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SITTING DUCK... ARJUN THE BATTLE TANK
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 08:13. Arjun AVSM Bheema Chennai DRDO krishna Madras Pandava PVSM VCR EngineThe development of Main Battle Tank (MBT) for Indian armored Corps by Indian scientists was taken up by CVRDE at Madras ( Now Chennai) that is a part of DRDO. Way back in seventies, the project MBT 80 was taken up. Guys were trying to develop own engine for the future MBT, the inevitable sitting duck. In those days, there was a craze for Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) Diesel Engine, popular in American usage and Tank development. In this design, the compression ratio could be changed while the engine was running by pumping high pressure oil into piston that was made of two sliding parts, one within other. Once the fluid is forced in to the chamber, upper sliding piston moves up and gets locked and reduces the clearance volume and there by increases compression ratio. However the sealing and other allied arrangements should be sophisticated and Indian expertise in those days was definitely debatable and to be precise was utterly lacking. After struggling for much of the time at Madras by the Research organization of Govt India, I think they came out with a model proto type probably in 1970 aimed to produce 1500 BHP. This engine could just produce power that was just sufficient to keep it moving by itself overcoming its internal friction. I am sure the engine would have struggled and stopped if the fly wheel was touched with the hand (Meaning an additional light load). Rest of the balance power probably was interpolated and predicted using various performance curves and claimed that it would produce (bla…bla…bla…). There was no actual power development and brake power testing to the required power. It was the theoretical prediction. The seals in piston gave serious trouble. The Project died its own death and God saved India. I am sure the project of the beleaguered design was abandoned. My question is, “Why try to design some thing that is beyond one’s capability?” In India, for some crazy guys there are many fancies.