Honeywell partners with DRDO to ramp up oxygen production

Industrial technology firm Honeywell on Monday said that it is partnering with Defence Research Development Organisation and with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Petroleum to supply molecular sieve adsorbents to accelerate setting up of medical oxygen plants (MOP) in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said that it has freed up an entire manufacturing line in Italy to prioritize supply to India.

"Excellent cooperation is extended by Honeywell in application and supply of zeolite, an important constituent of Medical Oxygen Plants (MOP). This is helping industries to fabricate MOPs,'' Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman and secretary, Department of Defence R&D, G Satheesh Reddy said in a statement.

Honeywell UOP has assured timely supply of adsorbents to enable the country to produce sufficient medical grade oxygen to meet the increased demand, and has partnered with DRDO and CSIR-IIP and their associates to identify and supply alternative adsorbents to optimize cost and streamline supply-related logistics without compromising output from plants.

The company said that it has instituted a cross-functional team to support DRDO and CSIR-IIP in this critical project. Scientists from Honeywell UOP, DRDO and CSIR-IP are collaborating to establish the suitability of absorbents for oxygen production in India. Honeywell India President Akshay Bellare said that Honeywell is committed to helping India address the current pandemic and is making every effort to find meaningful ways to engage with the government in the fight to save lives.

''We are redirecting our global supply of Honeywell UOP adsorbents from Italy to India to help the Government of India install life-saving oxygen plants across the country. Our technologists and scientists are collaborating with DRDO and CSIR-IIP scientists to solve India's needs,'' Bellare said. Honeywell UOP developed the first commercially viable adsorbent for medical oxygen applications more than 40 years ago, the statement said. The technology enables adsorption of nitrogen from air using a pressure or vacuum swing system to obtain oxygen purity up to 95 per cent and the same is used for manufacturing oxygen concentrators as well.