IGCAR : Annual Report - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research

EDITORIAL
It is with great pleasure that we present you the annual report of the Indira Gandhi Centre for
Atomic Research for the year 2007. During the year, the Centre has crossed many important
milestones, and recorded many achievements, both with respect to the fast reactor programme
and in the basic and applied research programmes. The continued successful operation of FBTR
and the progress in construction of PFBR have been a source of inspiration for us and have given
us the confidence that we are well on course to achieve the target of a robust and safe commercial
fast reactor and associated fuel cycle within the next few years. As we continue to set targets
such as higher burn-up and longer life of the fuel cycle plants, new issues in fuel cycle emerge and
challenge the scientists. There is also the challenge to further reduce the unit energy cost of the
future fast reactors, while simultaneously enhancing safety. Thus, R & D at IGCAR is continuously
evolving to meet the challenges and this has kept the research atmosphere dynamic and
vibrant. Strategies to meet such challenges expeditiously have to necessarily include commensurate
human resource development in terms of training and induction of young minds and
enhancement of collaborations with academic and research institutions. Both these aspects have
received attention at IGCAR; this year saw the completion of the first year of the BARC training
school at Kalpakkam, and introduction of courses on nuclear fuel cycle chemistry and reactor
physics and safety for the second batch. The strengthening of the training programme would be
an important step that would pay rich dividends for the fast reactor programme in the years to
come.
The present annual report amply illustrates the all round progress achieved at the Centre.
Besides the mission oriented R & D projects, we also report the impressive achievements in basic
research and the attention given to development of infrastructure and facilities, as well as the
environment in and around the plant site and township.
The Editorial Committee is grateful to Dr. Baldev Raj, Director for his constant encouragement
and guidance in bringing out this report. We would also like to thank the authors for their valuable
contributions, reflecting the major research and developments being carried out in the
Centre. Overall, bringing this report has been a happy experience for the editorial team; our
strength has been further augmented by the support provided by Sri Jayakumar from SIRD and
Srri Harikumar from EID. The editorial committee would like to acknowledge Shri M.
Somasekharan, Head, Scientific Information Resources Division and Shri M. Ganapathy for rendering
necessary assistance in bringing out the report.
We believe that the annual report of IGCAR has continued to maintain the high standards in line
with the overall philosophy of the Centre to achieve excellence in every activity. We are at the
same time, open to suggestions for further improvement. We have, in fact, received many messages
from readers with valuable suggestions and we have tried to implement them in this issue.
We have the confidence, therefore, that this issue will be a better reading material than the previous
reports both in terms of quality of articles and presentation style, and we need all your
inputs to either confirm or negate this conclusion !
Wishing all the readers a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2008,
(P.R.Vasudeva Rao)
Chairman, Editorial Committee
Director, Chemistry, Metallurgy & Materials Group
IGCAR