Mission I - Ocean Energy

Under the Jai Vigyan mission project of DOD is funding a project on 'Establishment of 1 MW OTEC demonstration plant' through the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai. The OTEC plant is a technology demonstration plant to convert the thermal energy in oceans into electricity by using the temperature difference between the warm surface water (28 degrees centigrade) and cold deep-sea water at 1000 metre depth (6 degrees centigrade). The plant would generate electricity using the Rankine cycle with Ammonia as the working fluid. Design, manufacture and assembly of almost all the components has been completed. The OTEC plant consists of special titanium plate heat exchangers (largest of this kind ever manufactured in the world), special four stage axial ammonia turbine of 1 MW rating, cold seawater and warm water pumps and necessary control and instrumentation. The OTEC plant barge which was constructed at the Dempo Shipyard, Goa is of size 69x16x4 m, approximately weighing 500 tonnes and will house all the components of OTEC plant mentioned above. This plant barge has been named as 'Sagar Sakthi'. The 1000 m long, 1 m dia HDPE pipe which will bring cold sea water of 7o C to the plant barge is already assembled and is being towed to the OTEC site, approximately 60 km south east of Tuticorin harbour, and will be upended on reaching the site. It will be integrated with OTEC plant barge, when it reaches the OTEC site.

After completing the interconnection of the barge and pipeline, the OTEC plant will be ready for demonstration.

There will be many technology firsts for this plant like only large plate heat exchanges, deep single point mooring with intake pipe acting as the mooring, large retractable sump for the cold water and a specially designed 1 MW ammonia turbine.

This technology demonstration project of 1 MW rating would be first of its kind in the world and based on the results of the plant, larger plants with 25 MW capacity and above could be built to provide pollution-free renewable energy at a cost compared to other fossil-fueled plants.

The "Jai Vigyan" project was totally funded by the DOD and implemented by NIOT with the participation of National Ship Design and Research Centre, Visakhapatnam, and support provided by the Tuticorin Port Trust, Navy and Coast Guard, along with other private industrial units such as Dempo Shipyard, Goa, Turbotech, Bangalore, and many other agencies who supplied the various sub-systems of the OTEC plant.

A desalination plant is to be made operational at the wave energy plant at Vizhinjam using wave power. The Reverse Osmosis plant has been ordered from the US and commissioned. The plant is expected to become operational around March 2001.

Mission II - Deep Sea Mining

Deep-sea technology and ocean mining mission has been actively involved in the development of technology for polymetallic nodule mining from 6000m water depth. The progress under the NIOT-IKS joint project on shallow-bed mining is reported under the PMN programme of the Department.

Development of Underwater Thrusters

NIOT has embarked upon development of under water thrusters, keeping in mind the deep-sea activities in India. There is an immediate need to develop underwater thrusters, which can be used for underwater intervention systems like Remotely Operable Vehicle and Remotely Operable Sea Skimmer (ROSS). An underwater thruster is being developed for underwater operations at 1000 m depth. This thruster of 1.6 kW and 1400 mm diameter suitable for operations at 1000 m water depth is in the final phase of completion.

Design of the propeller and kort has been completed by the Ocean Engineering Centre of IIT, Chennai. The system has been fabricated and dynamically balanced. PSG Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, has developed the electrical and the control systems, complete with speed control of the motor. Fabrication of two such motors along with their control system was completed with speed control. CMERI Durgapur has designed the underwater pressure proof casing along with the modifications to fit in the pressure compensated casing. The under water thruster is being assembled and tested for performance.

Development of Solids Handling Jet Pumps for underwater mining

Jet pumps offer the most reliable pumping solution for underwater mining applications and NIOT has initiated the development of these pumps at IIT, Chennai. A novel branched tubular suction central nozzle jet pump has been developed and tested for pumping gravel of 5-10 mm sizes for a maximum output of 10 tonnes per hour. A patent application is being prepared for filing a joint IIT-NIOT patent. A larger pump capable of pumping gravel of 20-30 mm grain size for a maximum solid pumping capacity of 100 tonnes per hour has been developed in the second phase. This pump could be used for dredging and shallow water mining applications.

Mission III-Coastal and Environmental Engineering

The Coastal and Environmental Engineering group is active in applied research projects in coastal processes including near-shore hydro-dynamics, coastal structures, water quality management, environmental impact assessment, geo-physical surveying methods. Projects undertaken consist of in-house research, sponsored research and consultancy services. The research projects relate to enhancing current knowledge and capabilities in the above fields, while the consultancy services transfer the knowledge to the industry through practical application.

The research projects conducted are

Shoreline management for accreting and eroding coasts with a special focus on problems along the coast of Tamil Nadu. The group has suggested a scheme to the PWD of the Tamil Nadu Government for the Cooum River mouth in Chennai City, which is currently under implementation. This scheme involves construction of a groin starting at the end of southern bank of river joining the sea. The length of groin is 170m and is oriented at 600 from the shoreline. The oblique orientation has been provided for allowing the by-passing of littoral sediments instead of impounding the sediments completely. This groin is very effective for the period from March to October (9 months) in a year in preventing the siltation. In the remaining period of the year, the monsoonal river flows are expected to keep the mouth open by flushing the sediments brought by waves during North-East Monsoon. PWD has already completed the construction of groin for a length of 100 m.

