UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — DAE Inaugurates World's First Hydrogen Production Facility Based on Copper–Chlorine Thermochemical Cycle Using Nuclear Heat from Fast Breeder Test Reactor
Q1. Among the major thermochemical water-splitting cycles studied for nuclear hydrogen production, which one operates at the lowest maximum temperature, making it well-suited for coupling with moderate-temperature reactor heat such as that from the FBTR?
- A. Copper–Chlorine (Cu-Cl) cycle
- B. Iodine–Sulphur (I-S) cycle
- C. Hybrid Sulphur (Westinghouse) cycle
- D. Cerium–Chlorine (Ce-Cl) cycle
Q2. The Copper–Chlorine thermochemical hydrogen technology that has been coupled to the Fast Breeder Test Reactor was indigenously developed by which DAE unit?
- A. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
- B. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)
- C. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)
- D. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
Q3. With reference to the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, consider the following statements:
1. FBTR uses a mixed plutonium-uranium carbide fuel, whereas PFBR uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel.
2. Both FBTR and PFBR are sodium-cooled fast reactors located at Kalpakkam.
3. FBTR is rated at 500 MWe, whereas PFBR is a 40 MWt research reactor.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- FBTR uses a mixed plutonium-uranium carbide fuel, whereas PFBR uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel.
- Both FBTR and PFBR are sodium-cooled fast reactors located at Kalpakkam.
- FBTR is rated at 500 MWe, whereas PFBR is a 40 MWt research reactor.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. In the context of reactors such as the FBTR, what does the term 'breeder' precisely denote?
- A. A reactor that produces more fissile material than it consumes during operation
- B. A reactor that sustains fission using fast (unmoderated) neutrons regardless of fuel balance
- C. A reactor that generates electricity at a faster ramp-up rate than thermal reactors
- D. A reactor that recycles its own coolant to minimise sodium consumption
Q5. In India's three-stage nuclear power programme, what does the term 'fertile material' denote?
- A. A nuclide that is not itself fissile but is converted into fissile material by neutron absorption
- B. A nuclide that readily sustains a chain reaction with slow neutrons
- C. A material added to slow down neutrons to thermal energies
- D. The spent fuel residue left after reprocessing that has no further energy value
Q6. With reference to India's three-stage nuclear power programme, consider the following statements:
1. Stage 1 employs Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors using natural uranium and yields plutonium.
2. Stage 2 Fast Breeder Reactors breed Uranium-233 from a thorium blanket.
3. Stage 3 envisages large-scale use of thorium with Uranium-233 as fuel.
4. The three-stage programme was first conceived by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Stage 1 employs Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors using natural uranium and yields plutonium.
- Stage 2 Fast Breeder Reactors breed Uranium-233 from a thorium blanket.
- Stage 3 envisages large-scale use of thorium with Uranium-233 as fuel.
- The three-stage programme was first conceived by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q7. Which DAE institution is the lead R&D centre for India's fast reactor programme and operates the Fast Breeder Test Reactor at Kalpakkam?
- A. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)
- B. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
- C. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)
- D. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD)
Q8. Consider the following reactors stated to be located at the Kalpakkam nuclear complex:
1. Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR)
2. Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI)
3. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
4. Dhruva research reactor
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly located at Kalpakkam?
- Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR)
- Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI)
- Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
- Dhruva research reactor
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q9. Consider the following hydrogen-type and production-route pairings:
1. Grey hydrogen — steam methane reforming of natural gas without carbon capture
2. Green hydrogen — electrolysis of water using renewable electricity
3. Pink hydrogen — water splitting (electrolysis or thermochemical) using nuclear energy
4. Blue hydrogen — electrolysis using coal-based grid electricity
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Grey hydrogen — steam methane reforming of natural gas without carbon capture
- Green hydrogen — electrolysis of water using renewable electricity
- Pink hydrogen — water splitting (electrolysis or thermochemical) using nuclear energy
- Blue hydrogen — electrolysis using coal-based grid electricity
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q10. The Copper–Chlorine hydrogen facility inaugurated at IGCAR, Kalpakkam, is described as a 'world first' specifically because it is the first facility to:
- A. Use process heat from a fast breeder reactor to drive a thermochemical hydrogen-production cycle
- B. Demonstrate the Copper–Chlorine thermochemical cycle at any scale anywhere
- C. Produce green hydrogen by water electrolysis using nuclear electricity
- D. Extract hydrogen directly from a thorium-fuelled reactor core
Q11. Which BARC-developed reactor is designed as the dedicated high-temperature source for non-electric process-heat applications such as hydrogen production?
- A. 5 MWth High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (HTGCR)
- B. Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR)
- C. Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI)
- D. Apsara-Upgraded research reactor
Q12. Under India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, 'green hydrogen' is defined as hydrogen produced by:
- A. Electrolysis of water using renewable energy (or its derivatives)
- B. Electrolysis of water using nuclear-generated electricity
- C. Steam methane reforming of natural gas combined with carbon capture
- D. Gasification of biomass with subsequent carbon capture