3. Securing energy for India’s future is a major challenge
World OECD Non-OECD India India
(developing world) of our dream
Population
(billion) 6.7 1.18 5.52 1.2 1.6
(stabilised)
Annual
av. per capita ~2800 ~9000 ~1500 ~675 5000
Electricity (kWh)
Annual
Electricity
Generation 18.8 10.6 8.2 0.811 8.0
(trillion kWh)
Carbon-di-oxide
Emission 30 13 17 1.7 ?
(billion tons/yr)
India alone would need around 40% of present
global electricity generation to be added to reach
average 5000 kWh per capita electricity generation
4. Number of years a domestic non-renewable energy source (as known today) can last
at 5000 kWh/capita electricity consumption in India (8 trillion units)
Coal Hydro-carbon Uranium Uranium Thorium
once-through recycle
11.5 ---- 0.36 18.5 >170
Non- Electricity generation potential from renewable sources
Renewable in India ( as fraction of 8 trillion units)
renewable
WHILE WE MUST MAKE Hydro Other renewables solar
(wind+biomass)
FULL USE OF ALL
AVAILABLE ENERGY
RESOURCES ONLY
0.075 0.0225 1.0*
THORIUM AND SOLAR *Would need ~45,000 sq.km which corresponds to a
ENERGY IS SUSTAINABLE fourth of barren and uncultivable land in India
IN THE LONG RUN
(FUSION ENERGY NOT CONSIDERED FOR
THE PRESENT)
5. We do not know how
close we are to the
tipping point.
However we need to
act now to secure
survival of our
future generations.
Incidentally both
Global average temperature over
.
last one and a half century nuclear and solar
showing a more or less steady cause least carbon-
increase over the last fifty years
or so. The fluctuations and their di-oxide emission
cycles can be correlated with
various events like solar cycles
6. Stage 1:
Since Thorium does
not have a naturally
occurring fissile
content, one has to
begin nuclear energy
program with
Uranium.
Stage 2:
For faster growth,
plutonium breeding in
fast reactors is
necessary
Stage 3:
After generation capacity is
sufficiently enlarged through
fast reactors, Thorium can
sustain the generation
capacity with a wide range of
choices, lower minor actinide
burden and greater
proliferation resistance
7. Three Stage Indian Nuclear Power Programme
Globally Advanced Globally Unique
100
95 91 90
90 89
Technology
90 84 86 85
84 83
82
Availability
85 79
80 75
World class
75
70
65
60 performance
55
50
1997- 1998- 1999- 2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004- 2005- 2006- 2007- 2008-
98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
Stage – I Stage - II Stage - III
PHWRs Fast Breeder Reactors Thorium Based Reactors
• 18 – Operating (4460 MWe) • 40 MWth FBTR - Operating since
• 4– 700 MWe units under 1985 • 30 kWth KAMINI- Operating
construction (2800 Mwe) • Technology Objectives realised
•Several 700 MWe units • 500 MWe PFBR- • 300 MWe AHWR-
planned
Under Construction ready for deployment
LWRs • Pre-project activities for two
• 2 --BWRs Operating (320 more FBRs approved • Availability of ADS can enable
MWe) • TOTAL POWER POTENTIAL 530 early introduction of Thorium on a
• 2 -- VVERs under large scale
GWe (including 300 GWe with Thorium)
construction (2000 Mwe) No additional mined uranium ENERGY POTENTIAL IS
• Several LWR Units planned is needed for this scale up VERY LARGE
8. Strategy for long-term energy security
The deficit is practically
1400
wiped out in 2050
1300 LWR import: 40 GWe
1200 Period: 2012-2020
1100
FBR using spent
1000 fuel from LWR
Installed capacity (GWe)
900
LWR (Imported)
800
Nuclear (Domestic
700 3-stage
Projected programme)
600
requirement*
500 Hydrocarbon
400
Coal domestic
300
200
Non-conventional
100
0 Hydroelectric
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
*Ref: “A Strategy for Growth of Electrical Energy in
Year
* - Assuming 4200 kcal/kg India”, document 10, August 2004, DAE
9. Energy Source Death Rate (deaths per TWh)
Coal world average 161 (26% of world energy, 50% of electricity)
Coal China 278
Coal USA 15
Oil 36 (36% of world energy)
Natural Gas 4 (21% of world energy)
Biofuel/Biomass 12
Peat 12
Solar (rooftop) 0.44 (less than 0.1% of world energy)
Wind 0.15 (less than 1% of world energy)
Hydro 0.10 (Europe death rate, 2.2% of world energy)
Hydro - world including Banqiao) 1.4 (about 2500 TWh/yr and 171,000 Banqiao dead)
Nuclear 0.04 (5.9% of world energy)
http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/03/deaths-per-twh-by-energy-source.html
Risks with nuclear energy are the least
10. Projected health consequences from low
doses to large sections of population are
questionable
IN CASE OF CHERNOBYL
ESTIMATED CONSEQUENCES
AN ESTIMATE IN 2006—93,000 WILL DIE DUE TO CANCER UP TO THE
YEAR2056
ANOTHER ESTIMATE IN 2009---985,000 DIED TILL 2004
Driven by
ACTUAL CONSEQUENCE conservative linear
TOTAL DEATHS; no threshold
62 (47 PLANT, 15 DUE TO THYROID CANCER ) principle (which is
ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME; not substantiated
134 (OUT OF WHICH 28 HAVE DIED) surveys in high
INCREASED CANCER INCIDENCE; natural radiation
AMONG RECOVERY WORKERS background areas)
THYROID CANCER; (CURABLE, WAS AVOIDABLE) we tend to create
6000 ( 15 HAVE DIED) avoidable trauma
in public mind
11. There is already a large used uranium fuel inventory (~270,000
tons as per WNA estimate)
While the spent fuel would be a sufficiently large energy
resource if recycled, its permanent disposal is in my view an
unacceptable security and safety risk (plutonium mine?)
