The Hindu Business Line : BHEL R&D wing sets up robotics unit

On the anvil
The company is firming up plans to manufacture 800 MW thermal sets with `super-critical' parameters, higher rating hydro sets and advanced gas turbines.

Hyderabad , April 12

The Corporate Research and Development of BHEL, here plans to spend Rs 200 crore on research during financial year 2006-07, up from Rs 149 crore in the just-ended fiscal. It has also set up a Centre for Intelligent Machines and Robotics (CIMAR).

The estimated turnover from in-house developed products based on the Corporate R&D's efforts was pegged at Rs 1,064 crore during fiscal 2005-06. While the R&D budget is just about one per cent of the overall turnover of BHEL, efforts are under way to increase it to about two per cent in the next five years, the Group General Manager, Mr S.K. Goyal, said.

Plans for growth

Presenting the annual performance to newspersons, Mr Goyal said the R&D was strengthening its capabilities to meet the growing demands in the power sector. It is firming up plans to manufacture 800 MW thermal sets with `super-critical' parameters, higher rating hydro sets as well as advanced gas turbines.

The CIMAR, which would be the latest in the five Centre's of Excellence will focus on computer integrated manufacturing, radio frequency identification (RFID) as well as development of remote operated vehicles with the support of the Department of Information Technology. It has been set up with an investment of Rs 4.77 crore.

In the proposed 125 MW IGCC (Integrated Gassification Combined Cycle) plant, to be set up by NTPC using Indian coals at Auraiya, the BHEL has been asked to prepare a detailed project report. The Inter-Ministerial Steering Group on IGCC had recommended the association of BHEL, since it had developed the knowhow and demonstrated on a 6.2 MW plant, he said.

On the entry of BHEL into the nuclear power sector, Mr Goyal said the Hardwar unit had already developed a 700 MW unit. "We would develop turbine blades, where we face competition from Siemens now and other critical components to meet the demands in the sector."

During the year, the Corporate R&D also filed 84 patents, developed new products in solar water heating, fuel cells, simulation software for power plants etc.

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