Rosatom and #IIT Bombay held Lecture on Nuclear Energy perspectives in #India

On December 11, Russian Nuclear Corporation Rosatom in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay arranged a Lecture in order to discuss Russian nuclear technologies and its perspectives for Indian-Russian cooperation in nuclear energy.

Russian professor from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in Moscow along with IIT Bombay’s nuclear experts took the floor with a speech on Russian know-how on Fast Neutron Reactorsand Russian “Breakthrough” project, as well as on innovative Russian nuclear technologies for Indian nuclear energy development.

As Russia-Indian long history witnesses, academic and scientific cooperation has always been a consistent part of intergovernmental relations. Today leading Universities put their efforts to sustain the expanding joint engagement within various interstate educational projects. On December 11, IITB, second-oldest institute of the Indian Technology Institutes, raised with contribution of the USSR government in 1960-s, hosted Rosatom’s guest in its main hall of Victor Menezes Convention Centre. Russian nuclear expert Alexander Nakhabov, Associate Professor, Dean of physics and power engineering faculty of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI,was received by professors and up-and-comer students from Department of Energy Science and Engineering. This is not the first time IIT Bombay acquires Russian professors: last April Dmitry Samokhin, senior professor, specialist in the Reactor Development & Design Department of MEPhI, presented for the IIT research fellows and professors.

This time Alexander Nakhabov touched specifically upon the Russian “Breakthrough” project, which is a very ambitious challenge for nuclear power engineering. This project considers R&D activities applying to various fast breeder reactors (with sodium and lead coolant) and closing of nuclear fuel cycle.

Besides, the Russian speaker spoke on History of Fast Neutron Reactors developments in Russia, technology which evolved from BN-350, the world’s first industrial prototype fast breeder reactor with liquid metal coolant to BN-800 with improved design solutions, such as much higher unit capacity, passive safety systems and MOX-fuel usage.

Currently Russia develops design solutions for BN-1200 project which will include proven technical features of BN-600 and BN-800. Besides, the innovative reactor design has a significantly simplified system overload, emergency heat removal from the reactor vessel built in the autonomous heat exchangers and others.

Commenting on the Indian nuclear energy, the speaker outlined that “India being a developing country where the population is increasing day by day leading to depletion of natural resources faces an increasing need of utilizing safe technology. Therefore for states like Maharashtra where density is rising day by day clean and cost effective system is the need of hour as we cannot yet depend fully on solar power which is dependent upon climate and weather conditions”.

Participants from the Department of Mechanical Engineering were highly involved in the subject and addressed many questions to Russian professor during the Lecture. Moreover research fellow students were highly interested in pursuing Master’s degree in the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in Moscow and underlined that “it was an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about nuclear developments and deals between India and Russia”.

For reference

National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI” is one of the most recognized technical universities in Russia. MEPhI was founded in 1942 with an original mission to train and provide human resources and scientific and innovation support to the nuclear industry and other high-technology branches of national economy and social sphere of the Russian Federation relevant to the fields of expertise of the University on the basis of system-based modernization of multi-level professional education within the framework of the unified educational space, ensuring integration of science, education and production.

Today, MEPhI has five main departments: Experimental and theoretical physics, Physics and Technology, Cybernetics and Information security, Automatics and electronics, High Technology Management and Economics.

The most famous scientists, Academicians I.V. Kurchatov, A.I. Leypunsky, L.A. Artsimovich, I.K. Kikoin, Ya.B. Zeldovich, I.E. Tamm, N.I. Novikov and others were among the originators of the system of nuclear education in Russian traditions of which are held up by the NRNU MEPhI.

Alexander Nakhabovis an Associate Professor of automation, control and diagnostics department and dean of physics and power engineering faculty of the Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering of National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.

His basic courses include: Automation control theory, Physical methods of non-destructive testing of materials and equipment of NPPs, Introduction to nuclear power engineering.

He is author of several R&D reports and more than 35 scientific publications.