Indian Nuclear Submarine Reactor Needs

[samlove]

Kalpakkam nuclear enclave 45 km south of Chennai is on India's lower east coast. At Kalpakkam submarine
test reactors and other nuclear facilities are located. Kalpakkam is part of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(BARC) India's military nuclear organisation.

Photo of Arihant's land based prototype reactor at Kalpakkam which went critical on November 11, 2003,
was declared operational on September 22, 2006 and photographed (above) in early August
2009.

The Indian indigenous nuclear submarine program, that produced the Arihant, continues under some
secrecy. Secrecy is not total because Kalpakkam and its parent organisation, the Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre (BARC), need to demonstrate to politicians and the public that the large amounts of taxpayers
money is spent wisely with progress made in the nuclear projects.

• Work on the Indian nuclear sub program dates from the 1970's and was referred to as the Advanced
Technology Vessel (ATV) Project .

• The prototype nuclear propulsion plant at Kalpakkam (see photo and map above) was developed under
the program "Plutonium Recycling Project" or "PRP" under direction of BARC or Bhabha Atomic Research
Center (BARC). Kalpakkam nuclear enclave is 45 km south of Chennai on the lower east coast of India.

• The Kalpakkam Arihant prototype plant went critical on November 11, 2003 and after further
development was declared operational on September 22, 2006. It was only shown to the press once, in early
August 2009, about one week after the July 26, 2009 launch of the Arihant itself. Apparently only one
photo (above) was cleared for distribution.

• Most sources list the prototype and the Arihant reactors as being rated at 82.5 MW. There are around 13 fuel
assemblies with each assembly having 348 fuel pins.

Major components of Arihant's reactor were made by Indian companies, including:

• the reactor vessel, made of special grade steel by Heavy Engineering Corporation, Ranchi.
• steam generator by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and
• Pressure valves were made by Audco India, Chennai.

ARIHANT's REACTOR PERFORMANCE

There is a great deal of difference between a nuclear propulsion reactor in a submarine and a landbased
atomic power station to produce electricity. While a landbased atomic power plant gets backup
from other power stations on the electrical grid, a submarine nuclear propulsion reactor only has some
weak diesel engines for emergency backup. A propulsion reactor has to be miniaturised to fit into the
confined space of a submarine and be lightweight but strong enough to endure the shock due to
moderately powerful underwater explosions. The reactor must also withstand the pitch and roll of a
submarine. The reactor must also be capable of rapidly accelerating and decelerating the submarine unlike
a landbased power plant which ramps up gradually.

The Arihant's 83 MW reactor went critical after many sea trials. Extrapolating from known data on
Russian submarines and their reactors the Akula class has a 190 MW reactor but turbines that are rated
at just 32MW. Going by the roughly 20 percent power rule here, the turbines on the Arihant are likely to be
around 15 MW, or about 20,000 horsepower. Rating them at higher than that doesn't seem to make much
sense, and the figures placing them at 47,000 hp (on wiki right sidebar) seems ludicrous that sort of
power would propel the Arihant's estimated 6,000 tons (surfaced) (perhaps 7,000 tons submerged) bulk
past 37 knots (like a high speed SSN). A lower power rating and a speed in the SSBN range of 24 knots
seems far more likely. A ballistic missile submarine isn't meant to sprint across the oceans it's meant to
be a ghost, running silent and deep, popping up to deliver its apocalyptic cargo when the time calls.
Arihant, with its 83 MW reactor, must be considered an interm and experimental test bed. The 83 MW
reactor is not powerful enough for the second of class INS Aridhaman SSBN. Aridhaman, to carry a larger
missile load, may weigh around 8,000 tons (surfaced). So a more powerful reactor, approaching Chakra
II's 190 MW reactor, may be India's objective.

INDIA INTERESTED IN CHAKRA II'S 190 MW REACTOR

A major reason for India funding Chakra II (ex Nerpa Akula's) completion and 10 year lease is Indian
interest in developing a reactor with something approaching 190 MW. It is logical to assume that India
has a prototype 190 MW reactor at Kalpakkam with Russian advisers for technology transfer. The Akula
SSNs, like Chakra II, use the OK650 reactor rated at 190 MW. It uses a low end 20%-45% HEU reactor.
The OK650 may have been first used 1980 and is still being placed on new Russian submarines such as 2 on the Borei SSBN in 2009. The OK650 and other 190 MW Russian submarine reactors are made by
the OKBM Afrikantov company. Of nuclear submarine powers India may still have reactors less advanced than China's but ahead of Brazil.

