bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal Analysis of Two Wheeler Brake Disc Using ANSYS
Authors: Ganesh V. , Abinaya T.
Published: August 2015

This paper deals with the transient thermal analysis of brake disc of Variable Braking Force (VBF) system using computer software ANSYS. Generally, brake system is designed to apply frictional resistance to stop the vehicle. In VBF system the frictional resistance applied to the brake disc can be varied by changing the effective disc radius based on the pillion load. The rotor disc is commonly manufactured using cast iron (CI) or stainless steel (SS). In this work, these materials are taken for analysing the temperature distribution of VBF system. In addition to, an effort has been made here to suggest the best suited material for brake disc. By the way, it is evident that the rise in disc surface temperature is higher for VBF system compared with conventional system (constant effective disc radius (r) = 110mm).
Theoretical Modelling of Silica Gel Desiccant Wheels
Authors: Narayanan Ramadas
Published: August 2015

Desiccant evaporative cooling system is a potential environment-friendly alternative to conventional vapour compression chillers. A desiccant wheel is the heart of this heat driven cooling system and it uses a solid desiccant for dehumidification with silica gel being most widely used. The desiccant material is coated, impregnated or formed in a place on the supporting rotor structure. The matrix consists of multiple channels in the direction of axis of rotation of the wheel. Proper design of the wheel is very important for the successful operation of the system and theoretical models are very useful tool in predicting the performance and design optimization. One of the major difficulties in numerical modelling of the desiccant wheel is the lack of knowledge of adsorption equilibrium of porous medium.In this paper, adsorption equilibria of the silica gel is studied and the different theories existing to characterize the adsorption process and different equations for prediction of adsorption equilibria are compared and used in a theoretical model predicting the wheel performance. The results of the different models are compared with experimental data and conclusions are drawn.
Effect of Swirl on the Performance of an Annular Diffuser
Authors: Prakash R. , Srinivas V. Karthik , Anand H. , Adithya G. , Lakshmi Narayanan N.
Published: August 2015

Annular diffusers are primarily used to convert the kinetic energy of the exhaust flow into pressure energy. The performance of the diffusers are often measured using pressure recovery maps, that generally do not consider the distortion of flow at the inlet due to other upstream machine components. A high swirl velocity at the inlet could often account for large energy losses and hence it is necessary to curb the swirl component by appropriate design considerations. In this present work,it is desired to establish the swirl number range at the inlet of an annular diffuser for its effective and efficient performance and increased pressure recovery of the diffuser. “Swirl effect” on the fluid flow parameters with and without struts is compared, to give the idea of the numerical variation in the parameters.Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed to determine the maximum pressure recovery based on variations in the inlet swirl number. Thus, the flow was studied under varied conditions and a relation between the input parameters and the general pattern of flow for the specified input conditions was critically examined.
Generation of Crack Growth Resistance Curve from ENF Specimens Made of Glass/Epoxy: An Experimental Study
Authors: Alfred Franklin V. , Christopher T.
Published: August 2015

This article examines the fracture toughness of end notched flexure (ENF) composite specimens of three different lay-ups. Experiments were conducted on these glass/epoxy specimens and the critical fracture energy,, was evaluated based on compliance based beam method (CBBM). Classical methods require crack length measurements, which are not easy to obtain as propagation occurs rapidly without a clear opening. The CBBM is based on crack equivalent concept, which does not require crack length monitoring during propagation and hence the crack growth resistance curve (R-curve) can be generated in a much easier way. Moreover, the CBBM accounts the non-negligible energy dissipation in the fracture process zone (FPZ) in addition to stress concentrations near crack tip, contact between specimen arms at the pre-crack region and root rotation effects. Hence, the complete R-curves of ENF specimens of different lay-ups were obtained using the CBBM with higher degree of accuracy. It was observed that the unidirectional specimen did show higher propagation toughness value than the angle-ply and cross-ply specimens.
Development of an In-House Test for Nut Integrity in F-Type Wheels
Authors: Annamalai V.E. , Hariharan Arjhunn , Vigneshram S.K. , Vinoth Kumar C. , Ananthakrishnan Vivek , Kennedy A. Xavier
Published: August 2015

Nut embedded disc grinding wheels, also known as disc grinding or F-Type wheels, are required for many production jobs. Nut pull-out is a common problem encountered in disc grinding wheels. The present work proposes a simple fixture, using which the integrity of the nut in the grinding wheel can be assessed. This method can be adopted by any grinding wheel manufacturer for a realistic estimate of nut pull out strength in double disc grinding wheels.
Electric Discharge Machining of Cryo-Treated BeCu Alloys
Authors: Chinke Sandeep , Jatti Vijaykumar S. , Singh T.P.
Published: August 2015

