IIT-M enters into a JAD with SAEL for tech development

S Vishnu Sharmaa, INN/Chennai, @Svs037

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) is taking up academia-industry collaboration for technology development in thermal power generation using paddy straw as fuel.

National Center for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD) at IIT Madras has entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JAD) with Sukhbir Agro Energy Ltd (SAEL) to conduct research and development activities.

SAEL is a company that operates biomass-based power plants in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab and has gained sufficient experience in collection, transportation and storage of paddy straw.


Both the organisations will explore the possibilities of using paddy straw in thermal power plants through this tie-up. About 35 million tons of paddy straw are produced in Punjab and Haryana alone. This straw is burnt in the fields as its not fit for cattle to consume.

Stubble burning which causes soil erosion, kills beneficial soil organisms and emits harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and methane along with particulate matter.

So the possibilities of using the same straw in thermal power plants can be explored as it has useful heating value of around 3200 to 3500 K Cal/kg, which is closer to the coal used for power generation in thermal power plants. Usage of straw in thermal power plants can help tackle stubble burning in a major way.

SAEL is in the process of commissioning two 100 per cent paddy straw-based power plants in Punjab, besides implementing two more power plants based on the same fuel in the state of Haryana.

Both the organisations will also work for solution to the fouling problem faced in operating the plant through this agreement. They will also be doing detailed research on establishing optimal operation of the power plant with 100 percent paddy straw through systemic analysis.

Undertaking research  would require certain facilities to be constructed at IIT Madras to closely look into the combustion of paddy straw with funding from SAEL.

The results would be put to test for further development in a boiler environment with a facility created, as suggested by IIT-M at a center at one of the power plants of SAEL.

The faculties of IIT Madras and NCCRD, as part of this consortium, will provide the expertise to create the facility and carry out the core research.

Professor Satyanarayanan Chakravarthy, Professor in-charge, NCCRD said the objectives will be achieved by conducting trials in a laboratory scale combustor to be constructed at IIT Madras and a prototype boiler constructed at the Technology Development Centre in Punjab.

While IIT Madras will meet the technical requirements such as design of prototype boiler, conducting trials and providing solution to the existing boilers and providing criteria for the design of new power plant boilers, the whole project will be funded by SAEL.

Further SAEL’s technical team will provide technical data from the operating boilers, conduct trials on the prototype boiler as directed by IITM to achieve the objectives, he said.

Jasbir Singh Awla, Managing Director, SAEL, said this collaboration is poised to indigenize the paddy straw firing technology and avoid imports, thus contributing to the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ campaign.

Further around 4000 MW is possible with the straw available in each year in Punjab and Haryana. This 4000 MW can be generated without greenhouse gases besides saving the land from stubble burning, he said

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