BHEL-Tiruchy to up R&D spend by 73%

The Tiruchy unit of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) is planning to increase the research and development (R&D) spend by 73 per cent to Rs 400 crore.

Speaking to Business Standard, AV Krishnan, executive director, BHEL- Tiruchy, said the R&D spend during 2009-10 was Rs 231 crore, which works out to 2.31 per cent of the turnover. In the current fiscal, the company would increase it to Rs 400 crore, which will be 3.5 per cent of the turnover.

“Compared with other units of BHEL, our spend on R&D will be the highest,” said Krishnan.

The Tiruchy unit along with Ranipet unit has finalised a long-term lease agreement with IIT-Madras Research Park for carrying out focused energy sector R&D. This would pave the way for a 6,000-sft R&D module to be established at the research park in Chennai.

Major milestones on the R&D front, Krishnan said, included simulation of an ultra supercritical steam generator at the in-house supercritical test facility.

IGCC is another technology, a first-of-its-kind in the country, that aims to extract maximum energy out of fuel.

The unit has developed the design of the 700 Mega watt nuclear steam generator and has started production of steam generators.

It is also ready with its supercritical technology.

“We can supply such boilers on our own without any outside assistance.” A super critical boiler is the one that performs in very high pressure.