Bell O Seal Valves Udupi supplies special Nuclear Valves to IGCAR, Kalpakkam under Make in India

Udupi, March 24, 2021: Bell O Seal Valves, Udupi has successfully taken up a challenge of supplying special nuclear valves to The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) under the Make in India Campaign when no other valve company in India was ready to take it up. A dedicated team headed by Rajesh K Salins, managing director, Bell O Seal Valves took up the challenge to manufacture these special nuclear valves in 2019-20, with much limitations and challenges during the pandemic.

Bell O Seal Valves received this developmental order under the Make In India Program through a competitive procedure. The Department of Atomic Energy evaluated the capabilities of Bell O Seal at multiple levels. As part of Atmanirbhar Bharath movement, these unique valves were developed in close coordination with The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) scientists for extremely critical high temperature liquid sodium service.

Bell O Seal team has meticulously designed, developed and manufactured these special frozen seal type valves. These large size frozen seal valves were completely made in India for the first time, thus saving a fortune in foreign revenue out flow, Salins said. On successful completion of this project, which has taken over a year in development; Bell O Seal has received appreciation from the top management of IGCAR.

These special type frozen seal valves will be used in fast breeder reactors, which is part of the second stage nuclear power program of our country. Fast breeder reactors can produce more nuclear fuel by converting Thorium-232 and Uranium-238 than it consumes during electricity production. India has the largest reserves of Thorium in the world. Thus, fast breeder reactors ensure energy security to our country for coming centuries.

Finally, rigorous testing of these valves was completed successfully at Bell O Seal Udupi plant recently and these valves have been provided to IGCAR, Kalpakkam earlier this month, Salins noted. The company incidentally had in July last supplied zero leak valves that met the specification of Nuclear Power Corporation of India, the company that had played its part in Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant 3 in Gujarat attaining criticality. 

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