Nuclear (Physics) Part-II

This reactor's design is based on the French reactor Rhapsody, with several modifications. It uses plutonium-uranium carbide developed indigenously as the driver fuel and went critical on 18 October, 1985.

Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Kalpakkam is being operated on experimental basis since 1985. It uses uranium and plutonium mixed carbide fuel. FBTR uses liquid sodium as coolant, which is reactive with air or water.

The reactor uses a coolant that removes heat from the core where the fuel is processed and carry it to an electrical generator. Coolant also serves to maintain manageable pressures within the core.

Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR-being operated since 1985) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam has a capacity of 13 MWe and uses plutonioum-uranium carbide as a fuel and liquid sodium as coolant.

The FBTR is a forerunner to the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), which is underconstruction at Kalpakkam. The indigenously designed industrial scale prototype FBR of 500 MWe capacity is in an advanced stage of commissioning at Kalpakkam.

Indigenously produced Mixed Uranium & Plutonium Oxide will be used as the fuel in the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam. Fast breeder reactors, or FBRs, in general produce more fissile material than they consume.

The PFBR in Kalpakkam will use a mixed oxide of plutonium-239-derived from reprocessed spent fuel from the thermal pressurised heavy water reactors - and uranium-238 as fuel to generate energy in a nuclear reaction.

This reaction will also produce or 'breed' more plutonium-239. This is possible because the reaction converts both uranium-238 in the fuel mix as well as a blanket of depleted uranium surrounding the core into plutonium.

The Harishchandra Research Institute (HRI) is a premier Institute dedicated to research in mathematics and in theoretical physics. It is located in Prayagraj (U.P.) and is funded by Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India

All of the above institutions are under the Department of Atomic Energy. Organisations and their headquarters are-

(1) Atomic Minerals directorate for exploration and research - Hyderabad.

(2) Heavy Water Board - Mumbai

(3) Indian Rare Earth Ltd. - Mumbai

(4) Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. - Jaduguda (Jharkhand)

The Heavy Water Board (HWB) at Trombay, Mumbai oversees the production of heavy water which is used in nuclear reactors. It has 7 heavy water plants at Tuticorin. Kota, Baroda, Thal, Talcher, Manuguru and Hazira.

Kalpakkam is a small town in Tamil Nadu mostly famous for its nuclear power plants and research installations. Narora is located on the bank of river Ganga in district Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh. It is also famous for its nuclear power plant.

Kakrapara atomic power station is a nuclear power station lies in the proximity of the city of Vyara (near Surat) in the state of Gujarat. Trombay is a northeastern suburb in Mumbai, India. It is famous for Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

According to the question, all the options are correctly matched except option (a) because Rajasthan Atomic Power Station is located in Rawatbhata, Kota, Rajasthan not in Udaipur.

The atomic power plants are located at both Narora and Kalpakkam. Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) is located at Kalpakkam about 80 km south of Chennai. It is India's first fully indigenously constructed nuclear station.

It has two units of 220 MW capacities each and on the other hand, Narora Atomic Power Station is located in Narora (Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh). It has two units of 220 MW capacities each. So option (b) is correct.

Narora power station is located in the IV Seismic Zone. Kalpakkam is located in the II Seismic Zone. Kaiga and Tarapur are located in the III Seismic Zone.