Heavy Water Board
Heavy Water Board (HWB) is a constituent unit under the Department of Atomic Energy in the Government of India. The organisation is primarily responsible for production of Heavy Water (D2O) which is used as a 'moderator' and 'Coolant' in nuclear power as well as research reactors. Other than Heavy Water, HWB is also engaged with production of different types of nuclear grade solvents and extraction of rare materials. India is one of the largest manufacturers of heavy water in the world.
The research in Heavy Water production was initiated by the Chemical Engineering division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in the 60s and was continued by the Heavy Water Division of BARC where a Pilot Plant was operated for studying the H2S-H20 exchange process.While these studies were in progress, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) commissioned the first Heavy Water Plant in India at Nangal, Punjab, India in the premises of National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) in 1962. The plant had to be dismantled owing to national security considerations arising out of the disinvestment of NFL.The plant used to be operated by NFL and the DAE ensured the quality of the product.
HWB currently operating 7 heavy water plants around the country.
Heavy Water Plant at Baroda is the first plant set up in India for the production of heavy water by employing Monothermal Ammonia-Hydrogen exchange process.The plant is located 8 km north from Baroda railway station along the national highway No. 8, adjacent to the Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. (GSFC).The plant was integrated with GSFC until 1999 when GSFC upgraded their Ammonia plant to an incompatible low pressure system resulting in temporary suspension in the operations of the Heavy Water Plant.
This facility also has a Potassium metal plant for supply of Potassium metal for preparing catalyst solution for all Monothermal Ammonia-Hydrogen exchange plants.The plant was expanded in 1987 to enhance the production capacity to 52 MT/year and has a capability to meet the demands of external customers also.This plant is based on Thermal reduction of Potassium Fluoride with Calcium Carbide initially developed by Hoechst A.G.,Werk Griesheim, West Germany.An independent front end was added to produce Ammonia at this time. This plant was commissioned in 1975 with an initial rated capacity of 30 MT/year.The Plant was awarded ISO-9001:2000 on 06.08.2002.
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