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Cool kit for soldiers in tanks
JOY SENGUPTA
Heat escape
Ranchi, May 5: Indiaâs main battle tank will never be the same again.
A team of engineers, led by Suchitangshu Chatterjee, from the Ranchi-based Metallurgical and Engineering Consultants (Mecon) Ltd, has developed the technology to keep gunners cool in the confined space and for a long period.
The device, smaller than a tabletop computer, took eight years to develop. It was tested in desert conditions on Indiaâs western front and in Chennai, where the main battle tank, Arjun, is built, says a communication from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The army has found it suitable for use.
An elated Chatterjee told The Telegraph that only the US had the technology so far to keep a tank in motion âcoolâ.
Conditions inside a tank, he said, are demanding and the temperature hovers between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius. Sitting in the cramped conditions and in such heat takes a toll on the toughest of soldiers. Many gunners have suffered anxiety syndrome, loss of memory and even temporary insanity.
An airconditioner cannot be fitted in the tank, Chatterjee, a deputy general manager in the company he joined in 1987, said. Any device to be designed by the team had to be small and access energy conveniently. The device ensures continuous air-flow, through tubes, to a special costume that keeps body temperature hovering between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. This will now protect the gunners from fatigue.
The Mecon team has also developed a pair of battery-operated gloves and socks for soldiers camping at high altitudes and in severe cold. They are yet to undergo field tests, though.
But Chatterjee exuded confidence that they would function in Siachen, where the field tests are likely to be conducted.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060506/asp/frontpage/index.asp
The field studies conducted by DRDO on the problems of tank crew in desert environment have identified the need for the development of microclimate cooling device to combat the high heat loads encountered by the tank crew. The microclimate of the crew component gets heated to temperatures beyond 50 ° C. Exposure to such high temperature leads to heat disorders, causing deterioration in the mental and physical work capacity of the crew members.
Human factors considerations and the process of heat transfer from the human body have revealed that microclimate cooling close to body surface of the crew members is the only possible and effective solution to the problem. With this in view, the design parameters for the development of thermoelectric solid-state cooling garment based on Peltier's effect of cooling finalized.
The unit is devised by using TE modules having suitable coefficient of performance. The modules I are sandwitched between two copper plates that act as hot side and cold side plates, Water is used as heat exchanger that circulates through the grooves in the cold plate and cool down to approximately 20 :t 1° C. The cold water is then allowed to circulate through the thin PVC linings of the tubing which are in contact with body surface. The cold water picks up heat from the body surface and cools it.
The application of the solid-state cooling garment has been demonstrated in the human climatic chamber and also in the crew compartments of T -72 and MBT Arjun, The system has been found to be effective and provides more than 300 W of cooling at power input of 460 W. In this endeavour, MECON Ltd, Ranchi, has lend their expertise. Miniaturization of the system has been planned.
Solid State Microclimate Conditioning Unit developed by MECON, funded by DIPAS, Delhi, (Unit of DRDO), provides powerful solutions to the problems presented by demanding thermal conditions i.e. minimizing heat stress and fatigue for persons working in high ambient. Such systems are solid state, CFC free, highly reliable and easily maintainable.
Army chief Gen J J Singh recently declared that the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was considering proposals to âpartiallyâ air-condition the T-90S to overcome the overheating problem. But he did not elaborate as to how a cooling plant could be successfully engineered into the tank.
Interceptor it requires a CITV means you need to use one more gunners idnependent sight exclusively for commander, zraver I think i got the reason why it doesnt has CITV, remember Arjuns gunners sight was yet not indigenous other than the new batch IIRC.
Thus i guess not to escalate cost it didnt put CITV, and will put it when in next batch it will use the indigenous gunners main sight which will be considerably cheaper.
It clready costs 2x times the T90 lol.
I'm sorry Joey you are misserably ignorant to the fact that Arjun has about dozen defects.My dear Batman, I'm afraid your woefully immature in the sidelines of briefing about Arjuns Developement, However I'll try my best to reply you, kindly do a little bit research while posting things.
India will test its 14 Arjun main battle tanks in June desert ....
Army officials have already declared that the indigenous tank is not fit for combat.....
Conceived in 1974...
costs $83.33 million.....
The T-90 now serves as India’s main battle tank.
Army sources said the Arjun continues to be only a training tank and is not yet qualified for combat, as it is very heavy and will need many changes in its logistics tail, including the size of the rail cars that transport them.
But a Defence Ministry official said the Arjun’s defects have been removed, and if it passes next month’s tests, more production orders will be placed ....
