Russian Nuclear Corporation Rosatom and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay recently arranged a lecture in nuclear energy to discuss Russian nuclear technologies and its perspectives for Indian-Russian cooperation.
Russian professor from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in Moscow, along with IIT Bombay’s nuclear experts, took the floor with a speech on Russian know-how on Fast Neutron Reactors and Russian “Breakthrough” project, as well as on innovative Russian nuclear technologies for Indian nuclear energy development.
Russian nuclear expert Alexander Nakhabov touched specifically upon the “Breakthrough” project, an ambitious challenge for nuclear power engineering. The project considers applying R&D activities to various fast-breeder reactors (with sodium and lead coolant) and closing of nuclear fuel cycle.
The history
Besides, the Russian speaker spoke on History of Fast Neutron Reactors developments in Russia, technology which evolved from BN-350, the world’s first industrial prototype fast breeder reactor with liquid metal coolant to BN-800 with improved design solutions, such as much higher unit capacity, passive safety systems and MOX-fuel usage.
Currently, Russia develops design solutions for BN-1200 project, which will include proven technical features of BN-600 and BN-800. Besides, the innovative reactor design has a significantly simplified system overload, emergency heat removal from the reactor vessel built in the autonomous heat exchangers and others.
Indian scenario
Commenting on the Indian nuclear energy, the speaker said, “India being a developing country, where the population is increasing every day leading to a depletion of natural resources, faces an increasing need of utilising safe technology. Therefore, clean and cost effective system is the need of hour, as we cannot fully on solar power, which is dependent upon climate and weather conditions”.