Beryllium copper possesses high strength which produces severe problem of surface integrity and tool wear during machining by conventional machining process. Electrical discharge machining is a practically viable option to solve this problem. The present study investigates the effect of cryogenic treatment of work part along with gap current and external magnetic field on material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR). Blind 3 mm square holes were produced using electrolytic copper tool electrode to machine cryo-treated BeCu and untreated BeCu. Gap current is varied from 8 A to 16 A in a step of 2 amperes and magnetic strength is varied from 0 to 0.496 T in a step of 0.124 T. Based on the experimental results it was found that MRR increases with increase in gap current for both untreated BeCu and treated work part. Plotted graphs of cryo-treated work part showed high values of MRR in comparison to untreated work part. TWR increases for both treated and untreated BeCu work part with increase in gap current. But the TWR was less for cryo-treated work part in comparison to untreated work part. MRR and TWR increases for both treated and untreated BeCu work part with increasing magnetic strength. Again the MRR was found higher with lower TWR for treated workpiece with regard to magnetic strength. Thus it can be concluded that cryogenic-treatment with magnetic strength improves EDM machining efficiency.
Role of Induction Preheating on Tool Wear and Properties of Friction Stir Welded 409M Stainless Steel Joints
Authors: Vijay Prakaash V.G. , Vignesh A. , Lakshminarayanan A.K. , Balasubramanian V.
Published: August 2015

An attempt is made to reduce the process forces and tool wear during friction stir welding of 409M ferritic stainless steel and to enhance the mechanical properties by induction preheating of base metal with different preheating temperatures at the leading of tool. It is observed that the preheating significantly decreased the longitudinal and axial forces. Tool degradation analysis was carried out to find out the loss of tool profile and material. Mechanical properties especially impact toughness values were increased due to significant reduction in the tool wear.
Effect of Heat Capacity of Basin Material and Glass Cover on Distillate Yield of Single Slope Passive Solar still – A Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Sivakumar V. , Ganapathy Sundaram E. , Sakthikiran B. , Sanjay Krishnan T. , Riyaz Hussain A.
Published: August 2015

In most of the thermal analyses to develop a mathematical model for the conventional single slope passive solar still, it is found that heat capacity of the basin and glass cover are neglected to simplify the mathematical modeling. However all the materials have their own specific heat and according to the specific heat the material store some amount of heat energy within it. As a result the heat transfer between the system components of a solar still and thermal losses from the components will vary depending on their thermal properties like heat capacity, absorptance and thermal conductivity of components. Due to this, the temperature variation of the different components of a solar still is not only the function of solar intensity nevertheless also the function of their thermal properties. Subsequently it is necessary to consider the heat capacity of all the components of a conventional still. In this paper, mathematical modeling was developed to study the effect of heat capacity of basin material and glass cover on distillate yield of single slope passive solar still. The study found that considering the heat capacity of the components increase the distillate yield of the single slope passive solar still.
Studies on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of GTAW, Laser and Friction Stir Welded ZM21 Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Harikrishna K.L. , Koteswara Rao S.R. , Rao Venkata V. Subba
Published: August 2015

Present work pertains to welding of ZM21 magnesium alloy using three different welding techniques namely Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Laser Beam Welding and Friction Stir Welding. After careful trial and error method, the process parameters were identified to produce defect free, full penetration welds successfully. The microstructure and mechanical properties of ZM21 magnesium alloy using GTAW, LBW and FSW processes were analyzed by optical microscopy, tensile testing and Vickers micro hardness measurements. The results show that the tensile properties of Friction stir welds and Laser beam welds are much better than those of gas tungsten arc welds. The formation of very fine grains in the friction stir welded region and absence of HAZ in LBW are found to be main reasons for better tensile properties. It has been concluded that the ZM21 magnesium alloy exhibits good weldability in all the three welding processes and laser beam welding process offers higher joint efficiency when compared with GTAW and FSW.
Ramification of Mechanical Equipments in Abatement of Pollution – A Case Study in a Petrochemical Industry
Authors: Philip Tarun Thomas , Nanda Sudhirr A. , Praveen Raj C.R. , Nagarajan V.
Published: August 2015

Industrial or Trade effluent defines, in legal term, any liquid, gaseous or solid substance discharged from industry premises. The discharge of untreated effluents is injurious to public health besides to the life and health of animals or plants or of aquatic organisms. Effluent treatment involves mechanical, physical, chemical and biological processes; in majority of non-natural processes, mechanical equipment is used to breakdown the wastes into environmentally stable components, and their suitability depends on the type of the generated waste, process, efficiency of equipment used, etc. A few of these include – diffusers, fixed and floating aerators for injecting compressed air, Bio-discs which rotate on shafts for biological treatment, incinerators for burning solid wastes, cyclones and wet/dry Scrubbers for air treatment, Filter press, Centrifuge to remove water/moisture. Petrochemical product manufacturing activity is a highly polluting industry. The effect of mechanical equipments in such a petrochemical unit, manufacturing Phthalic Anhydride, Maleic Anhydride, Fumaric Acid and Maleic Acid, at Tamil Nadu has been studied and the performance of the equipment in the aeration components of the ETP system evaluated; the study concludes with suggestions for supplementary improvement.
Thermal Performance Evaluation of Friction Stir Welded Flat Plate Heat Sink Using CFD Analysis
Authors: Lakshminarayanan A.K. , Suresh M.
Published: August 2015

