Research and Development centre at GNFC was formally set up in 1988. The R&D centre is recognised by DSIR, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India as an in house R&D Centre. The R&D centre is spearheaded by highly qualified, experienced engineers and scientists delivering solutions that are timely, cost effective and market focused. Creativity & ingenuity are highly emphasized.
R&D Facilities
The R&D centre is equipped with world class sophisticated facilities and pilot plants. Some of the facilities are:
| Process Development Laboratories |
| Analytical Methods Development Laboratories |
| Analytical Instruments |
| World Class Instrumentation Facilities |
| High Pressure Reactors |
| Pilot plant facilities |
| Research & Technical Library |
Process Developments
| Process for Hydrolysis of Methyl formate to Formic acid using Resin as catalyst |
| Process to manufacture Polyurethane Coatings and Adhesives |
| New green chemistry process to manufacture Ethyl Acetate |
New Products Development
| Polyurethane- TM and MT blends for applications in Automobiles |
| Polyurethane – Coating & Adhesives |
| Anti-Hygroscopic Coating Agent for ANP and CAN Fertilizer granules |
| Purified Calcium Nitrate of Fine Chemical grade |
| Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Activated Calcium Carbonate |
| New fluorescent material for Cyclone Bag Testing |
| Engineering Castable Elastomers – Formulations and Process |
Fertilizer Products
The following products have been developed in laboratory using the company’s existing products like urea and nitrophosphate fertilizers. The processes have been scaled up to pilot plant scale. The improved efficacy of these products in storage and field application have been demonstrated by field trials.
| 100% Water Soluble Fertilizers N:P:K :: 19:19:19 |
| Neem coated Urea |
| Zincated Urea |
| Anticaking agents for Urea |
| Urea Nitric Phosphate |
| Urea-Ammonium nitrate liquid fertilizer |
Industrial Users and Start-ups are invited to contact us for following Products & Processes developed In-House
| Process know-how to manufacture Coatings and Adhesives for interior applications |
| Engineering Castable Elastomers – Formulations and Process know-how |
| Process & know-how with Recipes to make High Polymer PU Foams |
| Process to manufacture Ethyl Acetate using green chemistry catalyst |
| Research services – projects |
Effluent Treatment Schemes
| Treatment of Discontinuous Effluent from Nitrophosphate Plant |
| Studies on biological denitrification process in collaboration with MS University, Vadodara, India |
Waste Recycling and Recovery of Products
R&D studies are conducted to improve on resource utilisation as well as reduce pollution and generation of waste products.
| Recovery of Rhodium Iodide |
| Separation of Soot from Soot Water |
| Recycling of nutrients of Discontinuous Effluent |
| Ammonia Recovery from plant condensate |
| Value Addition to by-product Calcium Carbonate |
| Purification of off gas stream of plant to be used as fuel |
Research Papers Published / Presented on International Level
| A review on Carbohydrate embedded polyurethanes- Elsevier – Carbohydrate Polymers, Sonal Thakore, Manita Das, A.R. Solanki. ( February 2018) |
| Structure–property relationships and biocompatibility of carbohydrate crosslinked polyurethanes – Elsevier – Carbohydrate Polymers ( March 2014), Jayen P. Mehta and A.R. Solanki. |
| Entwicklung grner Polyurethane mit Bio-Vernetzern – Fachmagazin Fur Die Polyurethnindustrie, Germany (August 2013) – Jayen P. Mehta & A. R. Solanki. |
| Development of Green Polyurethanes with Bio-Crosslinkers, European Polyurethane Journal (July 2013) – Jayen P. Mehta & A. R. Solanki. |
| The Advances in Processes and Catalysts for the production of Methyl Formate by Methanol Carbonylation – A Review. International Journal of Chemicals & Petrochemical Technology (IJCPT) Volume-3, Issue-2. June,2013. Bijay N Pattanaik |
