CHENNAI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras has become home for another cutting-edge research centre. On Friday, National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD), which is the world’s largest combustion research centre built at a cost of `90 crore, was inaugurated by VK Saraswat, member, NITI Aayog.
Saraswat said the NCCRD is one of the premier centres in the country. The objective is to make it a knowledge base in areas like gasification, combustion, propulsion and automotive sectors. This is one of the best diagnostic centres in the country to understand combustion.
Further, he said specific programs Iike coal gasification, alternative energies and others would also be introduced. Saraswat said the NCCRD has been set up as a Nodal Centre in the region. Any institute and industry can work with NCCRD as it is totally IT-enabled and possesses a strong simulation facility. The establishment of the centre will be a major boost to the Indian scientific community and will provide an impetus to research in Alternative Energy and Environmental Protection by focussing on effective utilisation of combustion as a means of thermo-chemical energy conversion. The centre is supported by Science and Engineering Research Board, Union Department of Science and Technology (DST).
This research has applications in many industries, ranging from automotive to thermal power, coal combustion, aerospace propulsion and so on. With over 30 faculty members from six departments of IIT Madras working on this project, this is the largest grouping of academic combustion researchers globally.
Meanwhile, IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said, “Energy, emission of carbon dioxide and pollutant gases have become very important. This centre will play a pivotal role in making sure that India has access to the latest technologies in all these areas.”