Development of Robust Welding Technology for the Fast Breeder Reactor Programme in India

摘要

The mission of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is to make India self-sufficient in all areas of Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) technology. In the early days of IGCAR, the emphasis was on construction of Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) and its operation. This was to demonstrate the capability of constructing and operating the liquid-sodium cooled FBR successfully and also to gain valuable experience in liquid-sodium technology before taking up construction of liquid sodium cooled FBR for power production. In parallel, complete indigenous design of 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) was also taken up. With R&D activities spanning over almost three decades, successful operation of FBTR for two decades and demonstration of capability of Indian industries to fabricate all components for PFBR Project, IGCAR gained confidence that India is ready for building and operating 500 MWe FBRs. Accordingly, Government of India accorded financial sanction for construction of PFBR Project in September 2003 and construction of the reactor has already commenced.