With a specific focus on the fast approaching hot summers in India, 3M India's R&D team has developed what it calls a first-of-its kind solution- 3M Scotchkote Polytech Exp RG700. This is a solar reflective coating which reduces heat inside any enclosure and can be applied on various metallic and non-metallic substrates.
Commenting on this innovation, Dr. Mukesh Madhup, Manager- Technical, Product Development, Electrical Markets Division 3M India, said, "This innovation is a significant milestone in 3M India's R&D effort. We are greatly satisfied with the impact this solution has had on the Indian rail coaches' heat reduction so far. Our teams are now scaling up the production as this solution finds prevalent application in the HVAC industry. We are also exploring application of this solution across other countries such as Singapore, Germany and China."
The coating has so far been applied in over 100 rail coaches. It is believed to have contributed to Indian Railways vision of sustainable procurement, passenger comfort and energy conservation by over 20%. Additionally, it has significantly contributed to passenger comfort. It is estimated that if applied over 15,000 rail coaches in India's large rail network, this solution can save up to 162 thousand megawatts of electricity which converts to reduction in the amount of CO₂ released by almost 132 thousand tonnes per year. This could potentially save approximately $15 million per year in energy costs or reduce it by 17%.
The reflective coating product was developed after 2.5 years of extensive research led by 3M India R&D and supported by manufacturing and product stewardship leaders. There are several factors that led to this innovation, such as the growing threat of global warming, urban heat island formation, growing regulation to conserve energy and HVAC industry's quest for surface temperature reduction. This solution has led to the overall improvement in AC's efficiency, protecting enclosures and surfaces from the heating due to solar infra-red radiation.
The solution finds diverse application across portable cabins, automotive-vehicle exterior, two-wheeler covers, buses, metros, telecommunication, refrigeration, cooling, chemical plants, industrial shed roofing, pavements, Liquified Petroleum Gases (LPG) storage tanks, pipelines and outdoor enclosures that have electronic components.
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