The most advanced remains the US. USS Nautilus was launched in January 1954 and its reactor went
critical in December 1954, under two years after the land based prototype went critical. The US provided
the UK with its best reactors and helped the UK build copies. France may have received direct US UK
assistance or they tacitly permitted "espionage" by France.

INDIA INTERESTED IN FRENCH AND US REACTOR ASSISTANCE

As at September 2015 India appears to be encouraging Russia, France and the US to compete in providing
nuclear submarine assistance to India. Russia is an overt provider of assistance while France and US may
claim that are not actually assisting in Indian submarine reactor development.

Biswajit Pattanaik advised in Comments [Oct 2, 2015 8:42PM] India may want a reactor similar to the
K15, 150 MW that France has in the Barracuda SSN. Years ago a retired Indian Navy Admiral said the
Navy asked BARC to develop a 190 MW with HEU for possible use for the 2nd Vikrant class aircraft carrier
and future SSBNs and SSNs that will appear after 2025 time frame. Biswajit understands India is seeking
French assistance to increase the life of the Indian reactor from the current 5-8 years to around 10-15
years.
India may also be talking to French reactor builder AREVA about converting the K15 from LEU to a new
HEU type reactor.
Ultimately India would be very interested in developing a reactor approaching the capabilities of the US
Virginia class's ninth generation S9G reactor which uses higher HEU of 90+ % and lasts the lifetime of a
submarine (33 years).

 

[Kinetic]

If India needs best tech, only US can provide that. Thier nuclear submarines are th best and not even shared with any other country. But even their second class tech may serve our purpose, INDIA SHOULD TRY ATLEAST.

 

[samlove]

Russia has been the traditional ally of India when it comes to sensitive technology and strategic systems
But a Navy plan for constructing six new nuclearpowered attack submarines (SSNs) to patrol the Indian
Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond has prompted 'discussions' with the two western nations, sources familiar
with the development told ET. The Cabinet Committee on Security had cleared Navy's proposal in
February.

The Indian SSN project — expected to cost over Rs 1 lakh crore [more than US$5 Billion] — is an ambitious
plan to design and produce a nuclear attack boat with the help of the private sector. If this materialises, it
will propel India into a select league of the five nuclear powers that have such a capability. SSNs are
nuclear powered submarines, but do not carry nuclear warheads, relying instead on conventional weapons
and stealth to hunt ships and other submarines. The last country to enter this club was China in 1974 with
its Han class boats.
Sources told ET that senior representatives from the submarine branch of a leading US conglomerate have
met key Indian defence ministry officials regarding the project. The efforts included a top level meeting in
July. The discussions have been kept low key given the sensitivity of the project and details are not
available.
Similarly, French representatives have also approached the Indian side for exploring avenues for
cooperation on the project in the past few months. While the French submarine manufacturer has not
commented on the project, the Indian side is interested in the new 'Barracuda' SSN being developed by
French ship builder DCNS. A senior DCNS representative refused to take questions on the matter.
The new nuclear submarine for the French Navy is currently under construction and is expected to start sea
trials by next year. The Barracuda was also showcased at the Defence Expo held in New Delhi last year. As
reported by ET, India is also in talks with Russia to lease a nuclear attack submarine — a newly built,
customised boat that could give engineers a firsthand look at construction technology and process.”
Unlike a nuclear missile armed submarine (SSBN) that is designed to carry out a nuclear strike, nuclear
propelled attack boats (SSNs) are considered less sensitive, with their primary role being hunting vital
enemy naval ships and submarines. While foreign assistance on SSBNs is a complex matter, there have
been examples of nations sharing nonnuclear technology for SSNs. France is at present assisting Brazil
with its first nuclear submarine project. The deal involves France helping Brazil with the nonnuclear
components of the submarine, with the South American nation using its own reactor and fuel.
India's first SSBN, the INS Arihant, is currently undergoing sea trials in Vizag. It is expected to carry out a
weapons test shortly. The only SSN in service with the Navy at present is the INS Chakra, an Akula class
submarine on a 10 year lease from Russia to train Indian crew for such operations