In an era of compact cooling requirements, where air cooling systems seem to be ineffective and consistently, being replaced by liquid cooled systems, with greater watt density heat energy dissipation. Such cooling systems must work with good quality enabling high efficiency. Hence, an attempt is made to fabricate an aluminum alloy based flat plate heat sink with cover and base plate using friction stir welding. The base plate is machined to obtain channels for fluid flow and the cover plate is fitted in the base plate and welded. Two such configurations of these heat sinks were fabricated with varying channel lengths and number of channels. The flow characteristics of the model for these configurations were analyzed numerically using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software tool, ANSYS fluent 14.
Comparative Study of Wear Behavior of Multilayer Coatings for Human Hip Prosthesis
Authors: Kalayarasan M. , Prabhu Raja V. , Nithin V. , Vivinkumar S. , Vishwaanth M.
Published: August 2015

Artificial hip joints have been implanted throughout the world into patients suffering from disabling hip joint disease, to restore their painless joint function. This means replacing the femoral head and acetabular socket with artificial prosthetic components. In order to obtain artificial implants with enhanced physical, chemical, mechanical, biological and tribological properties resulting in the accelerated self-adaptation of human body and long term performance, it is necessary to combine the advantages of materials with various properties; biocompatibility, bioactivity, excellent corrosion resistance, high fatigue and tensile strength, low modulus of elasticity, coefficient of friction, and high wear resistance. The present work focuses on investigating the wear rate of multi-layer coatings for different combinations in order to reduce the wear rate of the prosthesis. Three different combinations of multilayer coating were deposited by plasma arc spraying technique on titanium. It was found that the multi-layer coating consists of Alumina as a primary coating and Zirconia as the secondary coating provides lower wear rate and higher hardness compared to other combinations which would give optimal performance and thereby increasing its longevity.
Performance Evaluation of Photovoltaic System in Humid Atmosphere
Authors: Avithi Desappan Dhass , Natarajan Elumalai , Ponnusamy Lakshmi
Published: August 2015

The photovoltaic system converts electrical energy from solar radiation energy. It is preferable because it has no moving parts and low pollution to the environment. The performance of photovoltaic system has been decided with environmental aspects apart from the photovoltaic system specifications and incident solar radiation. In this research, the influence of relative humidity on photovoltaic system is considered for evaluating the performance and to draw the characteristic curves during winter (December and January) period. The photovoltaic system which installed at Chennai city, India, is exposed to high relative humidity even during winter season. The 3kW photovoltaic system behaviour is considered and measures the photovoltaic output voltage and output current with the effect of relative humidity. The performance curves shows that high relative humidity reduces the output voltage and current from photovoltaic system. It is same as the influence of other adverse environmental factors to degrade the operation and life span of photovoltaic system.
Study on Mechanical Properties of AA6351 Alloy Reinforced with Titanium Di-Boride (TiB2) Composite by In Situ Casting Method
Authors: Mohanavel V. , Rajan K. , Senthil Kumar K.R.
Published: August 2015

In the present study, an aluminum alloy AA6351 was reinforced with different percentages (1, 3 and 5 wt %) of TiB2 particles and they were successfully fabricated by in situ reaction of halide salts, potassium hexafluoro-titanate and potassium tetrafluoro-borate, with aluminium melt. Tensile strength, yield strength and hardness of the composite were investigated. In situ reaction between the inorganic salts K2TiF6 and KBF4 to molten aluminum leads to the formation of TiB2 particles. The prepared aluminum matrix composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. Scanning electron micrographs revealed a uniform dispersal of TiB2 particles in the aluminum matrix. The results obtained indicate that the hardness and tensile strength were increased with an increase in weight percentages of TiB2 contents.
Investigation on Physical, Mechanical and Wear Properties of SiC Particulate Reinforced Aluminium Metal Matrix Composite
Authors: Ganesh Radhakrishnan , Saranesh Kumar J. , Satya Prakash R. , Chandrasekaran K.
Published: August 2015

The paper presents the results of investigation on physical, mechanical and wear properties of SiC particulate reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite. The influence of reinforced ratios of 10, 15 and 20 wt. % of SiCp on mechanical properties and wear characters was examined. The effect of load and sliding velocity on wear behavior of composite was studied. It was observed that increase of weight fraction of reinforcement produced better physical and mechanical properties such as density and hardness with 37 µm SiC reinforced composite inspite of increased density the hardness drops above the critical sintering temperature of 550°C due to crazing of the matrix. With increased size of SiCp especially with higher temperature, density and hardness doesn’t supplement each other. Possible pooling/agglomeration in the case of medium and coarse sized reinforcement account for this. Wear decreases with increase in sintering temperature for 23 and 37 µm SiCp reinforced composites where as it increases for 67 µm SiCp reinforced composites. This could be attributed to formation of silanium compound contributing to discrete hardening of matrix. Wear tends to drop with sliding velocity being less contact between the pin and the disc but increases with normal load acting on the composite.
Development of Rice Husk and Wood Dust Filler Based Polyester Resin Based Composites
Authors: Ravindran Dhandapani , Sornakumar T. , Sankar P. , Janarthan K.
Published: August 2015

