Gujarat Alkalies To Produce Super Speciality Chemical Hydrazine Hydrate In Dahej Plant Using Indigenous Technology It Co-Developed With CSIR-IICT

State-owned pharma major Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL), Vadodara and CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad have achieved success in developing indigenous environment friendly technology to manufacture super speciality chemical Hydrazine Hydrate (H6N2O).

Patent Office, Government of India has awarded a joint patent for 20 years to CSIR and GACL for invention entitled 'An improved process for production of Hydrazine Hydrate'.

Hydrazine Hydrate is widely used in various industries such as agrochemicals, polymers, water treatment, fuel cells, space applications etc.

Few Japanese companies have developed Hydrazine hydrate-based fuel cells with output density close to that of hydrogen fuel cells. The absence of carbon dioxide in the emission has a positive effect on the application of these fuel cells and growing R&D in this field will create a healthy market in future.

At present, Hydrazine Hydrate is 100% imported product in India and there was a need for import substitution of this high value super speciality chemical product. China, had the highest share of the global industry in Hydrazine Hydrate accounting to over 50% of the total volume share.

GACL took up a project to develop Hydrazine Hydrate technology in close association with Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, one of the flagship CSIR laboratories.

Hydrazine Hydrate technology has been developed through a series of steps involving simulation, data collection, laboratory experiments and bench scale operations. This process was refined and optimized with pilot plant operations. It was further scaled up to commercial scale plant through computerized modelling.

Based on this indigenous and environment friendly technology, GACL is setting up a commercial scale plant at its Dahej site at an estimated cost of Rs.405 Crores to manufacture 10,000 MTA of Hydrazine Hydrate.

Commissioning of this plant is expected by first quarter of 2022. GACL is a Company promoted by Government of Gujarat and has two manufacturing facilities in Vadodara and Dahej in Gujarat.

Gujarat Alkalies has invested considerably on R&D. It is working in on proving product and production processes with its R&D initiatives.

Currently, India is importing Hydrazine Hydrate from Europe and other countries.

Hydrazine Hydrate as an import substitute product with world-class quality will help in reducing country's dependency on imports, thereby saving of valuable foreign exchange. It will also strengthen India's quest to become 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in key API

(With inputs from PTI)