Atma Nirbhar Bharat: Myths and Facts Indigenous Low Energy Nuclear Reactor craves for funding since Five years!

The Center for Energy Research of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) here has been doing a tremendous job in terms of research and development in the field of Low Energy Nuclear Reactor (LENR). In comparison to well-developed nations like China, Japan and the USA, which have formed Consortiums of industry, academics and Government and also have been funding generously the Centre of Energy Research of S-VYASA has not lagged behind in striving for encouraging results utilizing meagre funds. However, those positive results have not helped the research team to raise a National Effort to garner the required monetary support from the Government of India despite multiple attempts over the past 5 years!

The energy required everywhere: Padma Shri Dr Prahlada Ramarao, Pro-Chancellor and Director, Centre for Energy Research at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) emphasizes, “These days, we need energy everywhere whether at the home, office, education, healthcare, communication water, market place, manufacturing units, villages etc. And energy is required for everything like cell phones, fans, LPG, lights and whatnot. Most of the activities of human life are controlled and curetted by the availability of energy, everywhere and anywhere. The current sources of energy are coal, gas, petroleum products, atomic energy, solar, wind, hydel, ocean, uranium and also bio...

…Available sources have limitations: However, everybody knows that all these sources have their own limitations due to factors like dependence on imports., affordability and loss of land space, 24 x 7 availability, and being environmentally green. At the same time, it is also a well-known fact that we are not self-sufficient in all these energy sources which is a reality. The whole world is looking at the future for an ideal source of energy which is sustainable, affordable, safe, modular and available”, he asserts.

Free from imports to ensure Atma Nirbhar Bharat: Padma Shri Dr Prahlada Ramarao, also an Adjunct Prof., Department of Mgmt, IISc, Bengaluru informs: “With specific to India, this energy generator needs to be free from imports for ensuring Atma Nirbhara Bharat. The leading countries like China, Japan and the USA are carrying out massive research to realize an ideal energy generator. We in India are happy to share that we are also with our own limited resources in the race to catch up with the remaining parts of the world…who are looking at a game-changer addressing all constraints in one go.

…S-Vyasa University accomplishes: “We have realized ideal energy generators wherein 100 watts of the input energy is sustaining 1500 watts of output energy continuously for several months. Therefore we would like to ask now that it is time for the Government to pitch in a big way to further take this campaign of energy generation to mass production and higher efficiency at a national level., he feels. The campaign needs to be scaled up in a big way with sustained investments and nationwide efforts.

From pillar to post in vain: Ever since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister there has been a lot of emphasis on hitherto unheard initiatives like Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India. A good lot of money has also been pumped in crores to start-up companies. However, the experience of Dr Prahlada Ramarao, former Vice-Chancellor, Defense Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune, and Ministry of Defense is not all that encouraging. More than that, consistent, continuous and rigorous attempts and reminders over the several years have not resulted in the support that this endeavour deserves and demands. While the cost of the project when envisaged in 2015 being of Rs 14 crores received the support of only Rs 85 lakhs to demonstrate Proof of Concept. A national effort in today’s estimate demands more than a hundred crores to address all issues and be at par with Global Efforts.

500 GW by 2030 PM’s mission: In fact, both Padma Shri Dr HR Nagendra, a mechanical engineer turned Yoga therapist, academician, writer, founder of the S-VYASA University, revered Yoga guru of the PM himself and Padma Shri Prahlada Ramarao are highly appreciative of the mission and dreams of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both of them laud the PM’s commitment to take non-fossil capacity to 500 GW, to meet 50 per cent of India’s energy requirements. This gigantic task is set to reduce total carbon emissions by one billion tons by 2030 and to become independent from importing fossil fuels and nuclear material

A personal briefing to the PM: Both, Padma Shri Dr HR Nagendra and Padma Shri Dr Prahlada Ramarao made a personal presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. They informed forming of a dedicated team in pursuing this game-changing research which will eventually lead to infinite energy at low cost, everywhere, safe and sustainable with no imports at all. The Prime Minister was highly appreciative of the initiative and suggested they meet NSA followed by, Dr R Chidambaram, the then PSA, for doing the needful.

Presentation to the NSA: The Center for Energy Research (CER) delegation met Dr R Chidambaram, and submitted to him the details of research being undertaken at the S-VYASA. He formed a review committee, with a number of Experts ... They were also alerted to how only a handful of countries namely, the USA, China and Japan are vigorously pursuing the ongoing research aided by heavy investments, consortiums and human resources. Keeping the present international scenario in mind, they were impressed with the urgent need for India not to be left behind and make accordingly appropriate recommendations.

Committee convinced: based on the presentation and discussions, the committee got convinced about the need to pursue this path-breaking research and expressed strongly that the project must be supported by the Government of India in the national interest. Following directives (Office memorandum) F No Prn SA/LENR/2015 dated 10th April) were also recorded.

Presentation to DAE Chairman: Dr HR Nagendra, Chancellor S-VYASA deemed to be University and Prahalada Ramarao, Pro-Chancellor, S-VYASA visited Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai and made a presentation to the Chairman, Directorate of Atomic Energy (DAE). Interestingly, the DAE Chairman was happy that this team in the country is following such a challenging activity and confirmed support in kinds like equipment, raw materials, and any other components required for the experimentation. He also deputed a technical expert to visit the laboratory and review the setup and details. The visit proved fruitful for enabling power source, hydrogen, sensors, and raw materials like Nickel, Palladium Nanopowders on a fast track mode.

DST releases Rs 87 lakhs: Thanks to a number of presentations made to several expert committees, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) through SERB accorded Rs 87 lakhs as a Phase I project. It agreed to follow up as Phase II after “Proof of Concept” was demonstrated to the appointed Review Committee.

Direction to get funding from a user agency: The members of the committee visited the CER at S-VYASA individually and collectively. Finally, at the end of 18 months, they gave a clean chit confirming proof of concept. The committee also recommended funding for the next phase of engineering and field evaluation. But, when DST (SERB) was approached, the authorities directed CER to get funding from a user agency as the S&T portion has been funded by the DST.

Collaboration with Prof TG Sitaram, Director IIIT Guwahati: Meanwhile, CER, S-VYASA had ensured a good collaboration with Prof TG Sitaram, Director IIT-Guwahati. The IIT-G agreed to collaborate with CER and made all efforts to take things forward and increase efficiency. As a first step, IIT-G, based on the inputs and support of CER, not only established the experimental setup at the Department of Mechanical Engineering laboratory but also verified and evaluated a twin reactor setup. A reference calibration reactor and fueled active reactors were powered and tested in parallel under identical conditions.

Generation of excess heat on a 24X7 basis: The active reactor showed a generation of excess heat over and above the heat in the calibration reactor continuously for several days consistently on a 24X7 basis. The measured surface temperature seen in the active experiment was much higher than that seen in calibration. The designs for the reactors evolved over the past decade after having multiple reviews, debates, analyses and calculations. The present reactors being used are the CGeN reactor and CPaC reactors. And over 400 experiments have been conducted by a small but highly dedicated Team under the Leadership of Dr Prahlada Ramarao.

Patents filed: CER has filed for two patents, one in 2021 and another in 2022. Process patent-A provisional patent has been regularized on 4th December 2021 with the title: “Sustained Energy Generator Based on Auto-Catalytic Interactions”. The second Product patent was filed on 03rd January 2022 with the title: “Sustainable Room Heating Device and Heat Generation Method”.

Now is the time for the country to jump into action judiciously and generously.

-Manohar Yadavatti