We need to adopt ways to liquidate the spent fuel inventory
through recycle
France today recycles entire spent fuel arising. Recycle is a
credible option.
Development of Partitioning and Transmutation technologies can
in principle effectively address long term waste management
challenge.
Waste management challenge can be
effectively met through recycle
12. The Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR),
a quick, safe, secure and proliferation resistant solution for the
energy hungry world
AHWR is a 300 MWe vertical pressure tube type, boiling light water cooled and heavy water
moderated reactor (An innovative configuration that can provide low risk nuclear energy using
available technologies)
Major design objectives
Significant fraction of Energy from
Thorium Top Tie Plate
Displacer
Water Rod
Several passive features Tube
3 days grace period Fuel
Pin
No radiological impact
AHWR can be
configured to accept a Passive shutdown system to address
range of fuel types insider threat scenarios.
including LEU, U-Pu ,
Th-Pu , LEU-Th and Design life of 100 years.
233U-Th in full core Bottom Tie Plate
Easily replaceable coolant channels.
AHWR Fuel assembly
13. AHWR 300-LEU is a simple 300 MWe system fuelled
with LEU-Thorium fuel, has advanced passive safety
features, high degree of operator forgiving
characteristics, no adverse impact in public domain,
high proliferation resistance and inherent security
strength.
600
Peak clad
Clad temperature (K)
10 sec delay
temperature hardly 590
5 sec delay
rises even in the 580 2 sec delay
extreme condition
of complete station 570
blackout and
560
failure of primary
and secondary 550
systems.
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Reactor Block Components Time (s)
AHWR300-LEU provides a robust design against
external as well as internal threats, including insider
malevolent acts. This feature contributes to strong
security of the reactor through implementation of
technological solutions.
14. PSA calculations for AHWR indicate practically zero
probability of a serious impact in public domain
Plant familiarization & Level-3 : Atmospheric Dispersion With SWS: Service
identification of design Consequence Analysis Water System
APWS: Active
aspects important to Process Water
severe accident System
Release from Containment ECCS HDRBRK:
ECCS Header
Break
PSA level-1 : Identification LLOCA: Large
of significant events with Break LOCA
large contribution to CDF Level-2 : Source Term (within SLOCA
MSLBOB: Main
Steam Line
Containment) Evaluation through SWS 15% Break Outside
63%
Analysis Containment
Contribution to CDF
Level-1, 2 & 3 PSA activity block diagram
10-10
10
-10
Frequency of Exceedence
10-11
10
-11
-12
10-12
10
10-13
10
-13
10-14
10
-14
110
mSv 0.1 Sv 1.0 Sv 10 Sv
-3 -2 -1 0
10 10 10
Thyroid Dose (Sv) at 0.5 Km Iso-Dose for thyroid -200% RIH + wired shutdown
Variation of dose with frequency exceedence system unavailable (Wind condition in January on western
14
(Acceptable thyroid dose for a child is 500 mSv) Indian side)
15. STRONGER PROLIFERATION
Amount of Plutonium in spent fuel per unit energy
30
25
Total
Fissile
RESISTANCE WITH AHWR 300-LEU
20
(kg/TWhe)
15 Much lower Plutonium production.
10
Plutonium in spent fuel contains lower
fissile fraction, much higher 238Pu content
5
0
Modern
MODERN AHWR300-
AHWR300-LEU which causes heat generation & Uranium in
LWR
LWR
LEU spent fuel contains significant 232U content
which leads to hard gamma emitters.
