Government of India
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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA The reactor vessel for the second unit of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project shown in the final stage of completion at the works of an engineering firm in Bombay. The vessel was delivered on November 8, 1973 and is now being installed at the Project. •I "i CONTENTS Atomic Energy Establishments in India .. .. .. .. 3 . General Survey .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Bhabha Atomic Research Centre .. .. .. .. 16 Reactor Research Centre, Kalpakkam .. .. .. .. 108 Atomic Minerals Division .. .. .. .. ..112 Atomic Power Authority .. .. .. .. ..119 Power Projects Engineering Division .. .. .. .. 123 Nuclear Fuel Complex .. .. .. .. .. ..126 Heavy Water Projects .. .. .. .. .. 132 Industrial Operations .. .. .. .. .. ..135 \ Dirt ctorate of Purchase & Stores .. ,. .. ..138 p ] Tata Memorial Centre .. .. .. .. .. 140 Tata Institute of Fundamental Research .. .. .. 144 Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics .. .. .. ..155 Other Activities 163 Publicity 166 International Relations .. .. .. .. ..167 Programme Analysis Group .. .. .. .. ..169 Glossary of Nuclear Terms .. .. .. .. ..171 (For abbreviations, please see page 176) ATOMIC ENERGY ESTABLISHMENTS High Altitude Research Centre Heavy Water Plant Atomic Power Station Heavy Water Plant Atomic Minerals Division Atomic Power Station szNarora n aRana Pratap Sagar Heavy Water Plant Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Unit Saha Institute of Atomic Power Station m Tarapur Nuclear Physics Bhabha Atomic * Trombay Variable Energy Cyclotron Research Centre Bombay Uranium Corporation Heavy Water Plant Tata Institute of Electronics Corporation Fundamental Research Nuclear Fuel Complex Tata Memorial Centre Reactor Research Centre Gauribidanur * Atomic Power Station I Rare Earths Plant eismic Station Mineral Sands HeavV Water Plant O2 =Hr X£ <§ > d 5 S? o CO 30 ^r<H S ? ^ g H Atomic Energy Establishments in India The BHABHA ATOMIC RESEARCH CENTRE, Trombay, which was set up as the Atomic Energy Establishment in 1957 and renamed in 1967, is the national centre for research and development work in nuclear energy and related disciplines. Its facilities include four research reactors, namely, CIRUS (40 MW), Apsara (1 MW), ZERLINA (a zero energy thermal reactor) and PURNIMA (a zero energy fast reactor), a 5.5 MeVVan-de-Graaff accelerators H-400computer,a BESM-6computer, and various special laboratories. It also has a uranium metal plant, a fuel elements fabricatio i plant, a plutonium plant etc. The total strength of the Bhabha Atomic "*«» '2arch Centre on December 31, 1973 was 10,276, composed of 2,56o scientific, 4,486 technical, 1,333 adminis- trative and 1,897 general maintenance and auxiliary staff. The REACTOR RESEARCH CENTRE is being set up at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, adjacent to the Madras Atomic Power Station. The most important facility in this Centre will be the Fast Breeder Test Reactor which will provide experience in the design, construction and operation of a plutonium fuelled, sodium cooled fast reactor. It will also serve as an irradiation facility which is essential for developing fuel for the large fast breeder reactors of the future. The other facilities at the Reactor Research Centre will help in the construction and operation of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor and use of the test reactor for studies in connection with future fast breeders. It will also have a Pulsed Fast Reactor which will be a unique facility for research in physics, especially in the fields of solid state studies and radiation damage. The GAURIBIDANUR SEISMIC STATION (of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), 80 kilometers north of Bangalore was set up towards the end of 1965 in collaboration with the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority. It has a full array of 20 sensors deployed over an area of 25 km x 25 km. It helps in the detection and identification of under- ground nuclear explosions and also facilitates seismic research. HEAVY WATER PLANTS The NANGAL HEAVY WATER PLANT in the Punjab, operated in conjunction with the Nangal Plant of the Fertilizer Corporation of India was commissioned in August 1962. It has an annual capacity of about 14 tonnes. The KOTA PLANT being built by the Department of Atomic Energy next to the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station will use steam and electri- city from the Nuclear Station and will produce about 100 tonnes of heavy water a year. The plant is based mostly on the knowhow generated by BARC. The BARODA PLANT, based on the Ammonia Hydrogen exchange process developed by a French Consortium, will be linked to the synthesis gas stream of the Fertilizer Plant at Baroda of the Gujarat Fertilizer Corporation. Its capacity is expected to be 67.2 tonnes a year. The TUTICORIN PLANT will be similar