Rice husk particles are one of the important agriculture waste products and wood dust particles are left to degrade of its own in many wood cutting industries. In the present work, polyester resin based composite laminates are manufactured by filling the mixed solution consisting of polyester resin with rice husk and wood dust fillers into a mould. The tensile test was conducted in a Universal testing machine as per ASTM: D638 standard. The flexural test was conducted in a Universal testing machine as per ASTM: D790 standard. The hardness test was conducted in a Shore hardness tester as per ASTM D2240 standard.
Wear Mitigation in Cast Magnesium Alloy through Flyash Reinforced Friction Stir Surface Compositing
Authors: Maniraj K. , Lakshminarayanan A.K.
Published: August 2015

An attempt is made to mitigate wear in cast magnesium alloy by incorporating flyash reinforcement on the surface through friction stir processing. Wear resistance is evaluated using pin-on-disc wear testing. Effect of dry sliding wear process parameters such as speed, time and distance were studied by using design of experiments. Empirical relationships were established between the process parameters and wear resistance of base metal as well as surface composite. Further, wear map is constructed using graphical optimization technique, which can be used to predict the lower and upper bound of wear rate for the both base metal and friction stir processed surface composites under dry sliding condition.
Effects of Red Mud Reinforcement on Hardness, Wear Behaviour of Cast Al-6Si-0.45 Mg Alloy
Authors: Geetha B. , Ganesan K.
Published: August 2015

An Investigation was carried out to study the effect of red mud reinforcement in Al-6Si-0.45Mg alloy (A356) for improving hardness, wear rate and co-efficient friction. The red mud 53 micron size particles collected from MALCO, Mettur, Tamil Nadu, India, was preheated in a furnace to 500o C and mixed with molten Al-6Si-0.45Mg alloy to make the composite specimens. Al-6Si-0.45Mg alloy-red mud composite specimens were manufactured by stir casting technique using Al-6Si-0.45Mg alloy as matrix and reinforced with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% volume percentages red mud as the reinforcement. The Al-6Si-0.45Mg alloy–red mud composite specimens were T6 heat treated to improve the mechanical properties. The artificial aging time and aging duration were varied to study their effect on mechanical properties of the composites. Then the specimens hardness, wear rate and coefficient of friction were tested as per ASTM standards. It was found that the hardness increased when the red mud content was increased in the base alloy at all the heat treatment conditions. The peak age timing which gives highest hardness was found to decrease with increased red mud content. The wear rate was decreased when the hardness was increased. The effect of solution treatment and artificial aging on the microstructure was also studied by microscopy.
Experimental Study on NOx Reduction in CI Engine Fuelled with Biodiesel (Cotton Seed Methyl Ester Blends) Using Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) System with Anova Analysis
Authors: Kowshik Dhev M. , Sheshathri R. , Avinash Alagumalai , Natarajan S.
Published: August 2015

An experimental investigation was conducted to analyse the performance and exhaust emissions of Kirloskar AV-I Compression ignited air cooled engine fuelled with diesel and cotton seed oil blends (80% of diesel and 20% of cotton seed biodiesel).Experiments were conducted at various concentration of urea solutions ranging from 30 to 35% at a constant flow rate of 0.75 litres per hour. The results indicated that urea injection with titanium dioxide as selective catalyst in the exhaust pipe caused a 47.9% of NOx reduction for diesel at full load condition and at a constant flow rate of 0.75lit/hr with an urea concentration of 35%.Also the results showed that urea injection with titanium dioxide as selective catalyst in the exhaust pipe caused a 68.5% NOx reduction for biodiesel which was achieved with a constant flow rate of 0.75lit/h with an urea concentration of 32.5%.Thus Biodiesel (C20) fuelled CI Engine with SCR is a very effective and suitable replacement for petroleum based diesel fuelled CI Engine with SCR. ANOVA analysis was done and resulted that the null hypothesis is rejected. A high p-value (0.104) had suggested that beta plays a less significant role in the model and a low p-value (0.012) suggests that beta plays a significant role in the model. Overall ANOVA analysis disclosed that percentage of urea solution has a major impact on NOX emissions than HC and CO emissions.
Experimental Evaluation of Compression Ignition Engine Fueled with Cashew Nut Shell Liquid Diesel Blend with the Effect of Various Injection Pressures
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Sangeetha , Rajan K. , Senthil Kumar K.R. , Prabhahar M.
Published: August 2015

This paper investigates the performance and emission characteristics of 20% cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL)-diesel blend (B20) in a direct injection diesel engine. The cashew nut shell liquid was prepared by pyrolysis method. The test was conducted with various nozzle opening pressures like 200 bar, 225 bar and 250 bar at different loads between no load to full load. The results showed that the brake thermal efficiency was increased by 2.54% for B20 with 225 bar at full load. The CO and smoke emissions were decreased by 50% and 14% respectively and the NOx emission were decreased slightly with 225 bar injection pressure compared with 200 bar and 250 bar at full load. On the whole, it is concluded that the B20 CNSL blend can be effectively used as a fuel for diesel engine with 225 bar injection pressure without any modifications.
Effect of Re-Entrant and Toroidal Combustion Chambers in a DICI Engine
Authors: Arumugam Sozhi , Kasivisvanathan Pitchandi , Arventh M. , Maheshkumar P.
Published: August 2015