Waste assimilative capacity studies to determine the allowable waste load into coastal water bodies such that water quality standards are not impaired. The projects at Ennore Creek and Tapi estuary are nearing complexion. Hooghly River study has been initiated.

General EIA Study Guidelines for Port and Harbour have been completed and submitted to Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) for adoption.

Physical Oceanographic Studies under COMAPS to understand the fate and disposal of pollutants and water quality. The studies were conducted with other COMAPS institutions during their regular water quality studies.

Consultancy Projects

The Consultancy projects for the institutions covering a wide range with a earning of over Rs.5.00 crore were taken up during 1999- 2000, supporting the institue's goal of contributing practical technologies to the community. One such prominent project is the challenging survey project across the Gulf of Kambat for the British Gas pipeline from Suvali to Pipavav. The project was successfully completed and is the first such complex survey project to be done by a fully indigenous firm. Geological Survey of India and National Institute of Oceanography also participated in this project. Some of the projects are :

Hydrographic and Videographic investigations for Prakasham Barrage at Vijayawada.

Protection measures consisting a groyne and a submerged breakwater for a pilot basin at Sagar Island.

Wave tranquillity and sedimentation studies for port trusts in the country like Calcutta Port Trust, Kerala Harbour Engineering Department, Kandla Port Trust and Gujarat Pipvav Port Trust.

Environmental Impact Assessments for the Coast Guard, Indian Navy and Kandla Port Trust.

Dredge spoils disposal schemes for ports.

Mission IV - Marine Instrumentation

The Marine Instrumentation mission of NIOT is involved in indigenous development of acoustic based instruments for marine and Oceanographic use and some special sensors/ transducers, which form the vital part of any marine instrument.

An IP 65 qualified Acoustic Tide Gauge (ATG) ATG has been working satisfactorily since April 1999 at Chennai Port Trust and another gauge at Chatham island, Andamans, Port Blair. Data obtained from ATGs installed at Andaman and Chennai are received continuously and are being analysed. One gauge was installed in Vietnam during January 2001, under a bilateral programme between India and Vietnam. One more gauge is expected to be installed at Tuticorin by the end of March 2001, for which laboratory tests and trials were completed.

As a spin off to a project given to Ocean Engineering Cell (OEC), IIT, Chennai, a handheld digital portable current meter has been developed for field operation from a laboratory model.

As a part of the transducer development program, prototype transducers for a 33kHz Echo-sounder are being developed. An array to give a 20 degree beam width has been designed, constructed and tested for its underwater performance utilizing the Acoustic Test Facility of N.P.O.L, Kochi. Another achievement is the prototype development of a wide band transmitter for its use in a sub-bottom profiling systems operating in the frequency region 2-10kHz. This has power handling capability of 2kW. The usable frequency range is proposed to extend up to 16 kHz in the future work. This work has been carried out for the first time in the country utilizing indigenously available piezo-ceramic materials. Establishment of an Acoustic Test Facility (ATF) for the underwater evaluation of transducers being developed by NIOT is expected to be completed by the end of this financial year. While concreting work of the tank has been completed, leak test of tank work will be completed before March 2001.

The development of an Integrated Underwater Survey System (IUSS), which comprises a 33kHz echo-sounder, 2-16 kHz acoustic sub- bottom Profiler and a 190-210 kHz Side Scan Sonar has also been undertaken. The tow body design has been taken up and the initial design was modified to meet the requirements. The hardware for the echo- sounding system has also been developed. A field trial has been carried out at Chennai Port Trust in addition to the laboratory tests carried out at O.E.C, IIT, Chennai. An improvement in the circuit for Echo-sounder is being carried out based on the field trial test results. Firmware development using TMS 32044C DSP card for sub-bottom profiler will be completed.

Development of Acoustic Pinger/release system has also been undertaken. A pinger has already been tested at 700m depth. The design of pinger for 6000m depth for polymetallic nodules project is progressing, for which transducer has already been procured.

Visits abroad

Director visited China during 8.5.2000 - 14.5.2000 as a Part of Indian Delegation to explore the possibility of Joint Technology development Cooperation between NIOT and the concerned Institution (s) in China with Govt. of China.

A Scientist of OTEC Group visited Saga University, Japan during 11.5.2000 -18.5.2000 to witness testing of condenser and holding technical discussions in connection with the 1 MW OTEC demonstration plant.

A Scientist of NIOT and a Scientist of State Pollution control Board visited Limnotech Inc., & JE Edinger & Associates, Inc. Philadelphia, USA during 15.7.2000-02.08.2000 for training and model set up relating to water quality sampling analysis and water quality modelling

The Programme Director, NDBP attended the 16th Session of the Data Buoy Cooperation Panel held in Canada during 14.10.2000- 20.10.2000.

A three member delegation of NIOT visited Germany during 24.5.2000 - 11.6.2000 and 21.10.2000-4.11.2000 for holding detailed discussions and for finalising the reports for sand mining operation & design reports for 6000m application in connection with IKS Joint Technology Development Programme on Deep Sea Mining Technology to University of Siegen, Germany

A Scientist of NIOT from Marine Instrumentation Group was Deputed to Myanmar during 21.12.2000-28.12.2000, under the Indian-Myanmar Cooperation for discussion with the Myanmar authorities in the filed of Oceanography in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Seas.

Two Scientists of the Marine Instrumentation Group were deputed to Vietnam during 25-12-2000 to 4-1-2001 for Installation of a Tide Gauge under the Programme of Cooperation between India and Vietnam.