PROJECTS

Year
2011-23

Summary
The process developed by IMRC pertains to rapid curing of resinoid grinding wheels. In this process, as pressed (green) grinding wheels are placed in sample holders and exposed to microwaves at 2.45 GHz for rapid curing. So cured grinding wheels exhibit similar or better properties. The sample holders used in this process, perform multiple functions viz. absorb microwave energy effectively and heat the grinding wheels volumetrically & rapidly, thereby saving significant time and energy.

Patent
Granted in
US: US9873185,
28th January, 2018
Japan: JP6407149,
28th Sept, 2018
China: CN 104661795 B,
9th April, 2019
India: 307720, 20 Feb, 2019

Ready for scale up

Year
2006-15

Summary
The invention relates to a continuous process for rapid baking of friction pads used in brake lining using microwaves. This process shortens baking cycle of conventionally cured friction pads, without compromising its friction properties. Resulting saving in time and energy and makes the process economical.

Patent
Granted in
India: 433437,
31st May, 2023

Ready for scale up

Year
2011-15

Summary
Coal was processed at lower temperatures using microwaves under controlled conditions for getting rid of excess moisture and maintaining it to the desired moisture levels.

Advantages are:

• No reduction in volatile matters.
•  Improved grindability due to formation of internal cracks, thereby increasing ‘Hardgrove index’.
• Improved ash characteristics, such as increased softening point and melting point of ash.

Ready for scale up

Year
2007-2015

Summary
This novel process was developed for refineries for processing heavy Petro-bottom stocks like HVGO/VGO. The  process comprised of exposing HVGO to magnetic field and then to electromagnetic radiations under controlled conditions.

Advantages observed are:

• Possible to operate hydrocracking at much less severe conditions of temperature & pressure. This saves energy and enhances the life of catalyst, thereby increasing the throughput.
• The process improves the yield of distillates by 1-2%, with better fuel properties.
• Reduces % sulphur in the product.

Patent
Granted in
India : 277603,
25th Nov, 2016

Ready for scale up

Year
2018 – on going

Summary
Food grains are prone to contamination when they are stored for a long time and damaged by insects. Conventionally, harmful chemical treatment is used for this application and most of the fumigants are now banned internationally. Microwave processing is a safe treatment, as it selectively kills all stages of life cycle of the insect, by exposing grains under MW field in a few seconds. MW treatment also increases the shelf life of the commodities by more than a year.

Advantages are:

• 100% insect mortality.
• Adopts non-chemical management strategy.
• Lower exposure time (max. of 70 sec).
• No alteration in cooking properties.
• No alteration in nutrien values.
• Can be adopted at any stage of grain storage.
• This process was developed in close association with ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana.

Ready for scale up

Year
2006-09

Summary
Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) uses ceramic plates as an electrode. These are made from zirconia-based materials. The dimensions of these plates are 100 (l) x100 (h) mm with thickness 2 mm. These plates are formed by using Doctor’s blade technology, where large amount of binders are used.  Conventional binder removal in an electric furnace takes about 16 hours to reach 1000ºC, while sintering cycle needs about 20 hours to reach 1250ºC-1300ºC. A total of 36 hours.
By using microwave technology, the binder burnout time could be brought down to 6 hours and sintering time to 5 hours, due to uniform and volumetric heating of the plate. The saving in time was about 70%.

Ready for scale up

Year
2006-10

Summary

Sintering of SS316 components:
SS gland was manufctured using a combination of powder metallurgy and microwave sintering. The green pressed components made from SS316 powder were microwave sintered at around 1250ºC-1350ºC in 3 hours to get a neat shape component to size. This repalced the process of forging and machining and reduced considerable metal input.
Sintering of refractory metals (tungsten):
Milled & partially calcined cylinders made from pure tungsten powder were sintered @ 1800ºC in 4 hours, under 5% H₂ + 95% N₂ atmosphere. Sintered density achieved was 93% of that of  wrought tungsten. This activity was undertaken for defense.

Ready for scale up

Year
2006 ongoing

Summary
The objective was to utilize fine iron ore and coal fines (which are not utilized by steel manufacturers) to manufacture pig iron. Another important objective was to eliminate the use of coke and reduce Greenhouse gas emissions considerably.  IMRC developed a microwave assisted process for sponge iron making without using coal as a reductant.  A patent was granted for this process in India. This process was then further extended to produce pig iron with minimum or nil coal.
After successful laboratory scale process developments, a prototype plant was established along with Chubu University, Japan.  PML received  partial funding from Ministry of Steel under SDF scheme.
The process offers number of advantages over conventional BF route for making pig iron. These are:

• Low carbon consumption (200 kg/THM) indicating high degree of Direct Reduction (>80%).
• Unusable raw materials used.
• Coal used was stoichiometric quantity for  reduction of iron oxides only.
• No Coke.
• About 50% reduction in GHG emissions.
• Very fast rates of reaction, leading to high productivity.
• Low level of P & S, which is favourable for steel making.
• Easy recovery of furnace from a cold condition.
• Any type of iron bearing ores could be processed (hematite, magnetite, goethite, etc.).

PML is planning to scale up to about 1-2T/day.  PML is scouting for ‘Collaboration partner’ to take this novel technology to semi/commercial scale. Steel industry is facing a crucial challenge of decarbonization of the steel making process. To help them in this endeavour, PML-IMRC has already taken first step by developing a pig iron making process with low or no coal using microwave technology. The technology can be quickly and easily adopted by steel industry.

Patent

Sponge iron patent granted in India, patent no. 309420
19th March 2019

Composite furnace patent granted:
Ukraine no. 119264,
27th May, 2019
Russia no.2705701,
11th November, 2019
Japan JP2016-539843
1st July, 2020
Australia no. 2015300579,
25th March, 2021
India no. 471191,
21st November, 2023

Ready for scale up

Year
2023 – Ongoing

Summary
The direct reduction of iron ore to pig iron using microwave technology is being now extended for converting in-house generated metallic waste materials like forging scales, heat treatment scales, shot blasting powders, etc. to value-added  alloy steel. The advantage of using microwave technology for processing scales is that most of the alloying metals like Ni, Cr, Mo, Mn are retained in molten pig iron,  The value added metal obtained shows composition equivalent to ‘Abrasion Resistant Steel’ Grade IS4771:1985.  This technology will improve the ‘Circular Economy’ of PML by converting waste material to value added product.

Ready for scale up