| Challenge Owner(s) | Tata Innoverse |
|---|---|
| Organiser(s) | Tata Innoverse |
| Industry Type(s) |
Digital/ICT, Infrastructure, Precision Engineering
|
| Opportunities and Support | Reward ranging from INR 300,000 to 1,000,000 depending on type of challenge statements. |
| Application Start Date | 26 May 2023 |
| Application End Date | 31 March 2024 |
| Website | Click here to learn more |
About Challenge
The new millennium has witnessed a quantum leap in technological advancements, and problems that were difficult to solve earlier are now solvable. Tata group is seeking access to such technologies & diverse range of fresh perspectives that can be further developed through our open innovation program – Tata InnoVerse.
Tata Innoverse is our Open Innovation Program with an endeavour to bring together innovators, scientists, Start-ups, and academicians, SME & individuals from across the globe to solve technical challenges of our companies.
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| Challenge Owner(s) | Tata Steel UISL |
|---|---|
| Industry Types(s) | Infrastructure |
Non-Invasive Method for Assessing the Health of Underground Water Pipeline
The water distribution system is typically underground and is a huge network of underground water pipelines made of Mild steel (MS). The total length of underground pipes is around 20 kms. The water distribution system is a Tree Distribution Network, with pipe diameters of 400, 700, 900, 1200 mm buried at a depth of up to 3 m.
Any breaking down of the pipeline because of damage, corrosion etc., results in shutdown. The damaged pipeline should be repaired in shortest duration possible, whenever a leakage is reported. However, identifying location of the leakage is not easy and often requires extensive digging to detect the leakage(s).
As part of preventive maintenance, it is essential to undertake timely health assessment of underground pipes and plan the repair of damaged portions. Any new solution needs to consider the surface material (bitumen pitch, concrete, etc.), type of soil, and depth of pipelines underneath. It is possible that the depth of the pipe network will vary with location due to the absence of a flat terrain of the plant area.
| Challenge Owner(s) | Tata Steel UISL |
|---|---|
| Industry Types(s) | Infrastructure |
Prediction of Pipeline Failure in Coal Washeries
In the process of coal beneficiation, a magnetite-water slurry (called media) is used, the composition of which is Fe3O4 (iron oxide) + H2O (water) + Coal. This slurry is carried by pipelines spread across the plant (~3 km) with multiple bends. The pipelines are of 6” to 14” in diameter and located at a height of up to 30 m. The material of the pipelines is Mild Steel (MS) with or without cast basalt lining inside, or High-density polyethylene (HDPE).
The slurry is corrosive. Leakages are evident on the bends and welded portions of the pipelines. Currently, a shutdown of ~ 16 hours is taken after every few days, during which the pipeline is inspected visually for fault identification and replacement of pipeline sections. There is no method to predict likely future failures. Moreover, there are several unapproachable regions where the inspection is almost never carried out, which increases the risk of pipeline failure. Drone-based inspection is not possible as approaching the pipelines is not possible due to space constraints.
What We Are Looking For
We require a system which can predict and alert possible pipeline failures, for proactive planning of shutdown and repair/replacement.
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| Challenge Owner(s) | Tata Steel UISL |
|---|---|
| Industry Types(s) | Circular Economy & Sustainability, Digital/ICT, Precision Engineering |
Inspection and Condition Monitoring of Insulated Chiller Water Pipelines
There is approximately 100 km of chiller water pipelines in our plant with pipe diameter ranging from 50mm to 300mm. These pipelines are distributed all over the plant at a height of 20-50 m from the ground. The pipe network has welding at every 6m along with bends and pipe fittings. The ambient temperature around the pipeline varies from 40-75 °C. These water lines are insulated with thermocol, steel wire mesh and the outer layer with cement or Aluminium sheet. Many a time, there is condensation at the surroundings which lead to rusting and weakening of the pipe. The supports of pipelines are metallic and have no insulation which causes condensation and hence rust.
Since the chiller water lines run all across the plants, leakages can lead to water ingress and damage the spares/equipment. The breakdown in the chiller water network poses a serious safety issue due to the location of the pipelines in places like torpedo area, or near the power rails of EOT cranes. Currently, the insulation has to be ruptured at random places to know the condition of the pipeline. After measuring the thickness using ultrasonic testing, the pipe is re-insulated at the ruptured portion. If ultrasonic testing is used directly on the top of the cemented portion, variation in thickness measurement readings is huge due to the metallic portions of wire mesh and support hinges. Hence, the accuracy of the readings is doubtful. Moreover, the current method is time-consuming and requires a lot of re-work.
What We Are Looking For
- Easy inspection at all working heights and at high ambient temperatures (up to 70 °C)
- The inspection mechanism/device must be handled and fixed on the waterline with minimum effort without hindering /fouling the other lines passing nearby. The operation should be easy.
- The solution must be environment-friendly.
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