Hall of Nuclear Power

The expo showcases various aspects of nuclear energy, with prime focus on power plant safety and applications for human welfare, including nuclear medicine, agriculture specially food irradiation, as well as several other day-to-day industrial applications of nuclear energy

The amazing story of India’s nuclear energy programme depicted in New Delhi’s National Science Centre has emerged as a major draw among children and student visitors to the Centre in more than two years of its inception. The ‘Hall of Nuclear Power’ at the National Science Centre in Pragati Maidan in Delhi was inaugurated by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State Atomic Energy and Space, on January 16, 2016. It is estimated that millions of students have visited this unique exhibit since its inauguration.

The ‘Hall of Nuclear Power – Atoms Serving the Nation’, is north India’s first permanent exhibition on nuclear power. Set up after months of planning and research, it comprises interactive panels, walk through, models, artefacts, touch screen tables, virtual 3D holographic projection system and other animated exhibits to provide answers to various queries about nuclear energy. The aim is to bring forth facts about nuclear energy and present them to the gallery visitors in an easy and enjoyable way.

The exhibition is spread over an area of about 700 sqm, with over 60 permanent exhibits, covering various aspects of nuclear energy, with prime focus on nuclear power plant safety and applications for human welfare, which include nuclear medicine, agriculture specially food irradiation, as well as several other day-to-day industrial applications of nuclear energy. The permanent gallery focuses on key advantages of nuclear power and its suitability for India. The gallery also addresses generally prevalent misconceptions and myths surrounding nuclear power and radiation in a simple and lucid way.

In developing the ‘Hall of Nuclear Power’, the goal was to create a genuinely interesting experience for the visitors. For this, the principle of 3 E’s – Entice, Enthuse, Explore – has been employed for providing a blend of high-impact edutainment.

The gallery employs latest state-of-the-art technology and innovative gadgetry, which takes the user interaction and experience of visiting the gallery to a new level.

Scientific information about nuclear power generation, its basics and nonpower uses of nuclear and radiation technology has also been showcased at the gallery. The gallery is replete with the state-of-theart exhibits, interactive kiosks, virtual tour (of a nuclear power plant in a mini theatre), glasses-free 3D displays, touch-screen info panels, as well as quiz and interactive Q&A exhibits for the visitors.

The gallery through its permanent exhibits depicts various aspects of nuclear energy and applications of radiation for the betterment of human life and the environment. The gallery also focuses on several salient aspects of nuclear power generation, from mining and processing of uranium ore, to fabrication of nuclear fuel, and from the innards of a nuclear power plant, to the actual principles and mechanisms that form the basis of nuclear power generation. The gallery explains to the visitor the vital aspects of nuclear safety – right from the environment monitoring that begins even before a nuclear power plant comes into existence, to the various stages involved in the setting up and operating a nuclear power plant, as well as the safe and professional manner in which nuclear waste is managed.

There is also a semi-dynamic, interactive miniature model of a nuclear power plant with relevant voice-over commentary, to reveal to the visitor the overall functioning of a nuclear power plant. Also, an exhibit in the form of a simplified, scaled-down cut-section depicts the Calandria vault, where Calandria – the heart of a nuclear reactor – resides. Visitors can also take a highly informative virtual tour of a nuclear power plant in a mini theatre.

At one of the exhibits, visitors can even try their hand at controlling a nuclear power plant. Visitors can undertake a fascinating but effortless journey from their theatre seats, embarking on a virtual walk-through of a nuclear power plant.

Also, visitors can learn many facts directly from ‘Nuclear Experts’, who magically appear right in front of you in the form of a 3D holographic projection to answer the questions. At the ‘Ask Budhiya’ exhibit, the popular comic figure ‘Budhiya’ – a wellinformed common man – addresses the generally prevalent misconceptions and myths about nuclear power and radiation.

India’s three-stage nuclear power programme is explained in a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand manner, highlighting the mega role that the nuclear fuel thorium is poised to play in power generation in the coming years.

A very interactive exhibit on Waste management has also been placed in the gallery to make people aware that very less amount of high level radioactive waste is generated to produce the electricity.

The journey of uranium fuel from mining to processing to fuel bundle fabrication is depicted pictorially with supporting explanation, while fuel bundles and some reactor structural components are displayed using actual blank samples to give the visitor a real-life feel of some of the most vital components of a nuclear power reactor.

‘Radiation – Our Constant Companion’ is an exhibit that explains to the visitor how we are all exposed to natural background radiation all the time and everywhere on the earth. A comparison provided in this exhibit tells us the amount of natural radiation from several sources in day-to-day life against the radiation dose from the operation of a nuclear power plant, which is extremely low, indeed negligible and well below the statutory and regulatory permissible limits.

Each year, millions of people visit science centres across the country. Similar galleries have also been built at Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai and Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Science Centre, Chennai.

A visit to this ‘Hall of Nuclear Power’ set up in technical and financial collaboration with NPCIL, has become an essential part of the itinerary followed by schools, colleges and youth groups during their educational and recreation trips. NPCIL organises visits of school children to nuclear power gallery at Mumbai round the year. Similar initiatives are also envisaged for galleries at Chennai and Delhi. Several more such 'Nuclear Power' galleries are planned for locations across India in a phased wise manner under permanent capacity building programme.