Aluminium

A global leader in aluminium and copper, Hindalco Industries Limited of the Aditya Birla Group is one of the world's largest aluminium rolling companies and one of the biggest producers of primary aluminium in Asia. The company's operations encompass the entire gamut from bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium smelting to downstream rolling, extrusions, and foils, along with captive power plants and coal mines. In India, the Group enjoys a leadership position in aluminium and downstream products such as rolled products, extrusions, foils, primary aluminium ingots, billets, wire rods and aluminium slabs.

R&D

The Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company Limited (ABSTCPL) works closely with the Hindalco Innovation Centre on several fronts such as alumina production, aluminium smelting and downstream processing of aluminium.

Alumina

Enhancing productivity, reducing energy consumption, reducing environmental impact and technology revamping are the focus areas for alumina research. The research strategy involves application of advance science, technology and engineering platforms comprising of fundamental process analysis, computational fluid dynamics, process modelling and simulation, process control, process development and laboratory experiments.

Aluminium smelting

The research activity focus is on improving productivity by increasing amperage, current efficiency and reducing specific energy consumption of the aluminium smelters. With expertise in pot design and control, ABSTCPL is focusing on increasing productivity by advanced modelling and advanced process control, with a long-term focus on building higher amperage pots. In association with the aluminium business, ABSTCPL is involved in developing new technologies such as drained cathode cells, inert anodes and vertical electrode cells.

Downstream processing

ABSTCPL is working to develop new metallic and non-metallic materials that meet higher performance standards and specifications. The team is working on improving understanding of processing-structure-property relationships and using this knowledge to develop newer materials. An experimental setup has been developed to replicate some of the common industrial processes at the laboratory scale, in order to study mechanical properties and correlate these to various process parameters. Structural characterisation is undertaken at various scales to get a better understanding of the process and the product, and to identify opportunities for further optimisation.