystemBusiness. General Manager, Larsen&Toubro Ltd.andHead, demonstration, waschairedbyMr. RohitMehta, The lastsessionoftheday in homoeopathywerediscussed. physiological variabilityforfundamentalresearch College, Mangalore.Inthissessionusesof Principal, FatherMullerHomoeopathicMedical Session IV: wasapaneldiscussiononMedical waschairedbyProf. Mr. NathRao,
on PhysiologicalVariabilityin ( Session V ) , onlive .Quizcompetitionconductedon28 4. Elocutioncompetitionon‘Roleofyouthin 3. OneActPlayonvigilancestaged26 2. ADocumentaryfilmonvigilanceexhibited 1. Awareness Week:- organized aspartoftheobservanceVigilance the contests.Thefollowingprogrammeswerealso followed bydistributionofPrizestothewinners special addressbyAdditionalSecretary, DAE Nov. 2010.Theprogrammewasconcludedwith Fair PlayinGovernment’wasalsoorganisedon1 organized. APanel discussionon‘Transparency and Competition andQuizwerealso various programmeslikeOneActPlay, Elocution 2010. InadditiontotakingoftheVigilancePledge, observed inBARCfrom25 Commission, theVigilanceAwarenessWeekwas As pertheDirectivesofCentralVigilance Vigilance AwarenessWeek atBARC students ofAECSheldon27 eradicating corruption’forStd.IX&X Oct. 2010 on 25 2010. th Oct.2010 th Controller, BARCand otherdignitariesattheinauguralfunction Octoberto1 th Oct.2010 st November th Oct. th st contests. distribution ofprizestothewinnersvarious by AdditionalSecretary, DAE,followedby concluded withaspecialaddresstothegathering The weeklongVigilanceAwarenesswasthus Mr. GoverdhanRao,HPD,BARC. Mr. ChetanKothari } The PanelDiscussionwasconductedby Mr. NarayanVerma }BothRTIActivists f) Mr. Ramaiah,IFA, BARC A. Mr.e) N.S.Gabhane,Director, d) Mr. H.C.Soni,Director, DPS Mr.c) N.D.Sharma,Controller, BARC. b) a) during whichthefollowingdignitarieswereinvited: Central ComplexAuditorium,BARC,Trombay, Fair PlayinGovernment”wasorganizedatthe discussion onthetopicentitled“Transparency and On theconcludingday, on1 ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 st Nov. 2010,apanel DCS&EM
NEWS & EVENTS 47 48 NEWS & EVENTS BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 Arnab Jana,S.C.Srivastava,VineetKumarandN.Roy for BARCHospital Development ofanetworkedpatientcallsystem tailored tosuitdiverserequirements. time, whilethenumberand size ofdisplayscanbe dedicated computerisusedtoserve5doctorsata user end,whereasforthedisplaypurpose,a as separateentityontheexistinghardwarewith network anduserendcomputers.Thesystemexists queuing requirementswhileutilizingtheexisting patient callsystemwhichcantakecareofcomplex provide thisfacility, wehavedevelopedanetworked to meetthroughasingleendedtokenindicator. To queue ofappointmentsthedayisverydifficult and theneedtoadjustlatereportingwithinregular such astheneedtoaccommodateurgentcases in themarket.Howeverqueuingrequirement patient callismetthroughtokenindicatorsavailable all theconsultingdoctors,whilerequirementof of networkedpersonnelcomputersatthedesk information onpatients.Thisrequiredavailability operation atBARCHospitalfordealingwithclinical Hospital Informationsystem(HIS)hasbeenin Introduction Hospital andinstalledaprototypesystemattheSurgicalUnit. entity fromtheinformationsystem.OntheselineswehavedevelopedapatientcallsystemforBARC to providecomplexqueuingsolutions,throughnetworkingwhilesuchasolutionremainsseparate hardware (alreadyavailableowingtorequirementsofInformationsystem)couldbesynergicallyutilized, stand