Research Projects

The National Mission SAMARTH, created by the Ministry of Power in 2021, aims to explore the potential of agro-waste utilization in Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) in India. The proposal aims to develop a scalable pilot plant facility for co-milling, develop a simulation facility, collect coal and biomass samples from power stations across India, characterize biomass and coal for physical properties, conduct a comprehensive experimental program, calibrate the DEM model, and validate the virtual platform's accuracy and reliability. The aim is to develop a Design Guideline for the allowable maximum percentage of biomass feeding for different types/properties of agro-waste and mill combinations.

The project aims to develop a Co-Milling Pilot Scale Test Facility/Pilot Plant with operational flexibility for milling various agro-waste with different parameters and classifier combinations. It will provide a large set of data, a DEM-CFD coupled-based Virtual Planform, and a Design Guideline based on pilot plant data. The project will benefit coal fired thermal power plants by improving co-firing quality, allowing optimal agro-waste mixtures, reducing maintenance requirements, and improving the overall supply chain of biomass/agro-waste.