IIT-Madras researchers develop disruptive sensor technology to increase efficiency of industrial ovens: Report

Researchers at the Indian Institute Technology-Madras (IIT-M) in Chennai have developed a potentially disruptive new sensor technology aiming to increase the efficiency of industrial ovens used in the petrochemical, chemical, fertiliser and manufacturing sectors.

Called the 'Multi Point Temperature Measurement Sensor' (µTMapS), the high-tech sensor provides automated and intelligent measurements. The team claimed that µTMapS can replace existing heat process control systems that often cause long and expensive forced shutdowns, the Economic Times reported.

The technology can accurately measure between -100 degrees and 1,400 degrees Celsius. It uses ultrasonic waves to gather real-time data from across the furnace, which it can then send to a centralised system through an integrated Internet of Things (IoT) connection where it can be tracked and studied.

"Any industry that uses a lot of heat to process materials such as metals or polymers has to ensure that the entire furnace has a uniform temperature across the board. This is critical to reducing defective products. However, existing technologies for this purpose have a lot of gaps and our Research Team at Centre for Non-destructive Evaluation set out to address these gaps," the report quoted IIT-M Professor Krishnan Balasubramaniam, the head of the Centre, as saying.

Stating that the technology has been licensed to an IIT-M-incubated startup called Xyma Analytics, Balasubramaniam said that field testing of the technology had been in progress for one year across Indian industries to establish its reliability, performance and benefits.