alone,bulkyandaregenerallynotdesignedtocatercomplexqueuingrequirements.The and efficientlycanbequitecomplex.Thetokenindicationsystemsavailableinthemarketaregenerally unconnected domains.Therequirementsofqueuingandloadbalancingforservingthepublicfaster physical queues.Thisisbecauseinformationsystemsandqueuingaddresstwoentirely Information systemsdonotusuallyincorporatepublicservinginterfaces,toobviatethenecessityof Abstract been connected)usingVGA splitters. Thissystem set ofLCDMonitors(atpresent 3Monitorshave one dedicatedPCinterfacedwithanexpandable using dot-netframework.Thesystemconsistsof The PatientCallSystem(PCS)hasbeendeveloped System Description loaded onthedesktopofdoctor’sPCs.Thetoken etc. EachEntryScreenbearsafixedaddressandis Room Numberandnumericdatafortokennumber designed, toenterthetextdataforDoctor’sName/ Entry ScreentobeinstalledatdoctorsPCis customized WindowsbasedGraphicPatientCall prevent inadvertent/unauthorizedaccess.Afully unit togiveitthelookofanequipmentandalso board andmousecanberemovedfromtheCPU two externalbuttonsattachedtoitandthuskey the Patient CallSystemdirectly, withthehelpof programme isincorporated,tostartandshutdown and sizes.Somemodificationinthebooting automatically adjuststovariousscreenresolutions LCD PatientCallDisplayscreens. Thesoftware numbers andnamesofthedoctorsonitsmultiple The dedicatedcomputerisusedtodisplaytoken and Missedinthreedifferentblocks)ofthepatient. to distinguishthepatientcategory(Routine,Urgent Number and3seriesoftokennumbersintheirrow, is configuredfor5doctorswiththeirName/Room communicate withvarioususers’PCs.Thedisplay is networkedwiththeexistingLANforHISto (Graphic KeyBoardloadedonuser’sdesktop) number forafewseconds. Number displaylightsupthelatestchangedtoken PC anddisplayontherespectivefield.The user’s the data fromthePatientEntryScreeninstalledon waiting area.Eachrowisconfiguredtoreceivethe using VGAsplitterdependingonthesizeof at differentlocationscanbeconnectedinparallel, of 75pixels.For betterview, morethanonemonitor maximum of5rowsforfiveusers,withafontsize of tokennumberswhichcanaccommodatea monitorhasbeenusedfordisplay Presently a19"LCD out anyotherfunctiononthedesktop. tool bar, makingthewindowscreenfreetocarry after enteringthetokennumberonwindows audio alarm.TheEntryScreencanbeminimized change ofbackgroundcolourandsimultaneous Latest tokennumberupdateishighlightedwitha arrived andwithoutappointmentpatients,cases. ‘with appointment’, ‘Late for tokennumbersviz: nameandotherthree input boxesonefordoctor’s LCD screensconnectedwiththePCS.Thereare4 number enteredbythedoctorisdisplayedon ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
NEWS & EVENTS 49 50 NEWS & EVENTS BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 monitor. Thiswasfollowedbypresidentialaddress assaying thewastedrumsbyusingadrum need ofadoptingacommonmethodologyfor Mr. Kamathinhisinauguralspeech,stressedthe Mr. H.S.Kamath,Director, NuclearFuels Group. 2008. Themeetingwasinauguratedby Tarapur ChaptersinceitsformationinSeptember, This wasthefirstmajoreventorganizedbyIANCAS, Department ofAtomicEnergy, GovernmentofIndia. Board ofResearchinNuclearSciences(BRNS), Scientists, Tarapur Chapter, inassociationwiththe Association ofNuclearChemistsandAllied 2010. ThemeetingwasorganizedbytheIndian Report ofathememeeting various techniques(RWDM-2010): Monitoring ofRadioactiveWaste Drumsusing at AFFFLectureHall,BARC,T Waste Drumsusingvarioustechniques”washeld A thememeetingon“MonitoringofRadioactive