This paper presents the experimental work to investigate the effect of Re-entrant and Toroidal combustion chambers in a DICI Engine. The two combustion chambers namely Re-entrant combustion chamber (RCC) and Toroidal combustion chamber (TCC) were fitted in a 4.4 kW single cylinder Direct Injection Compression Ignition (DICI) engine and tests were conducted with diesel. The influences of the combustion chamber geometry characteristics on combustion, performance and emissions characteristics have been investigated. This investigation shows the peak pressure of re-entrant chamber is higher than that of toroidal chamber. The heat release rate and brake thermal efficiency for re-entrant chamber are slightly higher than that of toroidal chamber. Specific fuel consumption is lower for toroidal chamber than that of re-entrant chamber. The enhancement in reduction of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon is observed for Re-entrant chamber compared to the Toroidal chamber. Oxides of nitrogen are reduced for toroidal chamber than that of re-entrant chamber.
Analysis of Lift off Height and Blow-Off Mechanism of Turbulent Flame by V-Gutter Bluff Body
Authors: S Boopathi , Maran P. , Caleb Eugene V. , Prabhu S.
Published: August 2015

The experimental investigation has been carried out to study the stabilization and blowout mechanisms of turbulent flame stabilized by V-gutter bluff body in a square duct at reactive and non-reactive conditions. V-shaped bluff bodies made of stainless steel having 1.6 mm thicknessare used for stabilization of the flame.Experiments have been conducted at selective velocities of commercially available methane and oxygen with 60 degree V-gutter as flame holder. It is observed that at stoichiometric conditions, the V-gutter is dominated by shear layer stabilized flames. The flame stability is influenced by bluff body dimensions and mass flow rate which play a major role in combustion instabilities mixing of air fuel ratio and blow off. The lift off decreases at higher blockage ratios.A strong recirculation zone is found in this test rig immediately downstream of the V-Gutter which gradually subsides and disappears far downstream.The lift off height is not much affected by the velocity of the fuel-air mixture.
Influence of Ethanol and Di-Ethyl Ether Addition on Fuel Properties of Sunflower Oil Methyl Ester
Authors: Maran P. , Arumugam K.
Published: August 2015

Ever increasing cost of petroleum products demands more research in the area of new and alternate energy including solar, wind, biofuel and hybrid energy systems. Vegetable oil methyl ester is one of the promising alternate fuels that can be used as a substitute for diesel in the countries that are cultivating more agricultural products. In the present work, the analysis of physical properties such as calorific value, viscosity, flash and fire point temperatures of Sunflower oil methyl Ester have been made. The sunflower methyl ester has been prepared by transesterification process from pure sunflower oil in the presence of methanol and NaOH. Further, property enhancement of sunflower oil methyl ester has also been made by adding different additives such as ethanol and Di-Ethyl Ether in various proportions. Sunflower oil Methyl Ester (SME) with 1%, 3%, 5% ethanol or Di-Ethyl Ether and mixture of (Ethanol and DI-Ethyl Ether) has been analysed for the fuel properties. The investigation shows that the flash and fire point temperatures and viscosity of sunflower methyl ester decrease with increasing the additives. The calorific value of 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) of SME with 5% Ethanol additive is very close to that of diesel.
Effect of Saturation and Unsaturation of Fatty Methyl Esters on Biodiesel NOx Emission Characteristics
Authors: Thangaraja J. , Rajkumar S.
Published: August 2015

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel and an attractive alternative to replace fossil diesel without major engine modifications. However, the emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from biodiesel fuelled engines are reported to be higher compared to diesel engine. The characteristics of biodiesel are known to depend on their fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) contents which vary with the feedstock. Thus the contribution of saturation and unsaturation of pure components of fatty acid methyl esters on NOx formation warrants a systematic investigation. This paper attempts to relate the composition of biodiesel with NOx formation. For this purpose, the NO formation from pure fatty acid methyl esters are predicted using extended Zeldovich reaction scheme. Also, the experiments are conducted for measuring oxides of nitrogen from a compression ignition engine operated using neat palm and karanja methyl esters and their blends providing biodiesel combinations of varying degree of saturation for investigation. The measured NOx concentrations are compared with the corresponding predictions to affirm the influence of fatty acid methyl ester on engine NOx characteristics. The results clearly indicate that the change in degree of saturation influences the NOx formation and an increase in the degree of saturation of biodiesel decreases the engine NOx emission.
Analysis of Surface Waste Heat Recovery in IC Engine by Using TEG
Authors: Prakash R. , Christopher D. , Kumarrathinam K.
Published: August 2015

