National Metallurgical laboratory (NMl) is presently involved in two nationally important programmes. Its programme on magnesium production technology is of high startegic and economic significance.
Another programme targeting “zero waste coal utilisation” has the objective of developing technologies for low effluent coal processing and total consumption of wastes generated by thermal power plants. NMl has demonstrated at the bench scale its capability for sodium production, another material of startegic importance for the nation. Upscaling of this technology will be done by Heavy Water Board in collaboration with NMl.
The CSIR- National Metallurgical laboratory highlighted its achievements during the National Technology Day on Saturday. About 400 students from different Institutes like IIT-Kharagpur BHU, IIT-Kanpur NIT-Rourkelam, NIT-Durgapur, NIT-Jamshedpur, NIT-Warangal, VNIT-Nagpur; witnessed the event. The students were delighted to visit the selective R&D units of the laboratory. To mark the occasion CSIR-NM Annual Report 2012-13 was also released.
In keeping with its growing emphasis on technological excellence in addition to scientific excellence, Dr. I. Chattoraj, Head, Business Development, said NMl has achieved significant milestones in the last financial year. The growing importance of industrial and technological research is manifest in the fact that more than 60 per cent of its earnings in 2012-13 was from industrial projects. In the preceding financial year NMl developed 18 technologies and know-how, filed 33 patents, was granted 8 patents in diverse fields and was able to license a number of technologies.
The NMl developed erosion resistant alloy has proven to be nearly three times superior compared to presently used alloys, which are the materials for fabrication of critical hydel power components.
Components made using the NMl alloy has been field tested in the power plants of NHPC and passed with flying colours. NMl has provided the process, technological and engineering inputs in designing, fabrication, commissioning and stabilization of industrial flotation column provided for fabrication and erection of a 2.5 m diameter flotation columnfor the beneficiation of low-grade barytes at Mangampet, Cuddappah, and Andhra Pradesh.
The chief guest to the occasion Partha Sengupta, Vice President (RM & CSI), Tata Steel delivered the Technology Day lecture. Sengupta said economic background needs to be understood for research and technological development. He cited that in the next 20-30 years the economy of the world will look flatter.
While welcoming the gathering S Srikanth, Director, NMl highlighted on the importance of technology in our day to day life and also society as a whole. He also emphasized on the global issues relating to technology and human welfare.