Chennai, Oct 13 (PTI) The world's largest combustionresearch centre which will impart a major boost to the Indianscientific community was inaugurated at the Indian Instituteof Technology, Madras today.
The National Centre for Combustion Research andDevelopment (NCCRD) was inaugurated by NITI Aayog memberV K Saraswat in the presence of Prof Ashutosh Sharma,Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, a release bythe Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) said.
This is the world's largest combustion research centre,it said.
"With over 30 faculty members from six departments ofIIT-M working on the project, this is the largest grouping ofacademic combustion researchers globally. In addition, theinfrastructure facilities are also the largest for anycombustion research centre in an academic setting globally,"it said.
NCCRD's research interests will cover automotive, thermalpower and aerospace propulsion, besides fire research andmicrogravity combustion to minor extent, the release said.
"The NCCRD has been established at a total cost ofRs 90 crore. It will develop state-of-the-art capabilities incombustion research involving experts in the country," itsaid.
"The establishment of the centre will impart a majorboost to the Indian scientific community and will provide animpetus to research in 'Alternative Energy and EnvironmentalProtection' by focusing on effective utilisation of combustionas a means of thermo-chemical energy conversion," the releasesaid.
NCCRD is supported by the state-run Science andEngineering Research Board of Department of Science andTechnology (DST), it said.
Saraswat was quoted as saying that NCCRD was one of thepremier centres in the country.
"The intention is to make it a knowledge base in areaslike gasification, combustion, propulsion and automotivesectors. This is one of the best diagnostic centres in thecountry to understand combustion," he said.
NCCRD has been set up as a nodal centre in the region andany institute and industry can work with it as it is totallyIT-enabled and possess a strong simulation facility, the NITIAyog member said.
IIT-M director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said energy, emissionof carbon dioxide and pollutant gases have become veryimportant due to climate change, global warming and otherimpact that combustion has.
"This centre will play a pivotal role in making sure thatIndia has access to the latest technologies in all theseareas," he said.
Many industrial and R&D organisations like Mahindra, TVS,AVL, GAIL, GE, Shell, BHEL, DRDO (DRDL, GTRE, CFEES), NAL,ISRO, Forbes-Marshall, Siemens, Thermax, Cummins, FM Global,Tata Power, VTT and Valmet are working closely with NCCRD,the release added. PTI SA APRSRY.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.