238Pu 3.50 % 9.54 %
239Pu 51.87 % 41.65 %
240Pu 23.81 % 21.14 % The composition of the fresh as well as the
241Pu 12.91 % 13.96 % spent fuel of AHWR300-LEU makes the fuel
cycle inherently proliferation resistant.
242Pu 7.91 % 13.70 %
232U 0.00 % 0.02 %
Uranium in spent fuel contains about 8%
233U 0.00 % 6.51 % fissile isotopes, and hence is suitable for
234U 0.00 % 1.24 % further energy production through reuse in
235U 0.82 % 1.62 % other reactors. Further, it is also possible to
236U 0.59 %
reuse the Plutonium from spent fuel in fast
3.27 %
238U 98.59 % 87.35 %
reactors.
16. Present deployment MOX Thorium
Of nuclear power
Reprocess
Thermal Spent Fuel Fast
Enrichment reactors Reactor
Uranium LEU
Plant
For growth in
nuclear
LEU Thorium Recycle
Thorium generation
fuel
beyond thermal
reactor potential 233U
Thorium
LEU-
Nuclear power with
Thorium greater proliferation
resistance
Safe & Thorium
Secure
Reactors Reactors
For ex. AHWR Recycle For ex. Acc.
Driven MSR
Thorium
17. CHALLENGES IN SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
Drive capital costs down
Low cost energy storage systems
Solar biomass hybrids
Solar thermal photovoltaic hybrids
Large solar thermal systems not dependent on
availability of water
Technology initiatives
1.Higher efficiency / non-toxic PV materials
2.High temperature photovoltaics
3.Self cleaning abrasion resistant surfaces
4.Recycle of Carbon-di-oxide to fluid hydrocarbon substitutes
5. ---------------
18. Sustainable development of energy sector
Transition to Fossil Carbon Free Energy Cycle
Carbon/ ENERGY
GREATER Fossil Hydrocarbons
CARRIERS
SHARE FOR Energy Electricity (In storage or WASTE
NUCLEAR IN Resources transportation)
ELECTRICITY • CO2
Electricity
SUPPLY • Electricity
• H2O
• Fluid fuels
REPLACE • Other
FOSSIL Hydrogen (hydro-carbons/ oxides and
HYDRO- products
Sun hydrogen)
CARBON IN A
PROGRESSIVE
MANNER CH4 Fluid
Nuclear Hydro
carbons
RECYCLE Energy CO2
chemical
CARBON- Resources Biomass reactor
DIOXIDE CO2
Other
DERIVE MOST recycle
OF PRIMARY Nuclear Recycle
modes
ENERGY Sustainable Waste Management Strategies
THROUGH
SOLAR & Urgent need to reduce use of fossil carbon in a progressive manner
NUCLEAR
20. Reduced Plutonium generation High 238Pu fraction and low fissile content
Amount of Plutonium in spent fuel per unit energy
30 of Plutonium
Total 238Pu
Fissile 239Pu
25
240Pu
241Pu
20 242Pu
(kg/TWhe)
15 MODERN AHWR300-LEU
LWR
238Pu 3.50 % 238Pu 9.54 %
10 239Pu 51.87 % 239Pu 41.65 %
240Pu 23.81 % 240Pu 21.14 %
5 241Pu 12.91 % 241Pu 13.96 %
242Pu 7.91 % 242Pu 13.70 %
0
MODERN AHWR300-LEU The French N4 PWR is considered as representative of a modern LWR.. The reactor has been referred from “Accelerator-driven
LWR Systems (ADS) and Fast Reactor (FR) in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles”, OECD (2002)
STRONGER PROLIFERATION RESISTANCE
WITH AHWR 300-LEU
MUCH LOWER PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION
Much Higher 238Pu & Lower Fissile Plutonium
21. Presence of 232U in uranium from spent fuel The
232U composition
233U
234U
of the fresh
235U
236U
as well as the
238U
AHWR300-LEU
spent fuel of
MODERN
LWR
AHWR300-LEU
232U 232U 0.02 %
0.00 %
233U 6.51 %
233U 0.00 % makes the
234U 234U 1.24 %
0.00 %
235U 0.82 % 235U 1.62 % fuel cycle
236U 236U 3.27 %
0.59 %
238U 98.59 % 238U 87.35 % inherently
Uranium in the spent fuel contains about 8% fissile proliferation
isotopes, and hence is suitable to be reused in other
reactors. Further, it is also possible to reuse the resistant.
Plutonium from spent fuel in fast reactors.
