MAIN CONTRIBUTION OF “G” PLANT TO DEVELOPING OF ROMANIAN TECHNOLOGY FOR HEAVY WATER PRODUCTION

Gheorghe Ioniţă^*

National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies – ICSI Rm. Valcea, Code 240050, Uzinei Street no. 4, P.O. Box Râureni 7, Valcea, Romania

ABSTRACT

According to the first Romanian Nuclear National Program (PNN), in order to develop the production of energy of nuclear origin, CANDU technology based on natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator has been chosen. G” plant was established in 1970 as a pilot plant aiming to develop the technology for heavy water production.

The paper presents  a review of main achievements  and improvements  of “G “ Plant starting  selection and development of the technology to its  extrapolation at industrial level to Drobeta Turnu Severin, ROMAG  factory. The elaboration of specific technologies (selection of technology natrium sulfide and hydrogen sulphide production), designing and achievement of specific and complex equipments; heavy water upgrading technology implementing of innovative solutions are presented and briefly discussed. To all achievements, academician Marius Peculea has had a major contribution and opened the way towards new research directions and towards the establishment of a new and modern research institute, the current National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies - ICSI Rm. Valcea.

Keywords: heavy water, isotopic exchange, Girdler Sulphide process, vacuum distillation.