29-Nov-2021: Indian Bio-Jet Fuel Technology Receives Formal Military Certification
CSIR-IIP Dehradun’s home-grown technology to produce bio-jet fuel has been formally approved for use on military aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The provisional clearance (PC) certificate was handed over by Shri R. Kamalakannan, Group Director(AT&FOL), Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) to Mr. Saleem Akhtar Farooqui, Principal Scientist from CSIR-IIP in the presence of Group Captain Asheesh Shrivastava and Wing Commander A Sachan of the IAF and Mr. R Shanumgavel of CEMILAC. This certification represents India’s growing confidence in aviation biofuel sector and another step towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
The technology, developed by the Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, has undergone evaluation tests and trials over the last three years. The testing of airborne items is a complex and meticulous process involving intricate checks while ensuring the highest levels of flight safety. International aviation standards define the scope of these rigorous assessments. Fuel being the lifeline of aircraft requires thorough analysis before being filled into manned flying machines. The certification received by the lab today is an acknowledgment of the satisfactory results obtained from various ground and inflight tests performed on the indigenous bio-jet fuel by various test agencies supported by the IAF.
Earlier on 26 Jan 19, an AN-32 aircraft, filled with blended bio-jet fuel, had flown over Raj Path at New Delhi during the Republic Day celebrations. Thereafter, the performance and reliability of the Indian technology were also tested when the Russian military aircraft safely landed and took off from Leh airport on 30 Jan 20 at high altitudes under severe winter conditions. The fuel was also used on a civil, commercial demonstration flight operated by SpiceJet on 27 Aug 18 from Dehradun to Delhi. These test flights with green fuel underscored the capabilities and commitment of Indian scientists and airmanship of IAF to serve a national cause.
Today’s approval by CEMILAC is a culmination of many years of intensive research and active support of many agencies, including the test facilities of Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) Panipat Refinery and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). This clearance will enable Indian armed forces to use bio-jet fuel produced using indigenous technology across all its operational aircraft. This will also enable early commercialization of the technology and its mass production. Indian bio-jet fuel can be produced from used cooking oil, tree-borne oils, short gestation oilseed crops grown off-season by farmers, and waste extracts from edible oil processing units. It will reduce air pollution by virtue of its ultralow sulphur content compared with conventional jet fuel and contribute to India’s Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions targets. It will also enhance the livelihoods of farmers and tribals engaged in producing, collecting, and extracting non-edible oils.
31-Jan-2020: IAF’S AN-32 Lands at LEH with Indigenous Bio-Jet Fuel
On 31 Jan 2020, IAF achieved another milestone, when an AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, powered with a 10% blend of Indian bio-jet fuel took-off from Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh. This is the first time that both engines of the aircraft were powered by the bio-jet indigenous fuel. The aircraft was flight tested and its performance was validated at Chandigarh Air Base prior to undertaking the operational flight to Leh.
Leh at an altitude of 10,682 ft above mean sea level, is amongst one of world’s highest and most difficult operational airfield, it is prone to extreme weather conditions. Even during clear weather conditions, landing and taking-off an aircraft at Leh, is challenging due to reduced power output of the aircraft engines in the rarefied atmosphere, turbulent wind conditions and proximity of mountainous terrain. Evaluating the performance of bio-jet fuel under these conditions is important from operational perspectives. It validates the capability of the aero-engine to operate smoothly with bio-jet fuel at the extremities of the operational envelope. The tests were conducted by a team comprising of test pilots from the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, Bengaluru and pilots from the operational squadrons.
This successful test flight also demonstrates IAF’s capabilities to absorb newer technology, while sponsoring indigenization. The technology to produce this fuel was developed by CSIR-IIP in 2013, but could not be tested and certified for commercial use due to lack of concurrent aviation test facilities in the country. In 2018, the IAF sponsored this project and channelized its human and material resources for the complete range of fuel testing.
Bio-jet fuel is produced from non-edible ‘Tree Borne Oils’, grown and procured from the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh state. IAF’s efforts would assist in reducing carbon footprint and India’s dependence on crude imports.
24-May-2019: IAF’s AN-32 Aircraft formally Certified to Operate on Indigenous Bio-Jet Fuel
Today, IAF’s formidable workhorse, the Russian made AN-32 aircraft was formally fleet certified to fly on blended aviation fuel containing up to 10% of indigenous bio-jet fuel. The approval certificate was received at the aero-engine test facilities at Chandigarh by Air Commodore Sanjiv Ghuratia VSM, Air Officer Commanding, 3 BRD, AF on behalf of the IAF from Mr. P Jayapal, Chief Executive CEMILAC.
