The Defence sector public undertaking Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd is working on high temperature resistant materials used in the manufacture of ultra high critical boilers for the power sector.
The mini-ratna is also working on improving the efficiency of wind and solar power plants, according to its Chairman and Managing Director, M. Narayana Rao.
Speaking on the sidelines of a regional conclave on sustainable business, he told
“We are working on increasing the temperature in boilers from 420 degrees to 500 degrees and possibly up to 620 degrees. When such boilers are in place, they would take the technology beyond the current supercritical technologies,” he said.
The ultra supercritical technologies will be tried out by the BHEL, NTPC, Midhani and Kalpakkam projects. “We hope these become mainstream by 2015-17,” he said.
Referring to the growing importance of wind power and solar power generation in the country, he said “we are currently dependent on materials supplied by international companies. The focus now is on developing substitute materials in partnership with Indian Rare Earths Ltd.”
Midhani has adopted a top-down approach to disseminating knowledge by sharing its technological know-how. Profitable for the last four years, the focus has been on ploughing back into learning. About 35 per cent of the profit is redeployed into research and development.