As India expands its nuclear energy programme, smart pumps are playing a critical role. India marked a historic milestone in its nuclear energy journey when the Kalpakkam Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) successfully attained criticality on April 6 as part of the country’s ambitious three-stage nuclear power programme.
At the heart of this breakthrough are primary and secondary heat transport pumps — critical components and the only rotating equipment within a reactor system. These pumps are a feat of engineering, each weighing about 135 tonnes and constructed using materials that can withstand extreme operating conditions. The pumps are precise, durable and designed to handle liquid sodium at temperatures exceeding 500 degrees Celsius.
The pumps were engineered and supplied by domestic manufacturing giant Kirloskar Brothers Limited (KBL). It is among the four companies globally with the capability to design and manufacture advanced nuclear-grade pumping systems.
Separately, KBL supplied concrete volute circulating water pumps for the Kalpakkam plant. Developed using advanced seismic and computational fluid dynamics, each pump delivers 9,500 litres per second of seawater to cool the reactor. “This is the first time in the world that such pumps have been used for circulating water application for a fast breeder nuclear reactor,” said Sanjay Kirloskar, chairman and managing director of KBL. “We are creating smart and connected pumping solutions by integrating Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented/Virtual Reality, automation, and energy-efficient technologies into a unified digital ecosystem. This transformation enables us to move beyond conventional pump manufacturing and deliver intelligent, data-driven fluid management systems.”
KBL’s IoT platform, KirloSmart, provides real-time monitoring of parameters like pressure, flow, vibration, and energy use, Kirloskar said.
Pumps circulate coolant through the core and other systems of a nuclear reactor, ensuring continuous heat removal and safe operations. Without them, the intense heat from nuclear fission would cause the fuel and core to overheat and potentially melt.
Kalpakkam’s 500-Megawatt electric (MWe) prototype FBR — built by BHAVINI and designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research — reached criticality when it initiated a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. A fast breeder reactor produces more fissile material than it consumes. It positions India as only the second country, after Russia, to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor. It reduces uranium dependency, and lays the foundation for thorium-based clean energy.
India plans more 600 MWe fast breeder reactors and a Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility at Kalpakkam to support fuel reprocessing and thorium deployment. India has more than 25 per cent of the world’s known global thorium reserves. As it builds more reactors, the pump industry will keep pace. India has 24 operational nuclear reactors in seven plants across six states. These reactors collectively generate around 8.78 Gigawatt (Gw) of electricity, contributing roughly 3 per cent of India’s total power generation.
A further 11 reactors are under construction with a combined capacity of about 8,700 Megawatt (Mw). This includes the Kalpakkam facility, which is a 500 Mw sodium-cooled FBR. The projects are part of India’s plans to expand nuclear power capacity to 100 Gw by 2047.
The smart pump industry is expanding to meet renewed nuclear energy demands in India and globally. According to Future Markets Insights, the market will grow from $1.8 billion today to $2.5 billion by 2035. This evolution is driven by AI predictive analytics, blockchain security, and smart city water infrastructure integration, eventually advancing toward quantum-assisted flow optimisation and ultra-low friction materials.
The writer is an economic analyst and author
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