There is immense potential for promotion of naval ecosystem in Visakhapatnam on the lines of the aero ecosystem in Bengaluru. The reduction in import of defence equipment has opened up new avenues for indigenous production under ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) Director Y. Sreenivas Rao has said.
Being the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and the presence of a number of naval establishments, Visakhapatnam could rise up to the challenge. Further, the city has air, sea and major rail and road connectivity, which all work to its advantage, he told the media here on Tuesday.
Mr. Sreenivas Rao said that the NSTL has been developing various energy storage devices, based on different chemistries, for high power applications for the last five decades. While the lab has been focussing on development of high power storage devices for underwater weapons for the defence sector, the work initiated on development of lithium-ion battery technology paved the way for high energy applications and opened up avenues for the civilian sector also.
Technology Director (Batteries and Explosives Directorate) A. Srinivas Kumar said the NSTL has brought alternatives to lithium-ion such as sodium-ion and aluminium-ion as sodium and aluminium were abundantly available in India.
The NSTL Director and the Technology Director inaugurated a research facility – Advanced Batteries R & D facility – to carry out research on the latest technologies for both defence and civilian applications.
T.V.S.L. Satyavani, Scientist-F, explained about the processes involved in the making of lithium batteries and the facilities available at the NSTL. About 90% of the equipment used in the humidity control room was indigenously manufactured.
National seminar
A two-day national seminar on ‘Electrochemical energy conversion and storage (E Co S-2022)’ will be inaugurated by G. Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, on Wednesday. Eminent personalities from different organisations would participate. The seminar would bring leading scientists, academicians, technocrats and researchers from various laboratories, universities, industries and armed forces together for exchange of information.
