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It’s a proud moment for this Udupi company

While Kakrapar Atomic Energy Plant-Three in Gujarat, mentioned to be the nation’s greatest indigenously developed pressurised heavy water reactor, attained first criticality on Wednesday, Karnataka’s coastal district Udupi took pleasure in being a part of this mission.

For, Udupi-based Bell-O-Seal Valves Pvt. Ltd., an MSME, catered to the complete requirement of isolation valves and 3-valve manifolds of Kakrapar-Three underneath Make in India programme. These valves had been used to close off movement in excessive strain heavy water instrument traces in nuclear energy stations and had been manufactured for the primary time within the nation by Bell-O-Seal as acknowledged by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL).

Located close to Santhekatte, off Udupi, Bell-O-Seal employs round 400 individuals in its two models. Company director (HR) B.Ok. Narayan informed The Hindu, “Once the Kakrapar-3 criticality test was passed through on Wednesday, the chief scientist congratulated us and we too were elated for being a part of the project.” NPCIL approached Bell-O-Seal a few years again with its requirement and the company accepted the problem.

Valves had been manufactured to the requirement that went by way of numerous levels of testing underneath totally different circumstances in order to resist any calamity, together with earthquake, he mentioned. The company developed new welding procedures and bought its welders certified as per the ASME sec IX, hydro and pneumatic adopted by helium leak take a look at. The merchandise underwent endurance take a look at to ensure valve efficiency for 40 years contained in the heavy water reactor and likewise pre-seismic, seismic, and post-seismic checks.

Saving prices

Mr. Narayan mentioned the valves had been being imported from European international locations earlier and their indigenous manufacturing had saved prices significantly. The price of indigenously produced valves is simply 10% of what was being imported. Bell’s valves are being put in in all different tasks underneath building, together with Kakrapar-Four and Rawatbhata-7 and eight models at Rajasthan.

The company was based by Gilbert Salins 29 years in the past and presently Rakesh Kumar Salins is its managing director, Mr. Narayan mentioned.