Dr. V. Venugopal, Director, RC&Igrp.,Mr. H.S.Kamath,Director, NuclearFuels Grp.and arapur onJuly22, other facultymembers from RChDBARC,Trombay, Mumbai BARC, Dr. Goswami,RChDandDr. A. SarbajitSingh Raj, Head,WMD,Dr. UmeshKumar fromIAD, Director, ReprocessingGroup,IGCAR,Mr. Kanwar of DAEdeliveredtheirlectures.Mr. R.Natarajan, In Session-I,eminentspeakersfromvariousunits The meetingwasdividedintotwosessions. Tarapur chapterproposedavoteofthanks. safeguards. Dr. AnilK.Pabby, Secretary, IANCAS, and surveillance,asanimportantaspectofnuclear the importantthemeoftopiccontainment detailed theactivitiesofIANCAS.Heemphasized Isotope GroupandPresident,IANCAS,Mumbai.He of Dr. V. Venugopal, Director, Radiochemistryand NDE technology. development tokeeppacewiththefastemerging embargo. Thereisaneedforindigenous Digital RadiographyandTomography dueto difficulties encounteredinthedevelopmentof Dr. GurusharanSinghopinedthattherearemany and needstobeexploreditsfullestextent. monitoring isoneoftheimportantNDAtechniques in theprocessingofnuclearmaterials.Wastedrum wastes andtheirclassificationisanimportantstep Dr. V. Venugopal saidthatmonitoringofradioactive categorise radioactivewaste. neutron counters.Thiswasveryimportantto matrix. Whenthematrixiscomplex,onehastouse that gammaspectrometrywasgoodforsimple laboratories forthethememeeting.Hementioned bringing togethertheexpertsfromdifferent appreciated theroleofIANCASTarapur Chapterfor Tarapur chapterparticipated.Mr. H.S.Kamath Panakkal, Head,AFFFandChairman,IANCAS, Dr. GurusharanSingh,Head,IADandDr. Jose Natarajan, Director, ReprocessingGroup,IGCAR, &I Group,Mr. H.S.Kamath,Director, NFG,Mr. R. conducted inwhichDr. V. Venugopal, Director, RC In theconcludingsession,apaneldiscussionwas various techniques. generated duringmonitoringofwastedrumsusing II. Allthepresentationsdealtwithexperimentaldata Seven contributorypaperswerepresentedinSession were presented. on workcarriedoutindifferentlaboratoriesofDAE presented theinvitedlectures.Anumberofpapers participated inthethememeeting. More than100delegatesfromvariousunitsofDAE experts fromvariousinstitutionsofDAE. IANCAS, Tarapur Chapterforbringingtogetherthe radioactive wastemonitoring.Theyappreciated RWDM-2010 andonthefuturedirectionof All thespeakersprovidedtheirperspectiveabout the laboratories. of awastedrumscannerwhichcanbeusedinall suggest acommonmethodologyfordevelopment opportunity fortheparticipantstointeractand working inthisarea.Themeetingprovidedan 2010 wastobringtogethertheprofessionals materials. TheaimofthethememeetingRWDM role intheassayingandaccountingofnuclear Assay (NDA)ofradioactivematerialsplayssignificant Dr. J.P. Panakkal, HeadA3FsaidthatNonDestructive limits. would beapenaltywithhigherminimumdetection can beutilizedforneutrondetectionthoughthere enrichment ofBoronbeingavailable,BF wide shortageofsupplyHe of CdTe orCdZnTe detectors.Asthereisa world attempts shouldbemadetodevelopthemanufacture cerium dopedlanthanumbromidesindigenously, the lowresolutiondetectorslikeNaI(Tl),CsI(Tl)and detectors. Though,itispossibletomanufacture waste drummonitorsisthemanufactureofHPGe Dr. R.Natrajanemphasizedthatthebottleneckfor ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 3 andwiththehigher 3 detectors
