Gautam here is the 2nd portion :

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)

Put down the flow sheet of PRTRF and explain ?

What is the status of Th reprocessing in the world ?
Why the world hasnt gone in for Th reprocessing, if that is right !
what are the different types of Extraction Equipment you know of ?
What is the specification of your product U233, justify you answer ?
What is the main difference between HLLW generated in U SF processing and Th
irradiated bundle ?
(7) What is the quantity of HLLW per Ton, generated in Fast Breeding Spent fuel
reprocessing ?
(8) Can you use IX for separation of U233 right after Dissolution if not why not ?
(9)
(10)
What are the DFs you get in various Off-Gas systems ?
a. Ans:

(i)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

SAFETY
What is the structure of a safety report ?
What are the different containments of you plant PRTRF ?
What are the different defense in depth (barriers provided in the plant) ?
What is the difference between a barrier and a containment ?
What are the likely causes for a loss of containment ?
b. Ans:
Likely causes of loss of containment any radio-chemical plant, including
PRTRF etc.)
(i)
Fire (event likely to carry Radio-activity out of the plant)
(ii)
Explosion (event likely to carry Radio-activity out of the plant)
(iii)
failure of plant and equipment (event likely to remain RA confined
with the barriers of the plant)
(iv)
Mal-operation, like criticality accident, red-oil explosion, Excessive
pressurization due to run-away reaction (not in Th-reprocessing) in
dissolver, excessive pressurization due to run-away acidformaldehyde reaction, excessive loading of (radio-active and/or
alpha emitting nuclids onto IX resin which catches fire due to
heating by beta, Gamm, Alpha and finally catches fire coupled with

inadequate cooling (events, where RA is likely to remain confined

within the barriers of the plant)
The main containment features (in the process plant, WTF will have
similar containments) are :(i)
the vessels (pressure vessels, all our vessels are designed as pressure
vessels) ; the process pipes and any other equipment (MSU, IX
column, evaporators, etc.; employed, in which process liquid/vapor are
contained
(ii)
the cell SS lining
(iii)
the concrete cell structure (walls, roof, etc. including the reinforced
iron rods etc.)
(iv)
the plant ventilation system (including the SS/MS ducts, the filter
casing, etc. )
(6) What is defence in depth, what are the levels of safety employed in your plant ?
Ans: the principle of defense in depth is implemented by providing a series of
barriers for the radio-active (RA) materils (mainly liquid and gases in our
reprocessing and waste management plants), these barrier are shown below :
Fig: hand made sktch.

There are three levels of safety (just as is applied in nuclear reactors) :

Level-1: this level of safety maintains the plant within defined operating
envelope. This level is taken care of by safety systems, such as regulating
systems, normal shutdown devices, shut-down cooling systems etc.
Level-2 : this is achieved by engineered design features provided to
intercept/interrup the course of an accident (i) emergency shut-down
devices/system e.g LPIS, in case the primary shut-down system does not work
(ii) emergency core cooling system in case LOCA is due to breach in the
primary cooling system boundary
Level-3 : in the 3rd level of safety, is to limit the consequences of an accident. The
objective is to contain the RA material within the building (reactor) and control
the release it to the environment. This is met by the containment system.

Efficiency of an Air lift pump

CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION :

(1) What are the different types of control valves used in the industry ? and how are
these selected ?
Ans:
Control valves are used largely for
(a) flow
(b) pressure
(c) temperature and
(d) level
controls, in a process plant.
\
The different types used are :
(ii)
Equal % -equal incremental changes in the valve stem lift resulting in equal
percentage change in the flow rate.
Means, if the (stem lift) were to change from 20% to 30% of the maxm.
lift, then the flow-rate at 30% (lift opening) would be about 50% more
than that of the flow at 20% (lift opening); similarly if the lift position of
opening changes from 40% to 50% then the flow rate at 50% lift opening
would be 50% more than that at 40% lift opening.
(iii)
Linear valve characteristics

EVAPORATION :
(1) What is the volumn (per ton of SF) of HLLW, ILLW and LLLW generated in
Thorium reprocessing vis--vis Uranium spent fuel reprocessing ?
(2) What are the different types of evaporators you can name ?
(3) Explain how a TSE works ?
(4) How do you calculate RR in a TSE
(5) How do you size the tubes in the HE of a TSE
(6) What category, as per TEMA, your TSE falls into ?