The IAF has undertaken a series of evaluation tests and trials with this green aviation fuel for the last one year. The scope of these checks was in consonance with the international aviation standards. Today’s approval is an acknowledgement of the meticulous testing using the indigenous bio-jet fuel by the IAF.
The indigenous bio-jet fuel was first produced by the CSIR-IIP lab at Dehradun in 2013, but could not be tested or certified for commercial use on aircraft due to lack of test facilities in the civil aviation sector. On 27 July, 2018, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC had formally announced IAF’s intention to permit the use of all its resources for testing and certifying the indigenous fuel. Since then, IAF’s flight test crew and engineers have been evaluating the performance of this fuel against international standards. This is a huge step in promoting the ‘Make in India’ mission as this bio-fuel would be produced from Tree Borne Oils (TBOs) sourced from tribal areas and farmers, augmenting their income substantially.
24-Jan-2019: Bureau of Indian Standards in Collaboration with Indian Air Force Releases New Standard for Bio-Jet Fuel
To use bio-jet fuel on all military and civilian aircraft, BIS has in collaboration with IAF, research organisations and the industry brought out a new standard for Aviation Turbine Fuels. These specifications will align Indian standards with current international standards.
A committee constituted with domain experts was tasked to originate the required standards. After a series of deliberations over the past nine months, an Indian Standard IS 17081:2019 Aviation Turbine Fuel (Kerosene Type, Jet A-1) containing Synthesised Hydrocarbons, has been formulated.
This standard would enable the oil companies to manufacture bio-jet fuel for the Indian aviation industry. Given the advent of Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) by 2027, this is a significant development which could reduce the carbon emissions and help India become a green fuel production hub.
17-Dec-2018: India’s first military flight using Blended Bio-Jet Fuel Flown by IAF
On 17 December 2018, Experimental Test Pilots and Test Engineer from IAF’s premier testing establishment ASTE, flew India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel on the An-32 transport aircraft. The project is a combined effort of IAF, DRDO, Directorate General Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum.
On 27 July 2018, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of Air Staff had announced IAF’s intention to promote bio-jet fuels. Addressing the CII-SIDM seminar on promoting indigenised technologies, the CAS had stated that IAF intended to fly the An-32 with 10% bio jet fuel on 26 Jan 2019 Republic Day fly-past.
Indian Air Force carried out extensive engine tests on the ground. This is now followed by flight trials using 10% bio jet blended ATF. This fuel is made from Jatropha oil sourced from Chhattisgarh Biodiesel Development Authority (CBDA) and then processed at CSIR-IIP, Dehradun. IAF intends to fly the An-32 transport aircraft using bio jet fuel on 26 January 2019, in the Republic Day fly-past.
27-Aug-2018: India’s first biofuel powered flight undertakes maiden voyage
A historic flight powered by indigenously produced aviation biofuel based on patented technology of CSIR-IIP Dehradun was flagged off today from Dehradun airport by Uttarakhand CM Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat.
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister, S&T and Vice President, CSIR on the occasion said that it is a historic day and the biofuel technology is going to be a game changer as the Bio-jet fuel is greenhouse gas neutral, carbon neutral, reduces air pollution and to cap it, it would bring down import bill on crude oil. Commercialization of biofuel promises large-scale employment avenues both in formal and informal sector.
The genesis of this development goes back several years to an Indo-Canadian consortium project from 2010 to 2013 involving CSIR-IIP, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bangalore, in which research was directed towards the production of Bio-aviation fuel by CSIR-IIP from jatropha oil and its evaluation under various conditions, culminating in a detailed engine test by Pratt and Whitney in Canada that showed fitness for purpose.
SpiceJet - as the lead organization for the demonstration flight - and Chhattisgarh Biofuel Development Authority- the supplier of the jatropha oil for the flight, sourced from over 500 farmers, received considerable policy and regulatory support from the MOPNG Working Group on Biofuels and the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) in making this flight happen.
With this maiden flight India joins the exclusive club of nations using biofuel in aviation. The use of bio jet fuel, apart from reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 15 percent and sulfur oxides (SOx) emissions by over 99 percent, is expected to provide indigenous jet fuel supply security, possible cost savings as feedstock availability at farm level scales up, superior engine performance and reduced maintenance cost for the airline operators.