| Polyurethanes with carbohydrate Crosslinkers – mechanical, thermal and transport properties, at International conference on “Advancement in Polymeric Materials” – Jayen P. Mehta & A.R. Solanki. (Feb ‘ 2012). |
| “India the unknown market” – ‘Invited Speaker’ at ICIS-CHEMASE-CBI International Methanol Conference held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Jayen P Mehta (Oct 2008) |
| “Bio-Diesel Initiative in India and impact on Methanol Demand.” – ‘Invited Speaker’ at Methanol Markets and Technology’ International Conference held at Manama, Bahrain – Jayen P. Mehta, (Jan ‘2008) |
| Desulphurisation Technologies – New Developments and their Applications; Jayalekshmy Ayyer, Chemical Industry Digest, 58 (Aug 2006). |
| “Methanol & Derivatives Market” – ‘Invited Speaker’ at Mega Methanol – Projects, Markets and Technology, International Conference held at Dubai – Mr. Jayen P. Mehta, (Mar’2006) |
| ‘Indian Hydrocarbon- Bright Business Potential’, at C I I and Govt. of Gujarat 1st International Petroleum Conference, The Paper was published as theme of the conference ; Mr. Jayen P. Mehta (Feb’2003) |
| Quantitative Determination of Iron Chelates and By-Products in Iron-Chelate based Liquid Catalysts for Hydrogen Sulphide Removal; J. Ayyer, V.D. Akolkar and S. Joshi, Paper presented at International Ion Chromatography Symposium, San Jose, 1999. |
GNFC – R&D Centre Research Papers Published / Presented on National Level
| Studies on development of green catalyst and separation of by-product for Ethyl Acetate process at CSMCRI August 2016 by Jayen P Mehta, B N Pattanaik, A B Oza, S K Panchal. |
| Polyurethane Elastomers: Towards high performance engineering plastics Jayen P Mehta, A R Solanki (at conference on advancements in polymeric materials- APM 2016) |
| “From R&D to Commercialisation” in National Management Convention – Global Meltdown and Road Ahead by Mr. Jayen P Mehta (Feb. 2010). |
| “Cleaner Production”: Mr. I.G.Chaudhari presented a paper in safety conference organised at Ankleshwar 2009 by Gujarat Safety Council. |
| “Studies on Purification and Recycling of Soot Water Generated in Ammonia Plant of GNFC” – Indian Journal of Fertilizers Vol 4 (11) jointly by J Ayyer, B N Pattanaik and A B Oza. (Nov.2008) |
| Development of Environment Friendly Corrosion Inhibitor for Nitrophosphate Plant of GNFC” jointly by J Ayyer, B N Pattanaik and A B Oza. – Indian Journal of Fertilizers Vol.4 No. (03 Mar 08). |
| Treatment of Discontinuous Effluent of a Nitrophosphate Plant – J. Ayyer and V.D. Akolkar, Fertilizer News, 43 (11), 23 (1998). |
| Biotreatment of nitrate – rich industrial effluent by suspended bacterial growth; S. Zala, A. Nerurkar, A. Desai, J. Ayyer and V.D. Akolkar, Biotechnology Letters, 21, 481 (1999). |
| Recovery of Ammonia from vent Gases of Evaporation Vacuum Section of Urea Plant and reduction of Air Pollution; D.D. Patel, P.M. Kapadia, B.N. Pattanaik and A.B. Oza, Fertiliser News, 49(10), 57 (2004). |
| Research and Development Efforts at GNFC; Jayalekshmy Ayyer, Fertilizer News, 47(12), 39 (2002). |
| Selective Hydrogen Sulphide Removal from Sour Water Generated in Fertilizer and Petrochemical Industries; J. Ayyer, V.D. Akolkar and V.B. Patel, Fertilizer News, 46(12), 47 (2001). |
| Comparative Evaluation of Rock Phosphates for Possible Vapour Phase Corrosion in Equipments; J. Ayyer and V.D. Akolkar, Fertiliser News, 45 (12), 67 (2000). |
| Coating Agents for Hygroscopic Fertilizers; V.D. Akolkar, V.B. Patel & Jayalekshmy Ayyer, Fertilizer News, 41 (12), 59 (1996). |
| Liquid Phase Oxidation Technology for H2S: Current Status and Process Developmental Efforts; S. Bhattacharyya, P.K. Sen, S.J. Chopra, J. Ayyer and M.M. Bhatt, Proc. Ninth Refinery Technology Meet, 1996. |
