IGCAR
 |
|
| Established | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Research type | Nuclear research centre |
| Budget | ₹8,450 million (US$130 million) per annum |
|
Field of research
|
Atomic Energy, Material Physics, Nano-Sciences, Electronics and Instrumentation, Reactor Engineering, Metallurgy |
| Director | Dr. A.K.Bhaduri |
| Staff | 2511 |
| Location | Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India |
|
Zip code
|
603102 |
|
Operating agency
|
Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India |
| Website | www |
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is one of India's premier nuclear research centres. It is the second largest establishment of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), next to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), located at Kalpakkam, 80 km south of Chennai, India. It was established in 1971 as an exclusive centre dedicated to the pursuit of fast reactor science and technology, due to the vision of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. Originally, it was called as Reactor Research Centre (RRC). It was renamed as Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) by the then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi in December 1985. The centre is engaged in broad-based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering directed towards the development of Fast Breeder Reactor technology, in India.
The present Director of IGCAR is Dr. A.K. Bhaduri. He has taken over as Director with effect from 1 July 2016, following the superannuation of Dr. S. A. V. Satya Murty.
The fast reactor related research in India, originated at BARC, Mumbai. Later, RRC was established at Kalpakkam with the same mandate. The Central Workshop, Safety Research Laboratory and Materials Sciences Laboratory were constructed in 1975–1976. Soon, the Radio-Chemistry Lab and Electronics and Instrumentation Lab were constructed.
The centre houses a Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), which attained its first criticality in October 1985.
A few years later, in 1994, SQUID, ASIC and Diamond Anvil Cells were developed. In the same year, High-Power Physics and Engineering Experiments were undertaken in the FBTR.
In 1996, KAMINI reactor reached criticality. State-of-the-art Neutronic Channels were commissioned for FBTR in 1999.
A Boron-Enrichment Plant was commissioned in April 2001.
A BARC Training School was started in 2006. In 2009, FBTR was operated at a maximum power level of 18.6 MWt with 55 sub-assemblies for 1732 hours.
The facility houses two PHWRs that generate 220MWe each that operate for commercial purposes. These are managed independently by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.
...
Wikipedia