📌 Topic 06 of 6 · Chapter 03 · Nuclear Technology
Nuclear Fuel Cycle & Revision
Nuclear fuel cycle, thorium reserves, complete revision — UPSC & PSC exams.
⚛️ Nuclear Fuel Cycle
- Mining — uranium ore mined (Jaduguda, Jharkhand; Tummalapalle, AP)
- Milling — ore processed to produce “yellowcake” (uranium oxide U₃O₈)
- Conversion — yellowcake converted to uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) for enrichment
- Enrichment — U-235 concentration increased (for BWR, PWR); PHWRs use natural uranium (no enrichment needed)
- Fuel fabrication — uranium pellets made; loaded into fuel rods
- Reactor operation — fuel rods used in reactor; U-235 fissions; heat generated
- Spent fuel reprocessing — spent fuel contains Pu-239; reprocessed at BARC (Trombay) and Kalpakkam
- Waste management — radioactive waste stored safely; vitrification (glass) for high-level waste
⚛️ India’s Nuclear Fuel Resources
- Uranium: Limited reserves; Jaduguda (Jharkhand) = first mine; Tummalapalle (AP) = large deposit; India imports uranium from Russia, Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia
- Thorium: World’s largest reserves (~25%); Kerala and Tamil Nadu (monazite sands); IREL processes monazite
- Heavy Water: Produced at Heavy Water Plants in Baroda, Tuticorin, Talcher, Kota, Manuguru, Hazira
✅ Chapter 03 — Complete Revision Checklist
✅ Father of Indian Nuclear Programme = Dr. Homi J. Bhabha
✅ India’s 3-stage nuclear programme = uranium → plutonium → thorium
✅ India = world’s largest thorium reserves (~25%) = Kerala, Tamil Nadu
✅ Tarapur (Maharashtra) = first nuclear plant in India (1969) = US assistance
✅ Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) = largest nuclear plant = Russian assistance
✅ PHWR = most common reactor type in India = heavy water moderator
✅ PFBR (Kalpakkam) = India’s first Fast Breeder Reactor = under construction
✅ BARC = Bhabha Atomic Research Centre = Mumbai = premier nuclear research
✅ Apsara = Asia’s first research reactor = 1956 = BARC
✅ India has NOT signed NPT or CTBT
✅ India received NSG waiver in 2008 (India-US nuclear deal)
✅ IAEA = International Atomic Energy Agency = HQ Vienna
✅ Jaduguda (Jharkhand) = India’s first uranium mine
✅ India has 22 nuclear reactors at 7 nuclear power plants
✅ Nuclear power = ~3% of India’s electricity
✅ India’s 3-stage nuclear programme = uranium → plutonium → thorium
✅ India = world’s largest thorium reserves (~25%) = Kerala, Tamil Nadu
✅ Tarapur (Maharashtra) = first nuclear plant in India (1969) = US assistance
✅ Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) = largest nuclear plant = Russian assistance
✅ PHWR = most common reactor type in India = heavy water moderator
✅ PFBR (Kalpakkam) = India’s first Fast Breeder Reactor = under construction
✅ BARC = Bhabha Atomic Research Centre = Mumbai = premier nuclear research
✅ Apsara = Asia’s first research reactor = 1956 = BARC
✅ India has NOT signed NPT or CTBT
✅ India received NSG waiver in 2008 (India-US nuclear deal)
✅ IAEA = International Atomic Energy Agency = HQ Vienna
✅ Jaduguda (Jharkhand) = India’s first uranium mine
✅ India has 22 nuclear reactors at 7 nuclear power plants
✅ Nuclear power = ~3% of India’s electricity