BHEL secures order for Heat Exchangers for LCA Tejas

New Delhi, Feb 15: In a major development, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on Monday said it has bagged an order from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to supply compact heat exchanger sets for Tejas aircraft. This will boost the defence production under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and towards achieving self-reliance in the critical field of defence equipment.

 

 

"Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has received a prestigious order for the supply of compact heat exchanger sets for 83 LCA Tejas MK1A aircrafts, from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)," the company said in a statement. The order envisages manufacturing, assembly, testing and supply of compact heat exchangers to be fitted in the light combat aircraft, Tejas, being manufactured by HAL.

 

 

According to the statement, the BHEL's Heavy Plates and Vessels Plant (HPVP), Visakhapatnam is the sole supplier of heat exchangers for LCA Tejas to HAL since 1996. The BHEL-HPVP and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore have jointly designed and developed 13 different types of compact heat exchangers for Environmental Control System (ECS) and Secondary Power System (SPS) of LCA MK-1 program.

 

The BHEL is also currently working with DRDO for the development of Air Cycle Machine based Liquid Cooling System (LCS) for Aircraft POD application for LCA MK-2. The BHEL-HPVP has dedicated, intricate manufacturing and inspection facilities for manufacturing of state-of-the-art Compact Heat Exchangers for different types of aircraft manufactured by HAL.

 

 

The same are progressively being augmented to meet International Aero Standards (AS9100) and BHEL is ready to meet the requirements of future programs of LCA, ALH, Sukhoi and AMCA. The BHEL has been a reliable supplier of critical equipment and services in the defence and aerospace sector for over three decades, the statement said.

 

Significantly, the company has already established specialised manufacturing facilities and capabilities aimed at making a major contribution towards self-reliance in the production of defence equipment, it added. These initiatives of BHEL will be a driving force towards the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan of Government of India, it further said.