A hydrochloric acid tank with a capacity of 15000 litres at the FRP Centre

< Back

Equipment

A hydrochloric acid tank is required to be resistant to strong acid’s corrosive effects as well as mitigate any potential HCL vapours. The tanks are generally manufactured from cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) and rubber lined carbon steel to 1.9 SG (ductile cast iron).

IIT Madras set up six centres in the year 1973. The Composite Structures (FRP) Research Centre, also known as the Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP) Centre, was one of them. The Centre was officially opened in March 1974 and it aimed at coordinating and utilising its expertise and resources to advance the special areas of technology that were of national importance. It also aimed at providing technical advice and leadership to the FRP industry in the country. The key objectives of the centre and services offered, as listed in the 1974 IITM Annual Report: Research and development of raw materials and composites, process design and development, mould design and development, process machinery design and fabrication, testing and quality control services, graduate and postgraduate teaching and a lot more.

Collection:

Gourishankar Collection

Album Name:

FRP Centre (3)

Photograph ID:

001/0257/IMG_0313

Album ID:

0257

Date:

6 January 1977

Photographer:

C. Gourishankar (1926-2002). A geologist by qualification, Gourishankar started his career as a photographer after working for many years with the Geological Survey of India. In everything that he did, Gourishankar strove to achieve flawlessness and impeccable quality. Thus his photography too was characterised by this drive for perfection. Every photograph that Gourishankar took was meticulously planned and shot and printed with diligence and patience. Gourishankar carried out most of the official photography at IIT Madras in the 1960s.