Background CNCP projects in Kazakhstan CNCP and National Nuclear Centre CNCP and Institute of Nuclear Physics Interview with Adil Tuleushev, Director of the INP

CNCP Projects in the Institute of Atomic Energy

Favourable conditions have been created in Kazakhstan for the commercialisation of scientific innovations. This is illustrated by the establishment of a number of investment funds, the “Park of Nuclear Technologies” (PNT), and focused regional and government programmes designed to encourage the development of manufacturing businesses, medicine and areas of innovation.

Because the spectrum of IAE’s activities is pretty broad, we had a number of projects to choose between to recommend to CNCP. In addition to economic effectiveness, other criteria which were taken into consideration included:

• synergy with national innovation policy,
• contribution to the covering adjacent fields of economics,
• opportunities for introducing new management approaches and for exploring various different forms of ownership.

Such an approach fitted in with the principles of CNCP, as was already demonstrated in the first stage of collaboration, when the following projects were selected for research through the Programme:

• production of a system of X-Ray diagnostics (traditional medical applications and industrial defectoscopy): government spin-out company with participation by individual stakeholders,
• dynamic gas cleaning of pipelines (petroleum sector and ecology: private spin-out company with participation by the Institute),
• neutron-capture therapy (radiation medicine: government department).

We had earlier carried out a basic evaluation of these projects as part of preparing plans for activities in the PNT, and our findings coincided almost entirely with the assessment made by the CNCP specialists and the market research carried out with CNCP; although this latter was carried out more thoroughly, more deeply and more professionally. The third of these projects started off looking like a training project and was considered to be not yet ready for commercialisation.

The first two projects turned out to be timely and promising. However, partly for objective, but mainly for subjective reasons, implementation of the projects was constantly put off. Many of the reasons for this were in one way or another characteristic of all post-Soviet institutes and were in part connected to problems with reaching compromises over questions of finance and commerce. I am convinced that one can only learn how to reach agreement in such circumstances through practical experience of working in a real business, and CNCP can help a lot with this. It is relevant to this that we have for several years been receiving enquiries and proposals from would be users and potential investors.

Two projects emerged which had been taken through the research stage with CNCP, and which we plan to implement in 2010. The first of these was a project to produce thermo-electric converters. At present, thermo-couples are widely used in different industrial sectors in Kazakhstan, but are purchased from Russia. A laboratory scale production of several types of thermo-couples for use in various experimental facilities had been established in IAE. The potential market for thermo-couples consists of the metallurgical, chemical, engineering and energy sectors. The research carried out indicates that the yearly demand from companies in Kazakhstan alone amounts to about 11,500 thermocouples. Many of these companies have already shown interest in our products. In view of the current relevance of the problem, IAE found the means to contribute $50,000 for the procurement of a laser welding facility, but it appeared not to be possible to meet all of the needs through the framework of the state programme. And support for the project from CNCP turned out to be extremely timely and relevant. CNCP provided a grant of Ј49,000 to purchase the remaining equipment and organise full-scale production.

The second project involves bringing an electric system for heating buildings (the «Warm Floor» system) into production. The project is of interest not only because it offers an original product, but also because it reflects world wide trends in energy saving and creating a comfortable microclimate in buildings. The system also conforms with modern sanitary, hygienic and aesthetic requirements. The plan is that CNCP, IAE, PNT and private individuals will all be involved.

The concept of «warm floors» is well known, but the project offered an alternative technology, which provides over 70% of the energy in the form of bioresonant infrared radiation. Different types of natural rock: gabbro, granite and others, can be used as the base for such heating panels. The system has a number of real advantages compared with traditional solutions. Market research and sales of pilot samples have confirmed wide demand for the product in Kazakhstan, Russia and in other countries. Of course, alongside the obviously promising factors, the project will face difficulties. Carrying it out will demand determination, together with efforts to arrive at compromises. In this, the experience and efforts of CNCP, will, without doubt, be of assistance.

Yuri Logachev, Head of the IAE Department of Nuclear Technologies, CNCP Coordinator in NNC, Kurchatov

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