World's largest combustion research centre at IIT Madras

The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras on Friday announced the inauguration of the world's largest combustion research centre, which could give a big boost to the Indian scientific community.

NITI Aayog member V K Saraswat inaugurated the National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD) in the presence of Prof Ashutosh Sharma, secretary, Department of Science and Technology.

A release by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) said this is the world's largest combustion research centre.

"With over 30 faculty members from six departments of IIT-M working on the project, this is the largest grouping of academic combustion researchers globally. In addition, the infrastructure facilities are also the largest for any combustion research centre in an academic setting globally," it said.

NCCRD will develop state-of-the-art capabilities in combustion research involving experts in the country. The research interests are in three major application sectors - automotive, thermal power and aerospace propulsion, besides fire research and microgravity combustion to a minor extent.

"The NCCRD has been established at a total cost of Rs90 crore. It will develop state-of-the-art capabilities in combustion research involving experts in the country," it said.

"The establishment of the centre will impart a major boost to the Indian scientific community and will provide an impetus to research in 'Alternative Energy and Environmental Protection' by focusing on effective utilisation of combustion as a means of thermo-chemical energy conversion," the release said.

NCCRD is supported by the state-run Science and Engineering Research Board of Department of Science and Technology (DST), it said.

"The intention 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," he said.

NCCRD has been set up as a nodal centre in the region and any institute and industry can work with it as it is totally IT-enabled and possess a strong simulation facility, the NITI Aayog member said.

IIT-M director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said energy, emission of carbon dioxide and pollutant gases have become very important due to climate change, global warming and other impact that combustion has.

"This centre will play a pivotal role in making sure that India has access to the latest technologies in all these areas," 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.