Neyveli Lignite Corporation has expressed keenness to further strengthen its research association with the National Institute of Technology – Tiruchi (NIT-T) in corrosion control.
After joining hands for two projects, the NLC is learnt to be actively considering approval of a third proposal by NIT-T.
R.Kandasamy, Director – Planning and Projects, NLC, expressed the desire of the navaratna company to strengthen the association while taking part in the colloquium organised by NIT-T’s Centre of Excellence in Corrosion and Surface Engineering (CECASE) earlier this month.
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Mr.Kandasamy, who monitors acceleration of NLC’s research and development efforts in core business areas such as lignite mining, productivity of equipment, and availability of power plant equipment, initiated a collaborative project with NIT-T in December 2009 to find solutions for erosion-corrosion problems of storm water control pumps in mines.
A research team of NIT-T recently completed the project titled ‘evaluation and control of corrosion problem in salt water connection pumps’ valued at Rs.48.20 lakh. According to Prof.S.Natarajan, Principal Investigator, and P.Kumaresh Babu, Co-Principal Investigator, the project that involved coating of storm water control pumps and casings with thermal spray with coating nomenclature of Cermets to Oxides and Carbides delivered impressive results, reflecting in improved life of pumps and uninterrupted extraction of lignite.
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Titled ‘enhancing the life of dewatering pipes in coal lignite mines by prevention of erosion and corrosion with nano crystalline surface’, the second project valued at Rs.2.94 crore was sanctioned for completion over a four-year period by Union Coal Ministry earlier this year through the NLC management with Dr.Kumaresh Babu as the Principal Investigator and Prof.S.Natarajan as the Co-Principal Investigator.
The prevention of erosion-control will be explored through nano-structured coatings involving surface modification of pipelines by heat treatment and selection of suitable materials.
The project will deliver solutions for preventing erosion-corrosion of pipelines stretching to 30 km length in the NLC mines, the investigators said. The proposal for the third project titled ‘Corrosion-erosion studies in Specialised Mining Equipments Track System’ is valued at Rs.2 crore.
The project entails finding out the corrosion and abrasive wear mechanism in track systems of specialised mining equipment such as bucket wheel excavator.
The combat of abrasion and corrosion will be explored through surface modification techniques, choosing alternate materials and design modification, they said.
While delivering his special address at the colloquium, Mr.Kandasamy called for more interactions between industries and educational/ research institutions.
Unveiling the plan for more useful interaction programmes between NLC and NIT-T, Mr. Kandasamy listed the company’s R & D achievements in patenting potassium humate, synthesised from lignite for increasing agricultural production, and zeolite made from flyash as water softener for water recycling.
Sixty persons among the participants at the colloquium represented various industries.
They received certificates from T.R.Ramachandran, Professor and Emeritus Scientist, Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre, Hyderabad.
Topics on several themes including thermal power plants; mining, aerospace, pulp and paper, petrochemical, sugar and cement industries; thin films in spacecraft; and paints technology were covered.