IIT Madras 'Micro Turbomachine' enters testing phase

Micro Turbomachine, the joint innovation program by IIT Madras and GE Aviation has entered the testing phase.

IIT Madras and GE Aviation joint forces to locally design and develop aviation high-speed Micro Turbomachine. The work on the joint innovation program started in 2016 and now it has entered the testing phase.

IIT Madras and GE inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2016 to collaborate on research and development. The testing is being done at National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).

“The development of Micro Turbomachine is a shining example of academia-industry collaboration to drive innovation in India. It was designed and developed as part of Ucchatar Avaishkar Yojana (UAY) launched by the Government of India to promote industrial innovation of a higher order that addresses the needs of local industry,” said Alok Nanda, CEO, GE India Technology Centre and CTO GE South Asia, as reported by The Print.

“We are excited to see the enhanced aviation testing facilities at NAL. Testing is an important part of the product development cycle, and we are delighted to work with NAL on testing the locally designed and developed Micro Turbomachine,” added Nanda.

INR 10 crore invested on Micro Turbomachine

The programme got the investment of INR 10 crore over a period of five years, of which 75% was funded by IIT Madras through the UAY (Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana) scheme of the Government of India and 25% by GE. 

“The project was conceived by Late Professor B V S S Prasad (former head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT-M). His team of talented researchers and faculty members could meet the demands and challenges of developing the Micro Turbomachine. It took us months to conduct several simulations necessary to arrive at the optimum design of the product,” said Prof. A Seshadri Sekhar, principal investigator of the project and the current Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Madras.

“Further, test rigs were designed and developed with active collaboration between IITM and GE teams. Throughout the process, the researchers were in touch with GE Aviation engineers and there was a free and friendly exchange of knowledge between them,” said Sekhar.

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