27-Oct-2021: New non-toxic organic photocatalyst can efficiently capture CO2 and convert it into methane
Indian Scientists have designed a cost-effective metal-free catalyst to convert carbon dioxide to methane by absorption of visible light. Ongoing research is making a significant effort to reduce CO2 into value-added products, methane (CH4) could be one of the value-added products with significant uses as the cleanest burning fossil fuel and can directly be used in fuel cells as a hydrogen carrier. It is also the main component of natural gas and has the potential to replace coal for electricity generation and furnishing flexible supply to reinforce intermittent renewable generators.
There are several ways in which CO2 can be reduced, including photochemical, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, photothermal, and so on. The photochemical process utilizes solar light as a renewable energy source.
There are some key requirements of a photo-catalyst to convert CO2 into value-added products, which rely upon the light-harvesting property, charge carrier (electron-hole pair) separation proficiency, and presence of proper electronically aligned conduction band. Thus, it is a challenge to reduce CO2 to CH4 selectively and efficiently. Only a handful of catalysts are able to reduce CH4 selectively and efficiently, and most of the catalyst contains metal counterparts which are toxic and expensive.
In order to overcome this challenge, a team of Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, have designed a metal-free porous organic polymer in such a way that it will be able to absorb visible light and catalyze the CO2 reduction reaction as well.
They have prepared a donor (tris-4-ethynylphenylamine)-acceptor (phenanthaquinone) assembly via C-C coupling to form a robust and thermally stable conjugated microporous organic polymer which was utilized as a heterogeneous catalyst. The keto group present in phenanthraquinone moiety acted as a catalytic site in contrast with other conventional metal-based catalysts where the metal counterpart carries out the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). During the catalysis process, first, the chemical called the conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) could uptake CO2 onto its surface due to its high CO2 intake capability at room temperature, converting it into methane as a value-added product. The synergistic push-pull effect between the electron-rich donor and electron-deficient acceptor facilitated efficient electron-hole separation, enhancing electron transfer kinetics and assisting in efficient catalysis. This work has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The utilization of a cost-effective, metal-free system with a high production rate of CH4 can lead to a new strategic way to assemble carbon capture and reduction based on efficient porous heterogeneous catalysts.
13-Oct-2021: Tea & banana waste used to develop non-toxic activated carbon
A team of scientists have used tea and banana waste to prepare non-toxic activated carbon, which is useful for several purposes like industrial pollution control, water purification, food and beverage processing, and odour removal. The newly developed process avoids usage of any toxic agent for synthesizing activated carbon, thus making the product cost-effective as well as non-toxic.
The processing of tea generates a lot of waste, generally in the form of tea dust. This could be converted to useful substances. The structure of tea was favourable for conversion to high-quality activated carbon. However, conversion to activated carbon involves use of strong acid and bases, making the product toxic and hence unsuitable for most uses. So a non-toxic method of conversion was needed to overcome this challenge.
Dr N. C. Talukdar, Former Director, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India and Dr Devashish Chowdhury, Associate Professor, used banana plant extract as an alternative activating agent for the preparation of activated carbon from tea wastes.
Oxygenated potassium compounds contained in the banana plant extract help in activating the carbon prepared from tea waste. An Indian patent has recently been granted for this.
The banana plant extract used in the process was prepared by traditional way and is known as Khar, which is an alkaline extract from the ashes of burnt dried banana peels. The most preferred banana for this is called ‘Bheem Kol’ in Assamese. Bheem Kol is an indigenous variety of bananas found only in Assam and parts of North East India. To make Khar, first, the peel of the banana is dried and then burnt to make an ash out of it. The ash is then crushed and made into a fine powder. Then using a clean cotton cloth, water is filtered through the ash powder, and the final solution that we get is called Khar. The natural Khar which is extracted from banana is called ‘Kol Khar’ or ‘Kola Khar’. This extract was used as the activating agent.
IASST team explains, “The reason for the use of tea as a precursor for the synthesis of active carbon is that in tea structure, the carbon atoms are conjugated and having polyphenols bond. This makes the quality of activated carbon better compared to other carbon precursors.”
The main advantage of this process is that starting materials, as well as activating agents, are both waste materials. In the developed process use of any toxic activating agent (e.g., toxic acids and bases) for synthesizing active carbon are avoided. Thus, this process is green for the first time plant materials have been used as an activating agent for the first time. This novel process of synthesizing of active carbon makes the product cost-effective as well as non-toxic.