Activities:
- Development of new value-added products having synergy with company’s business
- Process & market support services for improving process efficiencies, upgrading products quality and technology demonstration.
- Offering innovative solutions & providing expertise and support to all plants and services departments.
1.1. Fertilizer Research:
Fertilizer research is crucial for improving crop yields, maintaining soil health, and addressing nutrient deficiencies. GSFC's R&D center focuses on developing new eco-friendly fertilizers that improve soil health and reduce environmental impact. This involves researching and formulating fertilizers that meet the evolving needs of agriculture, ensuring they are both effective and environmentally sustainable and aligning with the company's commitment to sustainable agriculture and its existing business portfolio. Major areas of Fertilizer Research are -
- Organic Fertilizers
- Suspension Concentrate and Liquid Fertilizers
- NPK Complex Fertilizers
- Water Soluble Fertilizers
- Growth Promoters
- Soil Conditioners
- Enhances nutrient uptake
- Increases crop yield
- Increase Nutrient availability and Use efficiency.
- Better application and market requirements
- Eco-friendly
- Improved Nutrient Use Efficiency
- Increases yield and farmer’s income
- Customer satisfaction
- Process Modifications To address quality challenges/ reduction in specific consumption
- In house field trials for all fertilizer products on various crops at various seasons
- Field trials for market research samples and comparison
- Trials on Organic farming
1.2. Industrial Products Research:
Research in the field of Industrial products is crucial for driving innovation and maintaining competitiveness in a rapidly changing market. GSFC R&D focuses to develop new and improved products and intermediates, optimize existing processes for greater efficiency, and reduce production costs and enhancing/modifying product quality to widen customer base. R&D also plays a key role in promoting sustainability by creating eco-friendly products and reducing the environmental impact of industrial activities and ensuring that products meet consumer preferences and industry trends. Major areas of Industrial Products Research are -
- Industrial Products
- Pharma Products
- Chemicals
- Derivatives
- Development of Derivatives
- Process for waste handling/ waste management
- Process for end use application like Nylon Casting
- Biodegradable coating technology for seeds, fertilizers
- Enhance properties for wider market acceptability
- Process Modifications for quality improvement
1.3. Biotechnology Research:
Biotechnology research is essential for enhancing fertilizer effectiveness, promoting sustainability, reducing chemical dependency, and improving the agricultural sector’s adaptability to environmental challenges. By leveraging biological processes, it enables the creation of biofertilizers and microbial solutions that enhance nutrient uptake, reduce chemical dependency, and improve soil health. Major areas of Biotechnology Research are -
- Bio-stimulants Research
- Biofertilizer: Nutrient fixing/ Nutrient Mobilizing Bacteria
- Fungus based natural fertilizers
- Bio pesticides
- Waste Management: Microbial treatment for effluent/waste water treatment
- Longevity of soil beneficial microbes
- biogenic nano fertilizers, Urban Gardening Products
- Value addition through seaweed, bacteria fortification in existing products
- Encapsulated microbe based fertilizers for better applicability
- Support to Biostimulant Production Plant
- Support to Liquid Biofertilizers Production Plant
2.1 Pilot Plant & Process Scale up
Pilot plants and scale-up processes are essential to bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale production. It helps to validate and refine processes on a smaller scale before scaling up.
- Process Scale-up, optimization and evaluation before commercial stage
- Mass balance & data generation for commercial technology transfer
- Manufacturing new products for market seeding
- Facilities for executing unit operations like drying, centrifuging, crystallization, evaporation, mixing and unit processes like neutralization, fermentation, calcinations etc.
- Providing support to large scale manufacturing plants for trouble shooting by replicating plant processes in reduced scale.
2.2 Analytical Support
- Development of new methods for analysis
- In house analysis support to all R&D projects
- Validation of Analysis methods.
- Counterfeit sample analysis
2.3 Knowledge Bank & Technology Demonstrations
- Demonstration & Solutions
- Training & Development
- Patents & Publications
- Technical evaluation of Vendors
- Green initiatives for Effective waste utilization
- Technical Guidance
Corrosion Monitoring & Materials Evaluation:
Corrosion and materials evaluation is critical in the fertilizer industry as Fertilizer plants handle corrosive chemicals, which can degrade equipment over time, leading to potential safety hazards, operational downtime, and increased maintenance costs. Evaluating and selecting the right materials for construction and equipment ensures the longevity and reliability of the machinery, reducing the risk of material related failures. Corrosion & Metallurgy Division of R&D functions in following areas to address these issues.
3.1 Root Cause Failure Analysis of Metallic Components
- Reduces Downtime
- MoC Selection
- Service Life Extension
- Acceptance Criteria
- Reduce Maintenance
- Corrosion failures
- Safe operations
- Monitoring Techniques
- Insurance claims
3.2 Inputs for Repair Practices
- Proper Heat Treatment
- Good Welding Practices
- Quality checkpoints
- Surface treatments for property enhancement
- Consumable Specification
- Pre & Post repair treatments
- Corrosion resistance evaluation
3.3 Health Monitoring of Components
- In-situ metallography
- Health Assessment
- Chemical & physical property evaluation
- Wear Particle Analysis of Lube oil
- Corrosion inhibitor efficiency & Chemical cleaning Evaluation
3.4 Knowledge Sharing
- Material Databank & Technical Guidance
- Optimum Material Specification & Compatibility of materials
- Import substitution & Alternative MoC
- Operating Conditions
- Publications
- Vendor Evaluation
3.5 Cooling water treatment Support
Microbial Monitoring of cooling water
- Monitoring of aerobic bacterial count (Total bacterial count-TVC) and Anaerobic Sulphate Reducing Bacterial (SRB) count
- Biocide Efficacy Testing
- Report Preparation and recommendation of Cooling Tower Treatment
Corrosion rate monitoring of cooling water
- Coupon exposure and monitoring of Corrosion Rate
- Monitoring of descaling/ chemical cleaning of Heat Exchangers
- Chemical inhibitor performance studies
