Life Extension of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor

The Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) is a loop type sodium cooled fast reactor located at Kalpakkam, India. The reactor went critical in October, 1985 with a core of 23 unique high Plutonium carbide fuel subassemblies and the reactor power was rated for 10.5MWt with peak linear heat rating of fuel at 320W/cm. The extension of the target burn-up of this fuel based on Post Irradiation Examination at different stages enabled progressive expansion of the core and increase in reactor power. The reactor has been operated upto a power level of 18.6MWt/3MWe with a sodium temperature of 482°C max. The reactor has completed 24 years of operation and is currently under periodic safety review by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India. As a part of the periodic safety review, equipment qualification status and ageing management studies have been presented to the regulators. Equipment qualification refers to the ability of the replaceable equipment to meet the functional requirements on demand, accomplished by periodic surveillance, maintenance and replacement. Ageing management addresses the residual life assessment of components which are passive, non-replaceable / replaceable with difficulty, taking into account their life degrading mechanisms. Over a period of time, based on the operational feedback, maintenance difficulties and obsolescence, several major components have been replaced. These include the Neutronic channels, UPS, computers of the Central Data Processing System, main boiler feed pumps, three control rod drive mechanisms, two control rods, central canal plug, deaerator lift pumps, reheaters of the steam water system, station batteries, DM plant and Nitrogen plant. The starting air system of the emergency diesel generators and isolation dampers of the reactor containment building have also been replaced. Regarding the non-replaceable components, residual life assessment has been carried out based on the operational history vis-a`-vis the design limits for each component. The life limiting mechanism of heat transport systems of FBTR are creep and fatigue. Since the reactor has operated only upto a temperature of 444°C till 2007, the creep effect is insignificant. The total number of thermal cycles seen by the reactor components as of 2007 was 163, as against the design cycle of 2000 for most of the components. Hence all the heat transport system components are as good as fresh ones. However, the major life limiting factor has been found to be the Neutronic fluence on the grid plate which supports the core. The fast flux at the grid plate location was measured using Np foils and the residual life of the reactor has been assessed to be 10.5 effective full power years. This paper details the life extension exercise being carried out for FBTR.