BHEL to focus on nanotech

Electrical equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited is setting up a centre of excellence for nanotechnology with an investment of Rs 8.27 crore to explore applications in power systems and products relevant to the company.

The proposed centre at its corporate R&D wing here would be operational by June next year, according to in-charge general manager HS Jain.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, he said the new unit would carry out research to make BHEL future ready in the supercritical arena.

The company was focussed on ultra supercritical power projects and was consolidating its knowledge base to provide technological support. It would also set up a centre of excellence for machine dynamics and compressor and pumps.

BHEL spent Rs 788 crore, 2.3 per cent of Rs 34,050 crore turnover, on R&D during the year 2009-10. The products and systems developed in-house contributed Rs 6,334 crore to the total revenues during the year, he said.

The company is also working on areas relating to power generation, transmission and utilisation. It developed simulators for Khaperkheda and Bhusawal thermal power plants in Maharashtra and performance analysis and optimisation packages for hydro electric projects at Sewa in Jammu & Kashmir and Parbati in Himachal Pradesh.

State-owned power generator APGenco released a letter of intent for commissioning a transformer that BHEL developed for its Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (Stage VI) unit. The contract is valued at Rs 27.08 crore.

It also secured an order for superconducting motor from the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam, for Rs 12.27 crore.