Annual Report 1999-2000

Technology Development - Joint Technology Programme

Technology Systems

Technology Systems Group continued to promote inter-disciplinary advanced technologies through planning and developmental projects in integrating discussions, participation in the Committees of other technical and socio-cultural departments/ministries e.g. DOT, DOE/MIT, DOC/MOC/HILTRON/UP etc. and also through DST in-house funding through the Joint Technology Programme (JTP) Scheme.

Major projects supported during the year were in the following areas :

• Superconducting SQUID Electronics at CEERI
  
• Superconducting Generator (5MVA) at BHEL
  
• Superconducting High Gradient Magnetic Ore Separator at BHEL and EICL
  
• Intelligent Processing of Materials at IGCAR, NFC & WRI/BHEL etc.
  
• Fuzzy Logic Controller of Boiler at BHEL (R&D)
  
• Biosensors at BHU,NPL, IACS and CBT
  
• Fax Encryption at CEERI
  
• Arsenic Removal from Water and Aerogel Synthesis etc. at CMET, Pune and Trichur respectively
  

Some of the project proposals evolved for funding and under consideration are:

• Low cost digital imaging of un-printed documents/ manuscripts at NIAS, Bangalore and Multi-media Applications
  
• Climate Modelling using PARAM 10000 by IITM, Pune; CDAC, Pune; and IIT, Delhi
  
• Signal Processing/Near Infrared Imaging /NDE etc. by IIT, Delhi; AIIMS, New Delhi; and NPL, New Delhi
  
• Development of Immunosensor System for specific and sensitive biosensor detection of Pesticides etc.
  
• New IT applications in Internet based commercial information on Software Capabilities and Companies.
  

Some technologies developed under JTP Scheme have been/ or being assigned to NRDC for commercialisation and patents have also been filed by the respective innovators.

In 2000-2001 while the on-going projects will continued to be supported, new projects in Superconductivity Technology and Applications; Nano Structures and Materials; Intelligent Processing of Materials; Molecular Electronics; New IT Applications including Low Cost Digitisation and Multi media Applications and Voice Inputs etc.; Communication Technologies, traditional Skills and Material Improvement/Value Additions etc. Through inter-Departmental discussions and Committee Structures etc. High Technology Applications and Developments shall also be promoted.

In addition to above, the following projects were also taken-up under joint technology programmes :

Glass Technology Upgradation Programme

Glass Technology Development and Upgradation is at a low key in the country though glass is a very important and versatile material. It has wide and extensive applications both for civil and strategic purposes. Projects aiming at technology development and upgradation have been initiated in the area of Optical Glass, Ophthalmic Glass and unorganised small sector glass industry for consumer items (Firozabad Industry).

6 projects have been taken-up for development of new materials and technology/ processes in the area of Optical Glass and Ophthalmic Glass out of which three have been initiated during the year.

A project for development of new skills amongst the glass workers of Firozabad has been initiated. This shall enable value-addition to the present range of products, generate employment opportunities and improve social and economic status of glass workers. Development of gas fired, eco-friendly, energy efficient glass furnace which may offer an alternative to the existing coal fired polluting furnace has been initiated. New and improved technologies for glass making and glass working are proposed to be developed which may enable the existing practices and processes to become more productive and efficient. Three projects for technology upgradation of Firozabad glass industry are presently in advanced stage of development.

Gold Technology Upgradation

India is the largest consumer of Gold in the world and about 80% of it is converted into jewelry. Gems and jewelry sector is front runner in the country’s export basket. However, this traditional industry has largely been based upon trust and loyalty. One often hears and reads about the incidences of malpractices in this sector of trade related to Caratage/ Purity of gold jewelry.

With a view to promote the concept of Hall marking in the gold jewelry sector, two product orientd projects have been taken up under this programme. An instrument, "Gold Analyser", for measurement of gold content or purity of gold in a finished and unfinished gold article in non-destructive testing (NDT) mode is in advanced stage of development. Under the other project, an analytical technique for gold purity measurement based upon Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) is being developed as an alternative to the widely practiced Fire Assaying technique.

Wear and weather resistant special surface finishes are being developed for silver and gold articles. This shall enable value-addition to existing products and increase export potential apart from creating new industries.

Vision Technology

This programme aims at developing preventive, diagnostic and curative technologies for ophthalmic diseases. Under one of the projects, some herbal drugs ( Neem, Tulsi, Haldi, Ashvagandha, and Cinneraria ) are being investigated for their potential in preventive/ delaying of cataract occurrence. Suitable technologies for manufacturing and processing of ophthalmic plastics with applications in low vision aids and spectacle lens are being developed. These technologies may also find wide ranging applications in transport sector, information technology and certain other areas.

