Heavy Water Board (HWB) is a constituent unit under the Department of Atomic Energy in the Government of India.
The organisation is primarily responsible for production of heavy water (D2O) which is used as a moderator and coolant in nuclear power as well as research reactors.
Other than heavy water, the HWB is also engaged with production of nuclear grade solvents and extraction of rare materials.
This plant is based on Thermal reduction of Potassium Fluoride with Calcium Carbide initially developed by Hoechst A.G., Werk Griesheim, West Germany.
[6] with calcium carbide initially HWP (Hazira) is the second heavy water plant in the country based on the ammonia-hydrogen exchange process which has been set up without foreign collaboration.
Water from the nearby Rana Pratap Sagar reservoir, on the Chambal River, purified of suspended and dissolved impurities forms the process feed with the D20.
[8] The Heavy Water Plant at Manuguru, Telangana is based on the bithermal hydrogen sulphide-water (H2S-H2O) exchange process.
The solvent is useful for concentrating and purifying the valuable metal solutions of low-grade complex ores and is already being used by India's nuclear industry at various commercial operations for the separation and recovery of zinc, cobalt, nickel and lanthanides.
It is located at Thal-Vaishet village in Raigad district of Maharashtra and is about 100 km south of Mumbai on National Highway No.66.
Along with heavy water, the site is also engaged for production of different types of solvents, which will be used in Indian Nuclear Industry, and other activities.