India’s first private test facility for heavy water upgrade was inaugurated by TEMA India in Palghar, Maharashtra, under a technology transfer from BARC.

• Earlier this task was done only by the government’s Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
• BARC Technology Transfer: The facility operates under BARC’s technology transfer and a purchase order from NPCIL, ensuring adherence to national nuclear standards.

About Heavy Water (D₂O)

• Heavy water is deuterium oxide (D₂O), in which hydrogen atoms are replaced by deuterium, a stable hydrogen isotope.
• Applications: 
• • Nuclear Reactor Use: It acts as both a moderator (to slow down neutrons) and coolant in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), crucial to India’s nuclear program.
  • Purity Requirements: Efficient operation requires D₂O to be 99.9% pure. Over time, it gets diluted with regular water and must be upgraded via distillation.
  • Strategic Importance: Heavy water allows the use of natural uranium as fuel, reducing dependency on enriched uranium and strengthening India’s nuclear energy security.

Heavy Water Ecosystem in India

• The Heavy Water Board (HWB) under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) manages production and quality control.
• BARC leads in R&D and previously conducted all testing in-house.
• India’s self-reliance in heavy water technology supports its civilian nuclear program and non-proliferation commitments under IAEA safeguards.

DOWNLOAD PDF