The prime objective of this paper is to present the details of a thermoelectric waste heat energy recovery system for automobiles, more specifically, the surface heat available in the silencer. The key is to directly convert the surface heat energy from automotive waste heat to electrical energy using a thermoelectric generator, which is then regulated by a DC–DC Cuk converter to charge a battery using maximum power point tracking. Hence, the electrical power stored in the battery can be maximized. Also the other face of the TEG will remain cold. Hence the skin burn out accidents can be avoided. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system can work well under different working conditions, and is promising for automotive industry.
Improved Efficiency in Engine Cooling System by Repositioning of Turbo Inter Cooler
Authors: Justin Dhiraviam F. , Naveen Prabhu V. , Suresh T. , Selva Senthil Prabhu C.
Published: August 2015

Turbochargers are an integral part of today’s modern diesel engines and are a major reason that they are able to produce more power. Unlike a super charger that is driven via a belt from the engine, a turbo takes the exhaust that the engine is producing and puts it to good use. As Turbochargers are driven by exhaust, heat is an unwelcome by product and something that wasn’t really taken into account in automobiles. Then those intercoolers started to come into play in turbocharged automobiles. The forced air produced by the turbocharger is routed through the intercooler where its temperature is reduced before reaching the engine. The use of intercoolers has made turbocharged vehicles far more reliable and, in the case of today’s heavy duty diesel trucks, is a very important component. The inlet air of an IC engine from turbocharger temperature is very much high (due to compression) means oxygen content is very much less. And also air with high temperature causes pre-ignition and detonation. So fuel combustion does not take place properly. Inter Cooling of inlet air is very much essential according to performance point of view. Turbo intercoolers are used for cooling the inlet air of an IC engine from turbo chargers. Moreover cooling of air makes it denser and contributes for better combustion and more power they are mounted close to the radiators for achieving lower air temperature. This arrangement affects the performance of both. So in this project an attempt will be made to increase the efficiency of the turbo intercooler arrangement through design modification and repositioning of intercooler by taking the TATA MARCOPOLO-Star Bus 909 as a reference.
Production of Bio Gas from Vegetable and Flowers Wastes Using Anaerobic Digestion
Authors: Deepanraj A. , Vijayalakshmi S. , Ranjitha J.
Published: August 2015

The present research paper describes about the anaerobic digestion of vegetable (Banana, Cauliflower, potato, and sweet potato) and flower wastes (Rose, sambangi, gulmohar, marigold, golden shower tree, silk tree mimosa) in a 1L capacity of anaerobic digestor using pig manure as an inoculums. The digester was operated in the ratio of 1:1 of substrate to inoculums at RT. The substrate concentrations are varied such as 5%, 7%, and 10% was used and amount of gas produced was analysed using digital pressure gauge. The results obtained showed that, marigold flower had given higher yield of biogas than vegetable wastes and the digestion period was less. The average biogas production potential of withered flowers was observed as 14.36 g/kg in 5 days, where in case of vegetable wastes it was 10.0234 g/kg in 6 days. The study showed that flowers which are available in abundant in India is thrown away within a day, in the environment. These feedstocks are good feed stock for the production of biogas. The generation of biogas from flowers and vegetable waste upholds the concept of waste to wealth in enhancing sustainability of development. The future research work is mainly focused on the characterization of the main component present in the bio-gas using sophisticated instruments.
Extraction and Characterization of Oil from the Seeds of Jatropha Curcas Using Supercritical CO2 and Soxhlet Extraction Process
Authors: Rastogi Prateek , Jambulingam Ranjitha , Vijayalakshmi S. , Donatus Michael S.
Published: August 2015

The ain of the present paper describes about the bio-oil extraction using soxhlet and supercritical CO2 process. The percentage yield 82.34 % was more in the case of supercritical CO2 extraction. The extracted bio-oil was converted into biodiesel using enzymatic trans-esterification reaction. A novel catalyst Gum arabic coated magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles are used in the enzymatic trans-esterification reaction. The extracted bio-oil and produced bio-diesel samples were characterised using GC-MS spectral data. Similarly, physical properties such as density, flash point, kinematic viscosity, cloud point and pour point were found out for Jatropha oil and Jatropha methyl ester. The values obtained from the Jatropha methyl ester is closely matched with the values of conventional diesel and can be used in the existing diesel engine without any modification.
Energy Optimization of Solar Micro-Grid Using Multi Agent Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Raju Leo , Milton R.S. , Sakthiyanandan S.
Published: August 2015

In this paper, two solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems are considered; one in the department with capacity of 100 kW and the other in the hostel with capacity of 200 kW. Each one has battery and load. The capital cost and energy savings by conventional methods are compared and it is proved that the energy dependency from grid is reduced in solar micro-grid element, operating in distributed environment. In the smart grid frame work, the grid energy consumption is further reduced by optimal scheduling of the battery, using Reinforcement Learning. Individual unit optimization is done by a model free reinforcement learning method, called Q-Learning and it is compared with distributed operations of solar micro-grid using a Multi Agent Reinforcement Learning method, called Joint Q-Learning. The energy planning is designed according to the prediction of solar PV energy production and observed load pattern of department and the hostel. A simulation model was developed using Python programming.
Switched Reluctance Motor Actuator Based on Current Source Converter for Automotive Throttle Control
Authors: Vivek A. , Kalpathi Ramani
Published: August 2015