| R&D Efforts – Instrumental in Improving Productivity of Fertilizers Manufacture – GNFC Experience; M.M. Bhatt & Jayalekshmy Ayyer, Indian Fertilizer Scene Annual, 1993. |
| Development of Slow Release Nitrogen Fertilizers ( Neem Coated Urea) – Jayalekshmy Ayyer, Fertilizer News, 37 (5), 15 (1992). |
| Research & Development – Investment for Self – Reliance, Excellence & Future Growth; Jayalekshmy Ayyer, Process & Plant Engineering, VIII, 51 (1990). |
| Towards Nitrogen Efficient Fertilizers, Research in Progress at GNFC; Research & Industry, 33, 4 (1989). |
CATSOL – Liquid Phase Redox Process for hydrogen sulphide removal
This liquid phase redox process uses a low concentration aqueous chelated iron solution at mild conditions of temperature and pressure to remove hydrogen sulphide, a highly toxic, corrosive and common industrial pollutant. Hydrogen sulphide is converted to elemental suplhur with near 100% efficiency.
The salient features of the process developed are:
| It is the first Indigenous process of its kind |
| The process and technology are developed in technical collaboration with M\s Engineers India Ltd.,India’s premier engineering and consulting organisation |
| Commercially demonstrated successfully at ONGC’s sulphur recovery unit . HPCL Vishakhapattnam. |
| Catalyst, Process and Technology have been developed for H2S removal from a variety of polluting and process streams |
| The technology is applicable for pollution abatement in refineries, natural gas processing and chemical processing, biogas etc. |
| Process removes H2S from Sour Gas Streams with near 100% removal efficiency at mild conditions of temperature and pressure |
| Uses low concentration chelated Iron solution with performance additives |
| Tested extensively in lab and pilot scale at GNFC prior to commercial scale demonstration |
| Manufacturing facilities for catalyst and all associated chemicals set up at CATSOL production unit in GNFC for uninterrupted supply to user industries. |
Joint Research Projects with National Laboratories\Universities
The salient features of the process developed are:
| Project for process development to make value added Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Activated Calcium Carbonate from byproduct Calcium Carbonate generated in Process, Joint project with Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI), Bhavnagar. |
| Technology Development for manufacture of Industrial products with National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. |
| Biological Denitrification Process using microbial culture – Joint Technology Development with MS University, Baroda. |
| A collaborative project “Development of Adsorbents and Process for the Enrichment of Carbon monoxide from Tail gas stream of Ammonia plant” with Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) Bhavnagar. |
| A collaborative project “Development of Adsorbents and Process for the Enrichment of Carbon monoxide from Tail gas stream of Ammonia plant” with Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) Bhavnagar. |
List of Patents Granted to R&D work
| Sr. No. | Indian Patent No. | Title of Invention |
| 1 | IN 235621 | A Process for the generation of finely divided calcium carbonate from CaCO3 rich industrial by product |
| 2 | IN 221619 | A process for generation of precipitated CaCO3 from CaCO3 rich industrial by-product |
January 2014 – for Development of Methyl Format Hydrolysis Process
January 2006 – DSIR Award for Successful Technology Transfer & Commercialisation – CATSOL
Golden Peacock – Eco-Innovation Award 2003
DSIR Award for Environment friendly Catalyst Development – 2001
FGI Award for “Excellence in R&D” – 2001
For further inquiries please contact
Rajesh M. Patel
Additional General Manager
Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals LimitedP.O. Narmadanagar – 392015
Dist. Bharuch, Gujarat, India.
Phone : +91 (02642) 203226
Email : rajeshpatel@gnfc.in