NEWS & EVENTS 51 52 NEWS & EVENTS BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 performance ofthereprocessing plants. to furtherimprovetheoperational andsafety He alsostressedtheneedforcontinuingR&Dwork operation ofthefirstreprocessingplantinIndia. undertaken beforeandduringtheconstruction Mr. Kumar coveredthevariousdevelopmentefforts the expectationsfromnewprojects. described theevolutionofreprocessinginIndiaand Mr. S.V. Kumar, Former ViceChairman,AERB planning. on overviewoftheprojectsunderconstruction/ Chief Executive,NuclearRecycleBoardpresented perspectives ofthethememeeting.Mr. S.Basu, Director, NuclearRecycleGroupspokeaboutthe Dr. R.K.Sinha,Director, BARC.Mr. S.D.Misra, theme meetingwasinauguratedby Kalpakkam, participatedinthethememeeting.The NFG, HS&EGandAERBfromTrombay, Tarapur and About 150participantsofNRG,NRB,FCD,ACD, capacities. required forenhancingtheirsafetyaswell existing reprocessingplantsandidentifyingkeyareas successful inreviewingtheperformanceof being plannedatTarapur. Thisthememeetingwas of reprocessingandwastemanagementfacilitiesis addition, anintegratedplantwithhighercapacity on anotherplantatKalpakkamisinprogress.In stage ofcommissioningandconstructionwork reprocessing plantatTarapur isunderadvanced fuel reprocessing.Onethermalreactorspent over thelast4decadesinthermalreactorspent the meetingwastoshareexperiencesgained Hotsel, AnushaktiNagar. Themainobjectiveof October, 2010atMultipurposeHall,Training School Rector SpentFuelReprocessinginIndia”on22 Theme Meeting Reprocessing inIndia:ReportonDAE-BRNS Status andTrends inThermalReactorSpentFuel theme meetingon“StatusandT The FuelreprocessingDivisionorganizedaoneday rends inThermal nd Mr. H.S.Kamat,Director, Nuclear FuelsGroup. Chemical EngineeringandTechnology Groupand Shukla, RajaRamannaFellowandFormer Director, The technicalsessionswerechairedbyMr. D.S. Plutonium Plant. related issuescontinuedsafeoperationofthe and safetyperformanceoftheplantaswellaging in theplantoveryears,toimproveprocess Mr. Munshihighlightedthevariousmeasurestaken operational experienceofPlutoniumPlant,Trombay. facilities, NuclearRecycleGrouppresentedthe Mr. S.K.Munshi,ChiefSuperintendent,Reprocessing stage. the sfateystatusofplantsduringoperational the administrativemeasuresrequiredformaintaining the designstageofreprocessingplantsalongwith the variousengineeredsafetyfeaturesprovidedat reprocessing facilities.Mr. Pendharkhar explained issues associatedwiththedesignandoperationof the reprocessingplantsandcoveredvarioussafety Mr. Pendharkhar hasaverylongassociationwith Pendharkhar, formerHead,HealthPhysicsDivision. The fourthlecturewasdeliveredbyMr. K.A. radiochemical plants. efforts inreducingtheradioactivewaste In histalk,Mr. Rajstressedtheneedforfurther management ofspentorganicandalphawasteetc. wastes arisingfromreprocessingplants, of highlevel,intermediatelevelandlowliquid presented thevariousprocessesformanagement Mr. KanwarRaj,Head,Waste ManagementDivision in thislecture. separation ofAHWRspentfueletc.werecovered fuel reprocessing,schemeforthreecomponent the thermalreactorreprocessing,fastspent reprocessing programmeofIndia.Inadditionto Head, FuelReprocessingDivisiononthe The secondlecturewasdeliveredbyMr. P.K. Dey, During theinauguralprogramme, on15 BARC Trombay duringMarch15-26,2010. Training Programmeinthisserieswasconductedat October 2008,respectively. TheThirdSupervisory Management Facility(CWMF),Kalpakkam,in in August2007andatCentralizedWaste Reprocessing, wereconductedatBARC,Trombay programmes, inthisseries,onSpentFuel The firstandsecondsupervisorytraining spent fuelanditsreprocessingrecentadvances. knowledge, familiarizationrelatedtoallaspectsof