Apsara nuclear reactor

Indo-Asian News Service Sep 12, 2018 10:36:34 IST Apsara, the first research reactor in Asia that worked nearly five decades before shutting down in 2009, is now operational as 'Apsara-U' on Trombay campus of Maharashtra, said Department of Atomic Energy on Tuesday, 11 September. "Nearly sixty-two years after Apsara came into existence, a swimming pool type research reactor"Apsara-upgraded", of higher capacity was born at Trombay on September 10," said the Ministry. According to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Apsara is a light water swimming pool-type reactor with a maximum power output of one megawatt thermal (MWT). A top view of the Apsara-U reactor. Image courtesy: Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India It is utilized for various experiments, including neutron activation analysis, radiation damage studies, forensic research, neutron radiography, and shielding experiments. The ministry said the reactor can also be used for research and production of radioisotopesfor medical application and would also be extensively used for research in nuclear physics, material science and radiation shielding. This development helped the Indian scientists and engineers to build complex facilities for healthcare, science education and research, it said.

APSARA (India's First Nuclear Research Reactor) Was Commissioned - [August 4, 1956] This Day in History On 4 August 1956, Nuclear Research Reactor APSARA was commissioned by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). APSARA was the first Nuclear Research Reactor in India and also Asia. This article will help in understanding the journey of India’s Strategic Nuclear Program and how it is helping in the development of current generation Nuclear Reactors. Aspirants would find this article very helpful while preparing for the IAS Exam . Aspirants should begin their preparation by solving UPSC Previous Year Question Papers now!! To complement your preparation for the upcoming exam, check the following links: • • • • • • Background – India’s Nuclear Program • On 4 th August 1956, the nuclear reactor APSARA attained criticality at 3:45 PM. Criticality refers to the state of a nuclear reactor when the nuclear fission reaction becomes self-sustaining. This means that each fission reaction releases enough neutrons to sustain the chain reaction. This is an important milestone in the commissioning of a reactor. • APSARA was the first nuclear research reactor in India and also Asia. • Its design was conceptualized by Dr Homi Bhabha (the Father of the Indian nuclear programme) in 1955. • The reactor was named APSARA and dedicated to the nation in 1957 by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. • The reactor was built with assistance from the United Kingdom who provided th...

This paper describes the physics design calculations for equilibrium core of a proposed 2MW upgraded Apsara reactor. As a part of upgrading, the existing highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuelled core is planned to be replaced with low enriched uranium (LEU) fuelled core in order to enhance the design safety features and the maximum available thermal neutron flux of the reactor. In existing Apsara, the maximum thermal neutron flux level is about 1×10 13n/cm 2/s at designed power (1MW) whereas in upgraded version, flux will be 6.1×10 13n/cm 2/s. The design of the proposed LEU fuel assembly is similar to existing HEU fuel assembly except the fact that U 3Si 2–Al dispersion type fuel with low enrichment (17wt.%) is adopted in the fuel design. Existing Apsara core of 7×7 array of fuel assemblies with 77mm lattice pitch will be modified to 8×8 array with 79.7mm lattice pitch, in which active core will be placed at the centre in a 4×4 array and remaining positions will be filled up by BeO reflector elements, irradiation positions, etc. Calculation strategy is first validated against benchmark problems describing similar kind of core conversion and then applied to present core. Introduction Apsara, as originally designed and commissioned in the year 1956, was a pool type reactor fuelled with HEU of plate type geometry. Light water was its coolant, moderator and reflector. Reactor core was a 7×7 square array (77mm lattice pitch) which contained standard fuel elements, control fuel ele...

Apsara-U is 2 MW swimming pool type research reactor with low enriched uranium fuelled core. On 10th September 2018, Apsara-U was made critical at 18:41 hrs. After the First Approach to Criticality (FAC) of Apsara-U, low power physics experiments were carried out. The experiments included reactivity worth measurement of all reactivity devices and measurement of the isothermal temperature coefficient of reactivity. Inflated reactivity worth of Shut off Rods as calculated from the power from some of the neutronic channels were obtained on account of shadowing effect of neutron reaching the detector locations. Further the isothermal coefficient of reactivity was observed positive. In this paper, we discuss the mentioned Reactor Physics measurement and related theoretical calculation during FAC that includes solving the benchmark problem for validating the calculation tools, and steady state thermal hydraulic analysis, Reactivity initiated transients for the FAC core configuration for ascertaining the safety of the reactor. Introduction Apsara-U is a 2 MW thermal, light water cooled and moderated, BeO reflected, swimming pool type research reactor. It uses Low Enriched Uranium (LEU; <20 % U 235 enrichment) based U 3Si 2 dispersed in aluminum matrix as fuel and aluminum as clad. The reactor core consists of 16 lattice positions in a 4 × 4 array with a square lattice pitch of 79.7 mm. Out of these 16 positions, in equilibrium core, 11 will be occupied by Standard fuel assemblies...

Hint 1. It was also Asia's first nuclear plant. 2. It was vital at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) in Trombay on 4 August 1956. It heralded the launch of India's nuclear energy programme. 3. A neutron poison (also called a neutron absorber or a radioactive poison) is a material with a large cross-section absorption of neutrons. Complete Solution Step by Step 1. According to Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, the founder of the Indian Nuclear Program, "Research reactors are the cornerstone of the Nuclear Program." 2. As a result, Apsara, Asia's first research reactor, became operational at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in Trombay in August 1956. 3. Apsara is a light water swimming pool style reactor with a nominal power output of one megawatt thermal (MWt). 4. The reactor burns enriched uranium in the shape of curved aluminium alloy plates. 5. Details of Apsara Nuclear Reactor (A) Reactor type: Swimming pool type/ Thermal Reactor (B) Date of criticality: August 4, 1956 (C) Reactor power: 1 MW (D) Fuel material: Enriched uranium – aluminium alloy (E) Fuel element: Plates (F) Fuel cladding: Aluminium alloy (G) Total weight of fuel: 4.5 kg (H) Core size: 560 mm X 560 mm X 615 mm(H) (I) Moderator: light water Option B. Apsara is the correct answer Note 1. India's oldest 'Apsara' nuclear reactor, which was permanently shut down for maintenance in 2009, was refurbished with higher power on 10 September 2018 at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay. 2. Nuclear Suppliers Group i...

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay has recommissioned India’s oldest nuclear research reactor named ‘Apsara’, which was shut down permanently in 2009 for repair. The refurbished version of this reactor has been named as ‘Apsara-upgraded’ (Apsara-U) and also has double capacity compared to its earlier version. It is located within India’s nuclear weapons facility at BARC’s Trombay campus (Maharashtra). Contents • • • Apsara Apsara was the first nuclear research reactor in Asia. It had become operational in BARC’s Trombay campus in August 1956. It was first nuclear research reactor indigenously developed in India. The design was conceptualised in 1955 by Dr Homi Bhabha, the father of Indian Nuclear programme. Its name Apsara was coined by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Apsara was a light water moderated (swimming pool-type) reactor with maximum power output of 1 megawatt thermal (MWt). It burned enriched uranium in form of aluminum alloyed curved plates. It was utilised for various experiments including neutron activation analysis, radiation damage studies, forensic research, neutron radiography, and shielding experiments. It was shut down in 2009, after more than five decades of service. Apsara-upgraded The upgraded version, like its ancestor, is indigenously made. It uses plate type dispersion fuel elements made of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). It will help to increase indigenous production of radio-isotopes for medical application by about 50% mainly due t...