Army officials disagree, saying there are still at least a dozen defects in the tank, including a deficient fire-control system, inaccurate gun and faulty air conditioning that makes it difficult to operate in very hot conditions.The quality of the Arjun tank also has been a concern..
one official had testified, “I am afraid our quality control is very poor.
I have heard that five tanks were presented before the media. However, when the media and other people went away, the tanks were put back in the factory..
“The biggest problem in India in respect of defense production is quality control.
Army sources said that around 1,000 tanks out of the 3,000 now in service will be junked by 2008....
Army is junking more tanks in the next two to three years ...
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...6224&C=asiapac
A tank near the end of his life will not perform as new one, you see Indian army will be junking 1000 in 2008 and remaining in next couple of years and if you will not import new you will end up testing arjun against junk as written in article.lol, Does used tanks means they wont perform as new ones?
Few moments ago you were talking of two regiments.Roughly around 30 or so are ready, if you want more details let me know.
The Indian Army has 124 Arjuns on order.
The first 15 tanks of the 124 have already been activated. Of the remaining 109 tanks, the Indian Army is currently putting the first five tanks from the production lines at Avadi, through accelerated build quality and reliability trials. The intent is to verify whether the Arjun production has stabilized, with the requisite quality and performance requirements. Upon successful completion, the remaining 104 tanks will be manufactured in batches. The planned production rate is currently pegged at thirty tanks per year, with the Army requesting fifty per year as the ideal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arjun_(tank)#History
Find answers about quality, in above quote from arjun article.The secret lies in extremely finer tolerance issue of Arjuns construction which tests the rep taped OFB organisation to its limits.
If you have seen M1 Abrams production line in National Geographic you would knew how mechanized is a modern MBT production line, Indian OFB is a red tape organisation and doesnt has capability/infrastructure to produce Arjun in mass scale basis as per the requirements of tolerance and quality control laid out by DRDO to them, they have been building infrastructure for it for past few years, thus testing of each batch would ensure transition from zero production lineup to a steady production line up, and thus it is needed.
Article says orders for production will be placed only when the tests in june will be succesful, so nothing is going on as we speak.See above, how can you perfect production line without producing batches?
It is being been achievded as we speak with each batch being tested.
there is no rest lol.
How can I trust it before any reports from future tests.Arjun has been problem free for a couple of years now, It is from official MOD report.
What a secret development.... arjun's fate is still not clear and IA already finished producing special carriers!!!!No, not wrong, ask zraver, 70+ in short means carriers which can carry Arjun.
Read the big font in article above. It says T-90 serve as India's main battle tankT90 is not a MBT, Arjun is a MBT, We have 3500 tank fleet, so a high-lo mix is needed, thus the T90S would supplement Arjun.
No one told this before that Arms lobby was responsible for the delay in making of arjun.Your wrong here, Arjun has been plagued with arms lobby game, If you check the original QSR, IA initially asked for a 60 tonne MBT , 120 mm from 105 mm gun so dont believe what you see in normal eyes read more!
No comments!!!!!!!Arjun was is will outpace any T series tanks, and was designed keeping that specific details in mind, Thanks you.
You claimed 124 tanks has been produced so far and I was suspicious but you reduced the numbers to 30 in next post so now I'm more suspicious.I did not understood what you said, or what your suspicion has to do with reality.
84MUSD+ development cost (Indian sources) and than production costs!!!! How do you calculate 17 crore?Your welcome to do it, Arjun as of now cost some 17 crores with some thing imported and will be subsequently replaced by home grown things where cost will be brought down.
I previous post you said this feature will be tested only in june.It does have it, as per someone who evaluated Arjun himself.
never mind.
Batman, Your problem in understanding him is bringing in question the ability of your technical expertise, refrain from such thing as honestly you dont make any sense, because Arjun is not rejected.
I never disputed that, I even say that arjun is here since last 4 decades.Exactly as stated by Joey, Arjun is here to stay, there were malign reports about Arjun, however, the recent test has shut them up!
In case you did not know....all answers related to ARJUN has already been posted in the last few pages. Cut the bravado and try reading previous pages before trying to make big posts and issuing challenges.
India will test its 14 Arjun main battle tanks in June desert ....
Army officials have already declared that the indigenous tank is not fit for combat.....
Conceived in 1974...
costs $83.33 million.....
The T-90 now serves as Indiaâs main battle tank.
Army sources said the Arjun continues to be only a training tank and is not yet qualified for combat, as it is very heavy and will need many changes in its logistics tail, including the size of the rail cars that transport them.
But a Defence Ministry official said the Arjunâs defects have been removed, and if it passes next monthâs tests, more production orders will be placed ....