to the Baroda Plant and will be linked to the fertilizer plant of the Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation. Its capacity wMI be 71.3 tonnes per year. The TALCHER PLANT, equipment and knowhow for which are being obtained from a West German firm, will use the synthesis gas stream of the Ammonia Plant being set up at Talcher by the Fertilizer Corporation of India. It will produce 62 7 tonnes of heavy water a year. The NUCLEAR FUEL COMPLEX in Hyderabad which is designed to meet the fuel requirements of nuclear power reactors consists of the following: 1. Zirconium Oxide Plant 2. Zirconium Sponge Plant 3. Zircaloy Fabrication Plant 4. Uranium Oxide Plant 5. Ceramic Fuel Fabrication Plant 6. Enriched Uranium Oxide Plant 7. Enriched Fuel Fabrication Plant 8. Special Materials Plant Two more plants—a Stainless Steel Seamless Tube Plant and a Titanium Pilot Plant—are also being set up in the Complex. The POWER REACTOR FUEL REPROCESSING PLANT, Tarapur, which is nearing completion, is being built by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre using the experience gained with the designing, construction and operation of the Trombay Plutonium Plant. This plant will process the irradiated fuel from the Tarapur power reactors and from the Rana Pratap Sagar power reactors. The VARIABLE ENERGY CYCLOTRON, Calcutta, is being ' erected in the Salt Lake Township area near Calcutta by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. It will be a national facility for advanced work in nuclear physics and for the controlled direct irradiation of biological and irradiated products. The HIGH ALTITUDE RESEARCH LABORATORY, Gulmarg, which was set up by the Department of Atomic Energy in 1963, provides facilities for high altitude research to all scientific institutions and universities in the country. < The ATOMIC MINERALS DIVISION is responsible for surveying, prospecting and exploratory development of atomic minerals required for the atomic energy programme. It carries out various types of surveys such as airborne, jeep, ground and offshore submarine surveys. These ; field activities are supported by well-equipped petrology, minerals i technology, chemistry and physics laboratories which not only provide the necessary aid by way of study and analysis of samples but also are ; responsible for the development of new instrumentation and methods. The TARAPUR ATOMIC POWER STATION, 100 kilometres north | of Bombay, is the first atomic power station in India. It has two '; Boiling Water type reactors fuelled by enriched uranium with a total output of 400 MWe of electricity which is supplied to the States of : Maharashtra and Gujarat. The POWER PROJECTS ENGINEERING DIVISION undertakes the design, construction and commissioning of nuclear power plants. It is presently engaged in building the second unit of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project, and the Madras Atomic Power Project. It has ; also taken up work on the fourth atomic power station at Narora. The RAJASTHAN ATOMIC POWER STATION at Rana Pratap Sagar in the State of Rdjasthan is under construction with Canadian assistance. It will have two natural uranium fuelled and heaVy water : moderated Candu-type reactors (one already operative) with a total ..i net output of 400 MWe of electricity. The first reactor is now delivering power to the Rajasthan grid. The MADRAS ATOMIC POWER STATION, about 80 kilometres ; south of Madras, will be the third atomic power station in India and •j will have two Candu-type reactors similar to the Rajasthan ones. It i will be indigenous to the extent of about 80 per cent. There is no ; foreign collaboration in its design or construction. The IMARORA ATOMIC POWER STATION, U.P.,will consist of two units of 220 MWe each. The first unit is expected to be ready in 1981 and the second in 1982. The INDIAN RARE EARTHS LTD. is a Government of India company functioning since 1950 and operates the mineral sands industry in Manavalakurichi and Chavara, and the rare earths industry at Alwaye. It also produces thorium at Trombay on behalf of the Government. The URANIUM CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD., Jaduguda, was formed in October 1967. It is responsible for the development of the Uranium Mine and operation of the Uranium Mill at Jaduguda. The ELECTRONICS CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD., Hyderabad, was formed in April 1967 and gradually took over the work of the Electronics Production Unit of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Jt produces on a commercial scale a large variety of nuclear instruments, control equipment, electronics components etc. developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. The TATA INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH, Bombay, was founded in June 1945. It is the national centre of the Government of India for Nuclear Science and Mathematics. It has two schools: the School of Mathematics and the School of Physics (Experimental Physics,