In this paper Switched reluctance motors are proposed for high temperature automotive applications due to the absence of magnets in comparison to conventional DC or brushless DC motors. The improvement in converter efficiency by the use of a current source converter in the front end simplifies the current control strategy that is otherwise required to be implemented in each phase coil winding. The analysis of the converter will be supported with simulation and the results for converter efficiency will be calculated. The proposed strategy will be suitable for implementation using a microcontroller based control mechanism for position control in an automotive application such as throttle control.
Step by Step Design of Flux Switching Machine Using Electromagnetic Principle
Authors: Ramesh P. , Gokulakrishnan R. , Sathyanarayanan N. , Hemantha Kumar R. , Lenin N.C.
Published: August 2015

Flux switching motor (FSM) is one of the classification of brushless DC motor. The major drawback of the conventional DC machine is presence of brushes and commutator. This makes conventional DC machines not suitable to operate in hazardous conditions. FSM is a type of brushless DC motor without commutator and rotor windings, which has the advantages of both conventional DC and switched reluctance machines. Here a step by step electromagnetic design of FSM using the basic reluctance principle. The designed parameters are verified using two dimensional finite element analysis (FEA). Finally, the analytical results are compared with the simulated results.
Design and Implementation of Perturb and Observe (P&O) MPPT Technique for Negative Output Super-Lift Luo Converter
Authors: Dhivya P. , Chamundeeswari V. , Seyezhai R.
Published: August 2015

TThe growing energy demand in recent years has led to increased use of renewable energy resources. Among all renewable energy sources, the photovoltaic (PV) power generation acts as a green source which is free from greenhouse emissions to provide feasible solution to the increasing energy demand. However the non-linear nature of the solar module, their low-efficiency and high capital cost is being the major hindrance to the penetration and reach of the solar photovoltaic systems. To overcome this non-linearity, this paper presents the implementation of Negative Output Super-Lift Luo converter (NOSLC) with the solar panel. NOSLC is a type of super-lift converter in which the negative output voltage increases in geometric progression. Along with this, to track the maximum power from the PV cell, a technique named Perturb and Observe (P&O) Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is employed. This proposed system is modelled and simulated using MATLAB/Simulink and validated with the theoretical calculations.
A Fuzzy Logic Controlled Single Axis Solar Tracking System
Authors: Racharla Suneetha , Rajan K. , Senthil Kumar K.R.
Published: August 2015

Recently renewable energy sources have gained much attention as a clean energy. But the main problem occurs with the varying nature with the day and season. Aim of this paper is to conserve the energy, of the natural resources. For solar energy resource, the output induced in the photovoltaic (PV) modules depends on solar radiation and temperature of the solar cells. To maximize the efficiency of the system it is necessary to track the path of sun in order to keep the panel perpendicular to the sun. This paper proposes the design and construction of a microcontroller-based solar panel tracking system. The fuzzy controller aims at maximizing the efficiency of PV panel by focusing the sunlight to incident perpendicularly to the panel. The system consists of a PV panel which can be operated with the help of DC motor, four LED sensors placed in different positions and a fuzzy controller which takes the input from sensors and gives output speed to motor. A prototype is fabricated to test the results and compared with the simulation results. The results show the improved performance by using a tracking system
Design of a Vision Based Bottle Cap Inspection System
Authors: Arun Prakash C. , Saileshwar C.S. , Rajkumar R. , Subash S.
Published: August 2015

Inspection plays a major role in any production process. The acceptance or rejection decision of the production lot depends on the inspection results. In recent years, the developments in machine vision techniques have made inspection easier. This paper aims at bottle cap inspection using machine vision techniques. Bottle neck may have defects such as absence of the cap, absence of the tamper ring and improper assembly of cap and tamper ring. This paper deals with checking of the above mentioned defects with a single image of the finished product. This system uses backlight technique. The image of the product obtained using camera is processed using image processing software and then the results obtained are used to accept or reject the particular product. This technique could be implemented in industries for a batch produced series of bottle coming in a conveyor. By using machine vision techniques it is ensured that not even a single defect related to bottle cap is left from observation. Thus the bottle cap inspection becomes easy, accurate and done in less time.
Investigation of Surface Modifications of Metals with Low-Pressure Plasma System
Authors: Soliman B.A. , Abdelrahman M.M. , Abdelsalam F.W.
Published: August 2015