Army officials disagree, saying there are still at least a dozen defects in the tank, including a deficient fire-control system, inaccurate gun and faulty air conditioning that makes it difficult to operate in very hot conditions.The quality of the Arjun tank also has been a concern..
one official had testified, âI am afraid our quality control is very poor.
I have heard that five tanks were presented before the media. However, when the media and other people went away, the tanks were put back in the factory..
âThe biggest problem in India in respect of defense production is quality control.
Army sources said that around 1,000 tanks out of the 3,000 now in service will be junked by 2008....
Army is junking more tanks in the next two to three years ...
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...6224&C=asiapac
Read this dude, this is comming from Indian mouth.
"Firing performance of Arjun MBT is superior to T-90S in terms of accuracy (both static and dynamic situations) due to gun ammunition combination and high order of weapon stabilization coupled with auto collimated MRS.
That crap was already posted and discussed. Get something new to tell us.
I'm sorry Joey you are misserably ignorant to the fact that Arjun has about dozen defects.
Please do some research before you claim arjun better than T-90.
I quote some references from a latest article on arjun:
3.39 During oral evidence, on the quality of Arjun Tank, the non-official expert informed the Committee :-
“……… I am afraid our quality control is very poor I have heard that fives tanks were presented before the media, however, when the media and other people went away, the tanks were put back in the factory because still some quality checks had to be made. The biggest problem in India in respect of defence production is quality control. If China can do it, why can we not do it ?”
During oral evidence, on the production of MBT Arjun, the representative of the Ministry informed the Committee :-
“…….. Arjun is certified by DGQA. The responsibility of Arjun
certification is not with DGQA and still it is with DRDO
themselves”.
“These 124 tanks which have been ordered for production by the
Army, are produced in the Ordnance Factory. We have given
clearance for the Ordnance Factory to do internal QC. This is only
quality control. Then, the overall AHSP, that is, Authorised Holder
of the Sealed Particulars continues to be with DRDO till certain
maturity level is reached in production. Now, DGQA is
participating throughout in the inspection. They are not AHSP.
They will become AHSP only after DRDO gives the documents to
them. Then, the become the ultimate authority for the sealed
particulars. Today, sealed particulars are held by DRDO. DGQA is
fully involved in inspection”.
During oral evidence, on the production of MBT Arjun, the
representative of the Ministry informed the Committee :—[/I]
“After we took over the production from the DRDO first year we decided to deliver five tanks. These tanks were delivered last year. This year we are delivering 15 tanks more. Now 14 tanks which we had promised are ready. But while the tanks were handed over to the Army, they went for an extensive user trial. Now in the user trial some minor defects were noticed and these defects are being rectified one-by-one. Now the corrective actions which are required are expected to be completed by January this year. After this corrective action, further trials will take place. Now these are very small defects”.
3.41 Regarding the snag, he further stated :-[/I]
“Sir, we have driven them and for over 60,000 kms and fired more than 8,000 rounds. There was no problem. What happens is that in the gun control system, there are power amplifiers which are used in the fire control system. Some temperature settings were not properly done by the parent company. These were tucked inside. As you know, now-a-days, the deck is packaged so densely even to get access to that you have to take out the whole module. So, when this type of settings get disturbed, the rule says that one has to go through the whole qualification process again. There is no change in the design. It is a temperature re-setting which was got done. That has been rectified. Now the tanks would be there by the middle of January”.
3.42 During oral evidence, on the problems faced by MBT Arjun during trials, the representative of the Ministry apprised the Committee :-[/I]
“In the Arjun, we got into a little bit of a problem because certain temperature-setting switches were not tuned properly. They had to be returned. Yes, this was a problem of the Defence Research Scientists who have not seen that 60 degree setting was not kept at 60, but at 55 which is a normal standard of that company which supplied those parts follow. But we had in the prototype modified that for the 60. so, this had to be done. Once this got done, now we are ready. So some of these productions hiccup if they do take place in the initial phase, they should not dispirit us because whenever we do new products like that, we may face these kinds of problems”.
8.17 During oral evidence, on the status of MBT Arjun, the
representative of the Ministry informed the Committee :-[/I]
“………….The MBT Arjun started off with a 110 mm gun but at
the point of delivery it is already featuring 120 mm gun the stateof-
art. We started off a rifled gun for which there was no missile
which could be pushed through that. But we have now identified
that missile which can be fired through that. Similarly, we have
built in certain electronic package as part of our processing,
computing power within the tank which will allow us to network
into the future”.
