Nuclear Fuel Cycle (PDF)

joined the 25th batch of BARC training school in 1981 and later joined Uranium Extraction Division of BARC in 1982. She was instrumental in development of uranium fuel of different grades for special applications, process for recovery of uranium from secondary sources like monazite, research, facility development and production management of specific quality nuclear fuel materials for various Indian Research Reactors, and development and implementation of largescale metallothermic reduction processes for Nuclear Grade Uranium Metal production. As Director of Chemical Engineering Group, she provided strategic direction, technical guidance, and human resource development to the implementation of various programs undertaken by different divisions of the group in the areas of nuclear materials. Additionally, she provided guidance to other units of DAE on research and project activities as Member of Nuclear Fuel Complex Board (NFC, Hyderabad) and Heavy Water Board (HWB, Mumbai). Post superannuation, she served as Raja Ramanna Fellow, DAE, and later as Visiting Scientist till November 2020, wherein she contributed in the field of Safety Review and Human Resource Development.

Dr. Jose P. Panakkal joined Bhabha Atomic Research Centre from 16th batch of training school and had been working at BARC in various capacities for 40 years. He superannuated as Head, Advanced Fuel Fabrication Facility, Nuclear Fuels Group, BARC, and was awarded Raja Ramanna Fellowship by DAE on superannuation. He also had worked as Guest Scientist at Fraunhofer Institute of NDT, Saarbrucken, Germany (1987-89). He was recognized as Ph.D. Guide by Mumbai University and Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI). He is specialized in the fabrication of nuclear fuels particularly containing plutonium for both thermal and fast reactors and was in charge of an industrial scale MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuel fabrication facility which has made MOX fuels for various types of reactors (BWRs, PHWRs, and fast reactors). He has also developed new techniques for fabrication, quality control, and non-destructive evaluation of nuclear fuels and material characterization as evident from his 280 publications including 130 publications in international journals and conferences.

Shri Kanwar Raj graduated with honors in Chemical Engineering in 1972 from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India. Since then, he has worked in the various capacities in the field of design, research & development, operations, and safety analysis of radioactive waste management plants/ facilities. Shri Raj has extensive expertise in design, commissioning, and operation of high-level radioactive vitrification systems as well as in evaluation of long-term performance of vitrified waste product under geological disposal conditions. As Chief Scientific Investigator, he has led two BARC teams for studies in this area in collaboration with Kfk /INE Karlsruhe and as a part of coordinated research program of IAEA, Vienna. As Head, Waste Management Division, BARC, Mr. Raj supervised operations of Waste Management Facilities at Kalpakkam, Tarapur, and Trombay Centres of the Department of Atomic Energy, India. He has gained hands-on experience in management of radioactive waste generations from the entire nuclear fuel cycle, viz. radiochemical laboratories, fuel fabrication facilities, research/power reactors, reprocessing plants, etc. His expertise also encompasses management of spent radiation sources from various industries, medical centers, and research institutions. Mr. Raj has experience in preparation of National and International Waste Safety Standards for Indian Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and IAEA. He is the author/co-author of about 80 research papers published in various journals.



A.N.Nandakumar, a Ph.D. in Physics from Mumbai University, has 34 years of R&D experience in the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India, in the fields of safe transport of radioactive material, calculation of radiation shielding, and calculation of radiation dose under normal and emergency conditions involving radioactive material. He was Chief Scientific Investigator from India for the IAEA Coordinated Research Projects on Development of PSA techniques relating to the Safe of Radioactive Material and on Collection of Accident Data for Quantification of Risk in Transport of Radioactive Material. Subsequently, he was appointed Head, Radiological Safety Division, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai. He worked as Transport Safety Specialist and as Consultant in the Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Division, IAEA, Vienna. He has published over 60 scientific and technical papers in national/international scientific journals and conference proceedings.