Reprocessing, givesacompleteacquaintance, on aspecificsubject,suchasSpentFuel in theirownfields.Thus,thistrainingprogramme periodic re-trainingprovidesuptodateknowledge jobs efficiently. However, thistypeoftrainingand plants andhaveexpertiseincarryingouttheirown normal case,thesupervisorsareworkingintheir and efficienttimelycompletionofjobs.Inthe person-mSv consumption,safeworkingstatistics to varioussafetyandoperationparameterssuchas to thesupervisorsbringspositiveresultswithrespect job inaproper, safeandefficientmanner. Training instruction totheworkforceforcarryingout and theworkforce.Theyalsoprovideguidance link foranyorganizationbetweenthemanagement management plantsetc.Supervisorsarethevital working infuelfabrication,reactoroperation,waste for thosesupervisorswhoareassociatedor back. Inaddition,thisprogrammewasalsodesigned training orhadreceivedabout10-12years plants andeitherhavenotreceivedanyformal for thesupervisors,whoareworkinginreprocessing Reprocessing” wasdesignedandformulatedmainly The supervisorytrainingprogrammeon“SpentFuel 2010, Mr. H.N.Mishrawelcomedthegathering. at BARCTrombay: areport on SpentFuel Reprocessing Third SupervisoryTraining Programme th March training programme.Majority ofthembelonged A totalof68participantsattended thissupervisory Dr. S.Shankar, Mr. P. Patange andMr. H.N. Mishra. Training, NRGandconductedcoordinatedby organized byMr. R.G.Yeotikar, Officer-in-Charge, The trainingprogrammewasdesignedand general safety, radiationsafetyandcriticalityaspects. of reprocessingplantsinIndiawithrespectto based fuel.Healsoemphasizedthesafetyaspects for reprocessingofspentfuelincludingthorium- of reactors,generationspentfuelandnecessity included, typeoffuelandcladdingmaterial,types closed cyclefuelprogrammeofIndia.This aspects ofspentfuelreprocessing,consideringthe programme ofIndia.Healsoelaboratedonall adopted thesameforselfsustainingnuclearpower the closedfuelcycleoptionandwhywehave reprocessing andfutureperspective”.Heexplained on thesubject“Basicphilosophyforspentfuel Reprocessing Division,alsopresentedaninvitedtalk training programmeMr. P.K. Dey, Head,Fuel adopted forspentfuelreprocessinginIndia.Inthe S.K. Munshi,whohighlightedtheprocesses After inauguration,therewasaninvitedtalkbyMr. Prahlad Patange. reprocessing. Vote ofthankswasgivenbyMr. knowledge invariousaspectsofspentfuel importance oftraininganditsusefulnessinupdating addressed thetraineesandemphasized Mr. KanwarRaj,Head,Waste ManagementDivision Hot CellDevelopment&EngineeringSectionand RF,Munshi, CS, PP, FRD,Mr. R.K.Gupta,Head, importance oftheselectedsubjects.Mr. S.K. syllabus oftheprogrammeandexplained organizer ofthisprogramme,introducedthe Mr. R.G.Yeotikar, Officer-in-Charge, Training and ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010
NEWS & EVENTS 53 54 NEWS & EVENTS BARC NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 317•NOV.ISSUE -DEC.2010 oxides ofPuandU, schematics, conversionof sheets andprocess reprocessing plants,flow auxiliary systemsin reprocessing, various different stepsfor spent fuelstorage, spent fuel,transportation, fabrication, generationof reprocessing suchasfuel and spentfuel nuclear fuel,spentfuel covered variousaspectsof This trainingprogramme deliver lectures. ROD, IHSS,Hospital,FireServicesSection,etc.,to invited fromallthreesitesofNRGandAFD, their fieldswithmanyyearsofexperience,were reactor. Faculty members,whoarespecialistsin Immobilization Plant,RSMS,ETP, AFDandDhruva