Hot conditioning has been completed at unit 7 of India’s Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant (RAPP). Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said hot conditioning “is a commissioning process to develop an adherent protective layer of magnetite in inner surfaces of carbon steel piping of the Primary Heat Transport (PHT) system”. Hot conditioning “was achieved by circulating light water of controlled chemistry through the PHT system, maintaining a temperature around 256°C and pressure of about 100 kg/cm2”.
This paves the way for "further commissioning activities" including fuel loading and first criticality, NPCIL noted. RAPP 7 is the third in a series of indigenously designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors. It is the first unit of the RAPP 7&8 (two 700 MWe units) project under construction at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan. RAPP-8 is at an advanced stage of construction. Currently, six units with a total capacity of 1180 MWe are in operation at the site. On completion of these units, the installed capacity of the site will increase to 2580 MWe. RAPP 7&8 are a part of India’s nuclear capacity expansion programme intended to increase nuclear capacity to 22,480 MWe by 2031-32 from 7,480 MWe at present.
Five PHWR units are now operating at RAPP. The 90 MWe (net) unit 1, was permanently closed in 2004 after more than 30 years in operation. Construction of units 7 and 8 began in 2011
Construction of Induced Draft Cooling Towers (IDCTs) and Natural Draft Cooling Towers (NDCTs) is in progress at unit 7. At unit 8, installation of equipment and components is underway. Feeder erection is in progress. IDCTs) and NDCTs is also in progress.
Image: Rajasthan Atomic Power Station
