ICSI Rm. Valcea was founded in 1970 under the name of “G Plant” Rm. Valcea, as an industrial pilot plant. The research has been completed by the heavy water technology patent and it was used for the design and construction of ROMAG heavy water plant in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. In 1991, the “G Plant” became the Institute for Cryogeny and Isotopic Separation and in 1996 it obtained accreditation as a component unit of the national research and development system.
In recent years, ICSI Rm. Valcea has developed a comprehensive internal program to promote scientific and technological innovation, aiming at capitalizing the results in production through technology transfer and orienting activities to the requirements of society.
Through Romania’s membership of the European Union and in the context of efforts to integrate into the European Research Area, ICSI Rm. Valcea pursues as a priority objective the increase of the scientific community’s participation in the European Community Research and Development Programs.
The National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies – ICSI Rm. Valcea is a unit under the coordination of the Ministry of Research and Innovation, whose evolution is marked by scientific research and technological development activities carried out over time in the following domains: hydrogen isotopes separation, heavy water production, cryogeny, renewable energies, environmental protection and food security.
1st of March 1970
The „G Plant” was founded as „Experimental Pilot Plant for Hydrogen Sulfide Production” (Decision of the Council of Ministers No.148/17th of February 1970);
9th of August 1976
Heavy water with a concentration of 99.8%D (D+H) was produced for the first time in Romania leading to the establishment and recognition of „G Plant”;
1977
Knowledge and experience gained at the „G Plant” in the field of isotope separation led to a new field of interest: cryogeny and tritium;
1990
The technology for heavy water production was patented and used for the design and construction of ROMAG heavy water plant in Drobeta Turnu Severin;
1991
The „G Plant” became the Institute for Cryogeny and Isotopic Separation;
25th of November 1996
Accreditation as national institute under the name of National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies – ICSI Rm. Valcea (Government Decision No. 1319/ 25 November 1996);
1997
The experimental pilot plant for tritium and deuterium separation becomes a unit of national interest, with the mission of developing the technology for heavy water detritiation used as moderator in CANDU nuclear reactors and of testing the specific materials and equipment used in tritiated environment and at cryogenic temperatures;
2009
The National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Center (CNHPC) is launched with the mission to implement, develop and diseminate hydrogen-based technologies in Romania;
2012
The Low Temperature Laboratory for Energy Applications of Cryogenic Fluids (CRYO-HY) is established for advanced investigation of liquefaction processes, storage and transport of fluids (mainly hydrogen and helium) with direct applications in the field of energy;
August 2014
CNHPC becomes a unit of national interest, being a support facility equipped with necessary infrastructure to allow research of hydrogen for energy purposes;
2015
The Research Laboratory for Energy Storage (ROM-EST) was designed to be a catalyst for energy storage, with research activities focused on chemical, electrochemical and thermal storage.