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CSIR-NCL enhances oxygen generation in MiG-29 aircraft

Oct 26, 2024 06:50 AM IST

The project was initiated in November 2023 at the request of the Indian Navy, which was led by Vijay Bokade, head, catalysis and inorganic chemistry division, alongside Prashant Niphadkar and research students

The CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, has successfully rejuvenated the On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS) of the MiG-29 fighter aircraft, ensuring optimal performance and safety during high-altitude operations.

The OBOGS unit in the MiG-29 aircraft, which provides a continuous oxygen supply to pilots at high altitudes, relies on zeolite material to selectively adsorb nitrogen and produce pure oxygen. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)
The OBOGS unit in the MiG-29 aircraft, which provides a continuous oxygen supply to pilots at high altitudes, relies on zeolite material to selectively adsorb nitrogen and produce pure oxygen. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The project was initiated in November 2023 at the request of the Indian Navy, which was led by Vijay Bokade, head, catalysis and inorganic chemistry division, alongside Prashant Niphadkar and research students.

The OBOGS unit in the MiG-29 aircraft, which provides a continuous oxygen supply to pilots at high altitudes, relies on zeolite material to selectively adsorb nitrogen and produce pure oxygen. Over time, the zeolites become less effective due to moisture exposure. CSIR-NCL’s team developed an optimised rejuvenation process, which increased oxygen output in the OBOGS units from 30% to 85%, confirmed by tests at the Naval Aircraft Yard, Goa. This process was scaled up to rejuvenate approximately 54 kg of zeolite, and several MiG-29 aircraft have since been successfully deployed with the rejuvenated units.

Expressing his pride in the project Bokade said, “It was a moment of immense pride and excitement to witness the flight of the aircraft after zeolite rejuvenation.”

The indigenous development of zeolites at CSIR-NCL, ensures the long-term functionality of the OBOGS units.

CSIR-NCL has also developed its own process technology for synthesizing oxygen-enriching zeolites. The process for incorporating them into MiG-29 aircraft is underway, said Bokade.

Earlier, there was the use of zeolites, but it was largely foreign import. During the pandemic, the country faced a huge requirement of oxygen, and we had to import from foreign countries. Seeing this, the scientists in NCL started researching on indigenous zeolites development and it was successfully completed in the year 2021-2022.

“Then we published the information on our website. After that many people from industry reached us to utilise the zeolites. Similarly, the navy also came to know about our work and in November 2023, they contacted us about the aircraft project. The zeolite is not only used for pure oxygen generation but can also be used to Hydrogen and Biogas purification. Till date the NCL has 5 patents on this technology,” said Bokade.

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