The effects of plasma exposure and impingement of energetic particles are now widely used for substrate cleaning as well as to assist and control thin film growth and various applications. Plasma technology is a versatile green technology used for surface engineering technology. Plasma sources have become a very useful tool for surface modification and deposition of various materials. In this work, typical treatments of the surfaces of Mn, Fe, W and Cu metals were carried out using a low-pressure plasma system with argon gas and operating with an aluminum cathode. The plasma ignition was produced by flowing argon gas between two metal electrodes, and the maximum discharge voltage was 3 kV. All the treated metal samples were exposed to the plasma for a constant time of 2 hours. The modified metal surfaces were characterized by in situ X-ray florescence spectroscopy (XRF), contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The wetting behavior of the treated metal surfaces was studied by employing the contact angle method. The contact angle is found to be dependable on the surface layer properties of the metals which in turn is affected by the dose time.
Testing Mechanical and Electrical Defects in Piezoceramic Materials Resulting from Ultrasonic Vibrations
Authors: Kaleta Jerzy , Niemiec Katarzyna , Wiewiórski Przemysław
Published: August 2015

The work presents recommendations related to the selection and installation of high power piezo ceramic rings dedicated to simultaneous power supply and data transmission for the purpose of extending life in their operation. Mechanical and electrical defects in piezoceramic elements of conical actuators were presented. The issue is important in the case when energy and information are transmitted at the same time using upper acoustic waves to autonomic wireless measurement nodes (WMN) in mechanical construction elements. A laboratory ultrasonic actuator was made and used to test ceramic rings. Additionally a dedicated vibration sensor was made and a measurement system for determination of frequency response of high power actuators was developed. Identification of the material used to make the ceramic rings and feeding electrodes was conducted. Next calibration tests of conical piezoelectric actuators were conducted and their defects were tested.
Possibility of Usage of Aluminium Rivet Nuts Connections in Composite Materials
Authors: Bielawski Radosław , Kowalik Michał , Suprynowicz Karol , Pyrzanowski Paweł
Published: August 2015

Development and application of composite materials in modern industry are very dynamic. Composite materials seem to be replacing steel and aluminium ones. Composites are a cheaper solution, with similar mechanical strengths. Generally, there are two types of joints in composite structures: mechanical and adhesively bonded ones.
The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of riveted joints in composites materials. Static tensile test method was used. In the test there was used one type of glass fabric (Interglas 92140) from which two types of composite samples were prepared. In each sample there was used the same type of fiber with the same fiber orientation – 3 layers. Samples had dimensions of 220x100 mm and thickness of approximately 1.5 mm. They were connected to each other with aluminium rivet nuts (from 1 to 3) and placed in a metal frame with a screw connection which was made of screws with nominal thread pitch M5. Screws were tightened with constant torque. It was to provide an axial force to the sample during the tensile test. The frame was placed between cross-bars of tensile machine INSTRON 8516.
The samples were stretched at a speed of 0.05 mm/s at a distance up to 20 mm. During the tensile test displacement of the samples and pull force were registered. Depending on the fiber orientations and number of rivet nuts composite damage models were described. On the basis of the results the possibility of usage of aluminium rivet nuts connections in composite materials was determined.
Experimental Assessment of the Glued Laminated Timber Beams in 4-Point Bending Tests and Photoelastic Coating Technique
Authors: Jankowski Ludomir J. , Nowak Tomasz
Published: August 2015

The paper presents the results of investigation on seven glued laminated timber (GL24h class) bending beams. Bending strength and modulus of elasticity were determined. The beams were tested for four-point bending by loading them at a constant speed deflection. The strain gauge method and photoelastic coating technique were applied for strain distributions determination in selected cross-sections of the beams. Good agreement of the measurement results was obtained with both techniques. Application of the photoelastic coating technique enabled more detailed analysis of the beams failure mode, including timber defects influence on the strain distributions.
Experimental Assessment of Ball Joints Operation Using Servo-Hydraulic Testing Systems
Authors: Szymczak Tadeusz , Brodecki Adam , Eminger Andrzej , Kowalewski Zbigniew L. , Rudnik Dariusz
Published: August 2015

The paper reports experimental results from tests carried out at room temperature on servo-hydraulic system dedicated for examination of the exploitation properties of rocker arms. The ball joint of this element was modified by an application of composite coating such as the tungsten carbide (WC). To apply cyclic loading to rocker arms the griping system was designed and elaborated. Results from tests performed on the composite coated ball joints were compared with data obtained for typical elements. Variations of the following parameters versus time i.e. force, temperature and surface topography of balls were analysed with respect to exploitation properties of the modified ball joints. An increase of the wear coefficient was achieved for sliding joints of the steel ball-steel cups coated by the WC.
Relationship between Experimental Mechanics of Solids and Safety Engineering
Authors: Pisarek Jerzy
Published: August 2015

Most incidents, serious incidents, accidents and disasters (catastrophes) connected with the irregular work of technical devices is caused by mechanical damage. Despite this, responses originating from the fields of psychology, sociology and medicine prevail in practical approaches to preventing accidents. In the author’s opinion this is the result of the low level technological knowledge amongst those involved in safety engineering. Technical education in the area of the mechanics is indispensable. A key part of this education, not just for engineers but also lawyers and others who work in safety regulation services, is explanatory experiments. In this article, the particular significance of scientific experiments in decreasing all factors posing a threat is shown. This article does not report concretely performed research, but rather attempts to propose a program of cooperation between different areas of the engineer’s art.