Combustion Research Institute proposed

Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, Jan 4 (UNI) A Combustion Research Institute is proposed to be set up in the country during the 11th Plan period, Dr R Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India, said today.

''As much as 92 per cent of India's energy use involves some form of combustion or other. Yet, our ability to effectively control and manage combustion processes (used everywhere from power generating plant, railways, automobiles and aircraft) in a manner that maximises efficiency, and hence energy security, is limited,'' Dr Chidambaram said in his presentation at the 94th Indian Science Congress.

Explaining the need for the Institute, he said new automobile engine technologies were quite complex and would need sophisticated combustion diagnostic techniques to validate engine fluid dynamic and combustion models.

The Institute, he said, will have state-of-the-art research facilities for studying computational fluid dynamics and combustion modelling.

It will also have upstream and downstream interfaces with R&D institutions (engaged in fuel research) and automobile manufacturers.

Dr Chidambaram said it was also proposed to set-up a facility for producing 2500 tonnes per annum of polysilicon, including characterisation of polysilicon, single crystals and finished wafers, during the 11th plan, at a cost of about Rs 1200 crore.

UNI