8.18 During oral evidence, on the production of MBT Arjun, the
representative of the Ministry informed the Committee :-[/I]
“………….I want to tell you the roadmap of MBT Arjun as an
hon/ Member had asked about this issue. I want to assure you that after these 15 tanks are tried by the Army, the DRDO will be
involved only for 15 more tanks. As soon as the Ordnance Factory
produces these 30 tanks, the DGQA will take over the responsibility
for giving technical clearance – which DRDO is doing today – and
the links will be broken. Thereafter, it will be entirely the Ordnance
Factory production, and the DGQA will be responsible for its
certification. Hopefully, this situation will remain till DRDO does
some more research and makes a Mark II of Arjun Tank. If they
decide to do that, then, again, the Government will start, but that
will be only after producing 124 Tanks and not before that. We
will produce 124 Tanks, as the Army has accepted and told us to
produce these Tanks”.
The T90S are not in end of life , hell the T72's are fairly modern as well, Prove me the T90S which are nmewly acquired are at end of life.A tank near the end of his life will not perform as new one, you see Indian army will be junking 1000 in 2008 and remaining in next couple of years and
The T90S are not old ones, The article has been rebuffed already by me.if you will not import new you will end up testing arjun against junk as written in article.
124 tanks , iirc 62 per regiment was supposed to come in first batch.Few moments ago you were talking of two regiments.
Please correct wikipeda it still says only five are produced.
I quote from wiki and now don't say that it is written by me.
already done , Its your turn to prove the contraries.Find answers about quality, in above quote from arjun article.
The production order has been placed long ago, facilities were coming up, army was doing repeatitive tests, thats how research and developement works, We fired 56 times the Nag anti tank missile, over 28 times the Akash SAM and now they are inducted.Article says orders for production will be placed only when the tests in june will be succesful, so nothing is going on as we speak.
3.43 On the requirement of Tanks by the Army and the present position of orders received from the Army for Arjun Tank and also time schedule to deliver the same, the Ministry replied as under :-
“Total requirements of Army is about 3500 tanks. Army has placed an indent for manufacture of 124 MBT Arjun. Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) Avadi, a constituent unit of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), has set up exclusively for Main Battle Tank (MBT), Arjun an assembly bay that has just started functioning. Once the activity picks up speed in this facility, HVF is confident to produce 50 Arjun tanks per year from the year 2009 onwards subject to continuous requirement by the user. T-90 tank is also being produced in the same factory under a separate production line.”
I was talking about reports form succesful tests in ashwamedha exercises.How can I trust it before any reports from future tests.
I have told you once, do some research on your own, IA has now all 70+ rated stuffs, and oh incase you think we dont have them fine, We will use aladins flying carpet, each for one arjun.What a secret development.... arjun's fate is still not clear and IA already finished producing special carriers!!!!
what was the cost and which year did it happen?
Would these 70+ includes rail carriers too? Did you fortified the rail tracks all over India to bear 60tons?
Any news report supporting your claim?
Read IA's new doctrine first before lecturing me about T90 being MBT, a 3500 big tank fleet and T90S wont be the MBT, they are a part of hi-lo mix of IA's doctrine.Read the big font in article above. It says T-90 serve as India's main battle tank
the report you pasted is a brilliant example of one manipulated report even before test happens.No one told this before that Arms lobby was responsible for the delay in making of arjun.
Get your facts straight, 124 tanks are to be produced in first batch around 30 to 40 are ready for JRI - Joint Reception Inspection which will held in June.You claimed 124 tanks has been produced so far and I was suspicious but you reduced the numbers to 30 in next post so now I'm more suspicious.
It has been tested as such in ashwamedha exercises.I previous post you said this feature will be tested only in june.
the device does not uses copper fluid but cold water which is formed by the small system, it took 7 years to develope it, check the salient features, it uses solid state systems, it does not liberates any CFC, most importantly it consumes around 400 W power and produces around 360 W power, the efficiency is what was needed which a full fledged AC cannot give.Thanks Joey for explaining that,
That device I know what that is, the device cools electorlite fluid or umm coper fluid its really microlized, because metals are good conductors they will take the heat and the heat later can be cooled by the radiator and the fan.
There is no fluid, it is cold water check it again.However, my understanding of that system on a person, I believe it is very dangerous and should be avoided if the fluid could get in contact with the body it will harm the person severely. There is also the variable of if the system has the ability to monitor human temperature in such a manner that it can change with it, like a climate change system it essential otherwise the person will not feel comfortable.
At least I have some thing to support my post and you have nothing to support yours.
Actually, I have proved all your claims crap.