Advanced heavy-water reactor

Advanced Heavy-Water Reactor (AHWR) is a nuclear reactor design from India. It is part of the third stage in India's three-stage fuel-cycle plan. This reactor is designed to use thorium as its fuel, which is abundant in India.

Design

The AHWR is a 300 MWe, vertical, pressure tube type, boiling light water cooled, and heavy water moderated reactor. The reactor incorporates a number of passive safety features and is associated with a fuel cycle having reduced environmental impact. The AHWR's design has been developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), located in Mumbai, India.

Fuel

The AHWR is designed to use a unique combination of Uranium-233 (U-233) and Plutonium as fuel, both of which can be derived from Thorium, an element that is three times more abundant than Uranium in the Earth's crust. This makes the AHWR a key component in India's plan to become energy independent.

Safety Features

The AHWR includes several passive safety features. These include a core that is designed to remain safe under natural conditions, without requiring any engineered heat removal system or operator intervention for a period of three days. It also includes a passive containment cooling system, which removes decay heat from the containment by natural circulation of air.

Future Development

India plans to build many AHWRs as part of its program to develop nuclear power and achieve energy independence. The first prototype is expected to be functional by 2025.

See Also

• Nuclear power in India
• Three-stage nuclear power programme
• Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
• Thorium-based nuclear power