at Trombay suchasPlutoniumPlant,Waste demonstrations andvisitstovariousplant/facilities carried outbywayofclassroomlectures, and seniortechnicians.Thetrainingprogrammewas reprocessing. Theywerejuniorengineers,supervisors acquaintance ofvariousaspectsspentfuel participants weregiventhistrainingforcomplete attended thistrainingprogramme.Allthe request fromAERB,fewoftheirparticipantsalso FCD, UEDetc.alsoattendedthiscourse.Asper BARC, Trombay, suchasROD,RCD,AFD,RMD, from these,supervisorsotherDivisionsof from otherprojectsalsoattendedthecourse.Apart Trombay; CWMFKalpakkamandWMFTarapur and from wastemanagementplantssuchasWMF Trombay, Tarapur andKalpakkam.Few supervisors to reprocessingplants/facilities/projectsfrom Training Coordinator, Mr. P.K. Dey, Head,FRDandMr. J.S.Yadav, DyPS,PP, Trombay. Mr. R.G.Yeotikar, Officer-in-Charge, Training, NuclearRecycleGroup,responding on 26 to thefeedbackduringcertificationceremonyandvaledictoryfunction th March2010.Othersonthedais(fromlefttoright)areDr. S.Shankar, the valedictoryfunction. participants. Dr. S.Shankargavevoteofthanksafter Thereafter certificateswereawardedtoallthe Training, answeredandrespondedtothisfeedback. programme. Mr. R.G.Yeotikar, Officer-in- Charge, programme, forimprovementofthefuturetraining for training,plantvisitsandoveralltraining from alltheparticipantsaboutsubjectsselected officials ofPP, Trombay. Thefeedbackwastaken Mr. J.S.Yadav, Supdt.Operation,PPandsenior Mr. P. K.Dey, Head,Fuel ReprocessingDivision, was heldon26 The certificationceremonyandvaledictoryfunction and reprocessingaspectsofthoriumbasedfuels. reprocessing, advancedmethodsofreprocessing reprocessing, newemergingsolventsfor covered newprojectactivitiesrelatedto fire/medical emergencies,etc.Theprogrammealso safety, industrialsafety, handlingofradiological/ advanced techniquesforreprocessing,radiological analytical requirementsforprocesscontrol,future/ th March2010andwasgracedby BARC Scientists Honoured
Name of the Scientist : Madhumita Halder and S.M. Yusuf Solid State Physics Division Title of the Paper : “A Crossover from Short-range to Long-range Exchange Interaction
in TbCo2-xFex” Award : Best Poster Award Presented at : Conference on Advances in Magnetism: Phenomena and Materials (AMPM 2010) held at Manali, India, during June 3–5, 2010.
Name of the Scientist : P.K. Manna, A.K. Bera and S.M. Yusuf Solid State Physics Division Title of the Paper : “Tunable Structural and Magnetic Properties of Multifunctional
La1-xCexCrO3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) Nanoparticles” Award : Best Poster Award Presented at : Conference on Advances in Magnetism: Phenomena and Materials (AMPM 2010) held at Manali, India, during June 3–5, 2010.
Name of the Scientist : N. Thakur, S.M. Yusuf and A. Kumar Solid State Physics Division and J.V. Yakhmi, Physics Group Title of the Paper : “Prussian Blue Ananlogue based Molecular Magnets: Controlling Structural Disorder and Magnetic Properties” Award : Best Poster Award Presented at : Conference on Advances in Magnetism: Phenomena and Materials (AMPM 2010) held at Manali, India, during June 3–5, 2010.
Name of the Scientist : Onkar S. Gokhale Reactor Safety Division Title of the Poster : “Study of Induction Heating of Fuel Bundle Simulator using COMSOL Multiphysics” Award : Best Poster Award - Popular Choice Awarded at : 2nd National COMSOL Conference 2010, 29-30 Oct, 2010, Banglaluru
ISSUE NO. 317 • NOV. - DEC. 2010