Random Notes:
Q. What are the different formed types of Vessel Heads one can use ?
Q. What is more severe for a pressure vessel, an external pressure or an internal pressure
?
Ans: the man difference between a vessel subjected to internal and external pressure is
the L/D ratio, while for internal pressure L/D does not play such an important role, but
for External Pressure, L/D plays a very important role and the damage probability for an
external pressure increases as L/D reduces, say, for a long vessel an external pressure

(also called load) is not so severe, but when the same vessel is halved in length its
external load bearing capacity will nearly half.
Q. Have your vessels been checked for external loads ?
Ans: Yes, external load of 1 atm. Has been used to check each and every vessel for its
integrity with the equation as used for external loads. External load, max. possible in our
vessels is under absolute vacuum, since, our vessels are under vacuum all the time, so, a
check for external pressure is a must.
The superficial velocity of Liquid Droplets in waste eveporators is app., with an average
drop size of 90 miron, are removed right in the VC, however, liquid drops with lesser size
and /or higher velocities are carried over and these need cyclone separators, demisters
(when used separately), Deep-Bed (glass wool etc.) filters, Scrubbers, HEPA ect. (not in
that sequence) .
Roughly the waste off-gas systems (starting from HAWE) should be able
to obtain a total DF of 1015 to be able to discharge into the atmosphere (stack).
Q. What are the parameters you consider for designing (finding thickness, mechanical
engineers do) a pressure vessel (process vessels) under external pressure ?
Ans: The parameters are , L (length of the vessel); L/Do and Do/t ; where, Do is the OD of
the process vessel, t (assume) the thickness, add all the different allowances, corrosion,
threading (if any), etc. to get tmin
get values of L/Do and Do/ tmin , Do (known diameter, calculated from process residence
time or volume to be provided for he vessel)
now from ASME, Section II part D or which ever Div / section you are using, get the
value of factor A for your Do/ tmin
Say, your Do/ tmin (=69.9, unitless) then you will get, from graph-G, A=0.000225, now
from another graph (HA-3) you should factor B at your design temp. of say 170 deg. C,
as B = 2750,
Therefore the allowable external pressure for this vessel :
Pa = 4B/3(Do/ tmin ) = 52.6 psig.
Check if your external pressure is > 52.6 psig (is greater than 52.6, re-assume a higher
thickness and redo the job, if your design external pressure is < 52.6 psig, then the
assumed vessel thickness is OK.
For our process vessels, internal pressure is vacuum, so, a minimum of 2 to 3 kg/cm2,
(equivalent to liquid column of the entire cell height, if the vessel were to be overfilled by
water/liquid upto the cell height piping) , but, you would see, that the thickness required
for internal pressure of 2 -3 kg/cm2, would be lesser than that of the thickness required for
an external pressure of one atm. (under vacuum condition).
Of course, the high thickness provided in our process vessels arises due to corrosion
rather than either internal or external pressure, and a thickness of 6 mm has been
provided assuming a life expectancy of 40 years, with a general corrosion level of (jus

find ); though, failure of vessels have never been due to general (also called uniform
corrosion) corrosion, but due to crevice or pitting etc. corrosion.
Insert Scanned notes.

PROCESS PIPING :
(1) What do understand by service limits in process piping ?
Ans :- (ref: ASME- B31.3, numbers used earlier, same as todays Divs and
Sections, only the numbers and nomenclature are different, with some additions
and deletions, largely the same)
Fluid service limits: term applicable for a piping system considering the combination
of fluid properties, operating conditions, and other factors which establish the basis
for design of the piping system(a) Category of D fluid services
A fluid service in which all the following apply
(i) the fluid handled is non-flammable, non-toxic and not damaging to
human tissue
(ii) the design gauge pressure does not exceed 150 psi and
(iii) the design temperature is from (-)20 deg. F (-29 deg C) through 366
Deg.F (186 Deg. C)
(b) Category of M fluid services
A fluid service in which the potential for personnel exposure is judged to be
significant and in which a single exposure to a very small quantity of a toxic
fluid, caused by leakage, can produce serious irreversible harm to persons on
breathing or bodily contact, even when prompt
measures are taken
(c) High pressure fluid services
A fluid service for which the owner specifies the use of chapter IX of piping
design
(d) Normal Fluid Services
A fluid service pertaining to most piping covered by this code, i.e. not subject
to the rules for category D, Category M or High Pressure fluid services, and
not subject to severe cyclic conditions

Waste Off gas systems DFs (average values)

Evaporator
1000
Scrubber
1000
HEPA filter
1000
In-cell filter
100
Chiller + Demister
100
Deep Bed Filter
100
Film cooler
10
Furnace
10
Ruthenium Adsorber
2
Source SMART94 (BARC)