Laser Applications

Photonics is widely acclaimed to be the technology of 21st century. Laser is one of the most important components of photonics. A Laser Awareness Programme is being pursued to popularise lasers among students. A high technology project has been sponsored during the year for development of a Finger Print Identification System based upon Pattern Recognition by Optical Correlation technique. This technology has wide ranging industrial and defence related applications.
Joint Technology Programme - Inter-Sectoral Science and Technology Advisory Committee (IS-STAC/STACs)

IS-STAC in DST has evolved Joint Technology Projects which can be demonstrated on industrial scale with the participation of Science and Technology Advisory Committees (STACs) in different socio-economic ministries. These Research Development and Demonstration RD&D) projects are in the areas in which Ministries are ready to invest funds and take a lead role.

During the year, IS-STAC Secretariat has participated in a number of STAC and related meetings held in various ministries viz. Ministry of Textiles, Labour, Ministry of Surface Transport, Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Steel, Department of Urban Affairs, Ministry of Coal, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Water Resources, Department of Small Scale Industry and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. IS-STAC/DST officers attended various other Expert Committee meetings under the aegis of STACs.

Highlights of achievements during the year

In a major achievement during the year following two important projects were evolved and started with the participation from the concerned sectors.

The first one namely, ‘To study various tolerable Indian non-coking coal with the aim of maximising the usage of domestic non-coking coal in the COREX process’ was launched by the Empowered Committee of Ministry of Steel with the partial financial assistance from Department of Science and Technology and user industry viz. (M/S JVSL, Bangalore).

The project aims at Development of Process know how for using indigenous non-coking coal in COREX process. If successful, the project can lead to substantial savings in foreign exchange required for import of non-coking coal. Besides this, the present study will generate valuable information about the washability of non-coking coal.

Another major stride was made in setting up R&D facilities to strengthen helium extraction from hydro-thermal sources and set up a pliot plant. The project entitled ‘Pilot Enrichment Plant for Helium from Hydrothermal Sources’ supported jointly by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department of Science and Technology at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), Calcutta. A testing and purification facility for helium of Grade - A is also envisaged.

The IS-STAC has also initiated several other joint technology projects with joint financial support of different Ministries/Departments during the year.

A report on "Status of Technologies for extraction of helium from natural gas" has been got prepared by Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun. A techno-economic appraisal of these processes has been carried out based on certain selected criteria like feed pressure and flow rate, feed pre-treatment required, purity and pressure of helium and by products. Discussions have been initiated to set up a helium extraction facility from Natural Gas.

The Ministry wise interactions are reported below:

Ministry of Water Resources

Ministry of Water Resources reconstituted the STAC on 5th February 1999 under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR). The 9th meeting of STAC was held on 7th October, 1999 to discuss the new initiatives taken up by STAC such as setting up of a Web Site for providing information about R&D such as research outcome of projects and papers published in various seminars and journals

Ministry of Coal:

The Standing Scientific Advisory Committee (SSAC), in the Ministry of Coal has been functioning since 1978. The Committee met thrice during the year.

Several new projects in the area of Coal & Environment have been approved. A project entitled "Coal Bed Methane Recovery (CBM)" has been initiated with joint financial support provided by Ministry of Coal (Govt. of India) and funds obtained through Global Environment Facility (GEF) under UNDP. The project has since been functional with effect from 25th August, 1999. The guidelines of funding of the Coal S&T projects have been revised.

Ministry of Steel & Mines

Department of Mines

The Standing Scientific Advisory Group (SSAG) met two times during the year. In these meetings eight new projects were approved in the areas of bio-leaching, mineral beneficiation etc. The following four projects were jointly funded by DST and Department of Mines:

• Studies on Production of Alloyed Pig Iron/Cast Iron using Chromite Overburden on development of economically attractive process using industrial waste. The studies to be conducted by MECON Ltd. are being supported by DST and Department of Mines.
  
• Advance Process Control & Optimisation Technology for Mineral Processing Plants is to introduce SCADA system in a Mineral Processing Plant of Hindustan Zinc Limited. Jointly supported by DST and Ministry of Mines at TRDDC, Pune; it will generate know-how for optimisation of productivity and will benefit the industry through lower consumption of raw materials.
  
