A study on sodium - the fast breeder reactor coolant

Abstract

Sodium, the second alkali metal in the first group of periodic table is highly chemically reactive. Sodium is widely used in pharmaceutical industries to manufacture lifesaving medicines. Liquid sodium is an excellent reducing agent and heat transport medium, which makes it an important industrial material. The application of this element in liquid form at high temperature as a coolant in fast breeder nuclear reactors necessitated development of sodium technology. Physical, chemical and nuclear properties of sodium led to the choice of sodium as the universally accepted fast breeder reactor (FBR) coolant. The manufacturing of sodium is by electrolysis process. The design and manufacturing requirements of high temperature liquid sodium system components are successfully addressed. Special type of sensors needed for high temperature liquid sodium system are specifically designed and developed. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam is involved in the development of sodium technology in India. Sodium technology is matured to an extent and around twenty FBRs with sodium as the coolant were constructed, commissioned and successfully operated all over the world. Five sodium cooled fast reactors are currently in operation including fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) in India. Prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) is in the advanced stage of commissioning at Kalpakkam. This review paper explains the choice of sodium as FBR coolant and gives highlights on the research and development took place in sodium technology all over the world especially in India with an aim to give an exposure to this technology to the academic community.