Research & Development.
CPCL established an in-house R&D Centre in 1986, the first of its kind in India:
- Provide technological inputs to meet the corporate objective of technical excellence in all aspects of refinery operations
- Promote indigenous technologies for refinery processes in association with laboratories
- Develop new products and upgrade the quality of the existing petroleum products
The R&D centre has the recognition of “Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)” under the Ministry of Science and Technology, since its inception. The research programmes of R&D are monitored in-house by the Research Project Advisory Committee (RPAC).
CPCL has invested immensely to establish pilot plants and analytical facilities in the last two decades and has been recognized as a leading research facility in the area of Petroleum Refining in India.
Major Areas of Research.
Crude Assay
Evaluation of Catalysts and Feedstock for FCC, Reformer and Hydro processing units
Development of catalysts for Refining Processes
Solvent Extraction
Product Formulation
Biofuels
Major Research Facilities Available at Pilot Plants.
- TBP/POT STILL Distillation Units for carrying out detailed Assays on Imported and Indigenous Crudes.
- Hydrotreating Pilot Plants
- Catalytic Reformer Micro Reactor Unit
- Liquid – Liquid Extraction Pilot Plant
- ACER MAT unit for Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst Evaluation
Hydrocracker Unit
Liquid-Liquid Extraction Unit
TBP/POT STILL Distillation Units
Analytical Facilities for Crude Assay Evaluation, Analysis of Petroleum Fractions and Catalyst Characterization:
- Gas Chromatographs for DHA, SIMDIST and RGA
- Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometer for trace element analysis (ICP-OES)
- 2D- Gas Chromatography
- Sulphur Analyser
- High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Catalyst characterization facilities such as Surface Area Analyser, Particle Size Analyser,CS Analyser etc.,
- Petroleum Testing Equipment such as D-86, Flash Point, Pour Point etc.,
R&D centre also provides analytical support for optimization and trouble shooting of various process unit operations.
Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES)
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
2Dimensional – Gas Chromatography
ACER MAT unit for Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst Evaluation
Surface Area Analyser
Carbon -Sulphur Analyser
Distillation Unit (ASTM D86)
Biofuels
R&D is carrying out a research project to demonstrate technical feasibility of an integrated process for cultivation of microalgae and production of microalgal bio-crude.
Algae Project Site
The flow of cultivation process
Biomass Production in 4000 m2 Pond
Achievements & Recognitions.
- The R&D centre in collaboration with IIP, Dehradun and EIL has developed a technology for Lube Extraction which has been commercialized at IOC Haldia Refinery in its 0.35 MTPA Lube Plant. In recognition of this achievement, CPCL has won “The Technology Award of CSIR”.
- R&D Centre in collaboration with CSMCRI developed R.O membranes for water treatment. A demonstration unit with 1 Million Litres per Day capacity R.O unit with indigenously developed membrane was put up in CPCL TTP Plant.
- The Centre has about 12 patents in the research areas and has also published about50 papers in international journals and symposiums
- R&D Centre has sponsored research projects in academic institutions and national laboratories.
- R&D Centre has been recognized by Anna University for carrying out research work leading to MS/Ph.D programme.