• De-Ironing of Eastern Ghat Bauxite has been supported by DST and Ministry of Mines to Jawahar Lal Nehru Advanced Research, Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur aiming at reduction of iron content of Eastern Ghat bauxite to the level of 6-8% as Fe2O3 from original 22-26% and correspondingly increase alumina up to 55-60% (almost half way to alumina) by physical techniques.
  
• Evaluation of Process variables in continuous scale bio-oxidation of complex sulphide ore/concentrate of Ambamata/Sikkim has been jointly supported by DST and Ministry of Mines and is being implemented by RRL, Bhubaneswar. The project aims at demonstrating bio-reactor technology.

Department of Steel

The Empowered Committee (EC) met twice during the year on 23.2.99 and 21.9.99. In these meetings, nine projects were approved. A project entitled "To study various tolerable Indian non-coking coal sources with the aim of maximising the usageofdomestic non-coking coal in the COREX process" will be a joint technology project among Department of Science and Technology, Department of Steel and M/S Jindal Vijaynaagar Steel Limited (JVSL), Bangalore-a private company. The project was approved in the 2nd meeting of EC held on 23.2.99 at a total cost of Rs.3.41 crore which will be shared as Department of Sciecne and Technology (Rs.0.70 crore), Department of Steel (Rs.1.21 crore) and M/S JVSL, Bangalore (Rs.1.50 crore) over a duration of four years. An Empowered Board will review the progress of this project.

Another important project entitled "Maximising Blast Furnace Productivity with Indian Iron Ore" will be implemented by National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur in collaboration with Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS)/SAIL and TISCO at a total cost of Rs.68.73 crore with financial support from Steel Development Fund (SDF), Department of Steel to the tune of Rs.40.82 crore.

Empowered Committee (EC) has also approved the recommendations earlier made by a committee chaired by Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Secretary, DSIR for finalisation of recommendations on Patents and Rights for R&D Projects funded by SDF.

Ministry of Textiles

14th meeting of Co-ordination Council for Textile Research Associations (TRAs) was held on August 14, 1999. It was decided to bring out a Compendium on the work done by all TRAs during the 8th five year plan and first two years of 9th Plan. In addition, on a query from Ministry of Textiles the project entitled "Establishment of Textile Machinery R&D Centre at IIT, Bombay" which was earlier submitted to Technology Development Board and CSIR/DSIR was again discussed in a meeting taken by Secretary (Textiles) on 26th April, 1999. IS-STAC secretariat provided its comments on the above project. Ministry of Textiles also convened the meeting of Screening Committee of CTRAs on May 17, 1999.

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas

Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) met twice during the year on August 19-20, 1999 and November 18-19, 1999. In these meetings, a total of nine new projects were approved through the financial support from Oil Industries Development Board (OIDB). To mention a few important projects viz. "Commercialisation of Indigenous Reverse Osmosis Membrane Technology" to be taken up by Madras Refineries Ltd. (MRL) and Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), "Catalyst and Technology Development for Isomerisation of Naptha" to be taken up by Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun, "Development of Sulphur Degassing Process" to be taken up jointly by Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) and Gujarat Narmada Fertilisers Corporation (GNFC).

Ministry of Surface Transport

Sub Committee of STAC (Road & Road Transport) was held on January 8, 1999. During this meeting, status of various ongoing projects in different areas was discussed. The progress of 15 projects under Roads wing, 7 projects under Bridges wing and 7 projects under Traffic & Transportation was discussed. In addition the research programmes to be taken up during 1999-2000 under various heads were also discussed. The likely budget estimate for 1999-2000 for 6 schemes under Roads head was Rs.50 lakhs, for 18 schemes under Bridges head was Rs.155 lakhs and for 7 schemes under Traffic & Transportation head was Rs.60 lakhs.

Ministry of Labour

IS-STAC Secretariat provided its technical inputs by participating in a meeting of the Trade Committee constituted by the Directorate General of Employment & Training, Ministry of Labour. This Trade Committee has finalised the syllabi of the trade "Information Technology& Electronics System Maintenance" for the craftsman training scheme.

Ministry of Environment & Forests

The Empowered Steering Committee on Montreal Protocol convened its XVII and XVIII meeting on March 16,1999 and July 5,1999 in which IS-STAC secretariat also participated and provided its technical inputs. In one of these meetings, the Country Paper for Incremental Operating Cost (IOC) relating to compressors in domestic and commercial refrigeration was also discussed which included necessary country level information on production capacity etc. IS-STAC secretariat also participated in the funding of projects under Global Environment Facility (GEF).