Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) has launched an advanced Circulating Water Tunnel facility for ocean engineering research at its ‘Discovery’ satellite campus in Thaiyur near Chennai, with ₹4.5 crore CSR funding support from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL).
Facility to boost hydrodynamics and naval research
According to IIT Madras, the fully operational facility will provide a stable and uniform-flow test section for advanced hydrodynamic investigations involving ship models, propellers and bluff bodies.
The institute said the infrastructure is expected to significantly strengthen research and teaching activities in the Department of Ocean Engineering, while supporting experimental studies related to marine vehicles, offshore systems, underwater structures and fluid dynamics.
The facility will also create advanced training opportunities for students, researchers and faculty working in ocean engineering and allied disciplines.
Strengthening industry-academia collaboration
“Our partnership with Mazagon Dock marks a significant step forward in strengthening research and technology development in ocean engineering and allied disciplines,” said IIT Madras Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations Prof Ashwin Mahalingam.
He added that the facility would enable advanced experimental studies in hydrodynamics involving ship models, propellers, marine vehicles, offshore systems and underwater structures, while opening up valuable research and training opportunities.
“At Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, we believe that strengthening India’s maritime capabilities requires sustained investments in research, innovation and academic partnerships,” said Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders CMD Capt. Jagmohan, IN (Rtd).
He said collaborations of this nature are important for accelerating indigenous capability development and advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the maritime sector.
Future maritime technology collaborations planned
IIT Madras and MDL are also exploring future collaborations in advanced maritime and naval technologies.
Among the proposed initiatives is the HYDRA Centre, a large-scale hydrodynamic testing facility featuring a 500-metre towing tank. The two organisations are additionally exploring research on indigenously developed high-efficiency multistage thermoelectric subzero refrigeration systems for naval submarines and small vessels.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, one of India’s leading warship-building yards, has built 808 vessels including 33 warships and eight submarines.