Faculty Publications

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/18736

Publications by NITK Faculty

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 26
  • Item
    Semi-analytical method for heat and moisture transfer in packed bed of silica gel
    (2011) Ramzy K, A.; Ashok Babu, T.P.; Kadoli, R.
    A semi-analytical model for the heat and mass transfer of adsorption and desorption processes of the vertical solid desiccant packed bed dehumidifier is presented on the basis of quasi-steady state assumption, and is solved using close form integration with the limits equivalent to bed and time increments, and numerically by Runge-Kutta Fehlberg and forward scheme finite difference techniques. The most important parameters during the dehumidifier operation, namely, (i) exit air temperature and humidity, (ii) axial temperature distribution in the bed and (iii) water content are evaluated. Stability of the semi-analytical method is investigated and found that the main parameters affecting the model stability are the bed and time increments size. A dimensionless parameter combining time and bed increments size and air velocity named velocity ratio is defined and investigated. It is found that when the velocity ratio equals the ratio of particle diameter to bed length, the method is stable, and as the velocity ratio is made smaller beyond the stable velocity ratio, the results remain unchanged. The results of semi-analytical and numerical models agree well with the experimental results for both desorption and adsorption processes. Using the proposed semi-analytical model, the minimum and maximum relative errors for exit air temperature are 2.24% and 11.78%, respectively and for exit air humidity the minimum and maximum errors are 3.79% and 27.17% respectively. © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  • Item
    Vegetation dynamics in a tropical river basin inferred from MODIS satellite data
    (2013) Laxmi, K.; Nandagiri, L.
    The objective of this study was to analyze temporal and spatial dynamics of vegetation and land use/land cover (LU/LC) characteristics in a humid tropical river basin originating in the forested Western Ghats mountain ranges using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data. Both intra-annual and inter-annual variations in the parameters related to vegetation were analyzed in the Netravathi river basin (3314 km2) which is located in Karnataka State, India. MODIS data products on Land Surface Temperature and Reflectance were used as input to map the pixel-wise variations in albedo, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Fraction of Vegetation (Fr) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) for two dates each (summer and winter) during the years 2002 and 2006. The fact that 2002 experienced a relatively wet summer followed by a relatively dry winter and 2006 experienced opposite conditions, proved useful in interpreting variations as influenced by wetness conditions. Overall results indicated significant variability in the parameters for major LU/LC classes of evergreen /semievergreen forest, scrub forest and agriculture. While albedo values appeared quite sensitive to wetness conditions, NDVI (and Fr) exhibited significant seasonal changes for some LU/LC classes but remained largely unaffected by wetness conditions. LST values corrected for elevation effects (LST*) were influenced by both LU/LC and wetness conditions. Differences in LST* values were as high as 70K between summer and winter of 2006 for some LU/LC classes. Lowest temperatures were recorded for the evergreen/ semievergreen forest class. Similar inferences could be drawn when variations in parameters were analyzed for 20 selected pixels located at different elevations and possessing each of the eight LU/LC classes. The methodology proposed in this research may prove to be useful in regional scale monitoring and mapping of tropical forests and other LU/LC categories in a convenient and cost-effective manner. MODIS satellite data products used in this study provides information on surface characteristics at a reasonable resolution. This permits identification of not only differences in LU/LC classes but also on changes in surface characteristics as influenced by season and wetness conditions. © 2013 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY.
  • Item
    Thermo-catalytic degradation of low density polyethylene to liquid fuel over kaolin catalyst
    (Inderscience Publishers, 2014) Panda, A.K.; Singh, R.K.
    Waste low-density polyethylene samples were subjected to thermo-catalytic degradation using kaolin as catalyst in a batch reactor at temperature range of 400 to 500°C and atmospheric pressure. The quality and yield of the condensable product has been studied as a function of temperature and amount of catalyst. Both in thermal and catalytic degradation, the condensable fraction was less viscous liquid oil at low temperatures (up to 450°C), whereas with increase of temperature (from 475°C) the fraction became viscous and waxy. The recovery of condensable fraction increased from 30.8 wt.% at 400°C to 71.45% at 450°C and further increased to a maximum of 86.65wt.% at 500°C in absence of catalyst. The catalyst increased the yield of the condensable product and decreased the reaction time. The highest yield of liquid fraction at 450°C was 79.5 wt.% with 1:2 catalyst to plastics ratio. The composition of the oil obtained at optimum reaction condition was characterised by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (and found consisting of paraffins and olefins with mainly C10-C16 components. Fuel properties of the oil obtained by different standard methods are similar to petrochemical fuels. © 2014 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
  • Item
    Experimental investigation on thermally enhanced machining of high-chrome white cast iron and to study its machinability characteristics using Taguchi method and artificial neural network
    (Springer-Verlag London Ltd, 2014) Ravi, A.M.; Murigendrappa, S.M.; Mukunda, P.G.
    Machining of hard-to-wear materials such as high-chrome white cast iron (HCWCI) and high-manganese steels is an uphill task when conventional route followed. Alternatively, thermally enhanced machining (TEM) can be used to minimize the tooling cost very effectively. This paper presents the detailed study of TEM of HCWCI in which the effect of cutting parameters and surface temperature of the stock material on machinability characteristics (cutting forces and surface roughness) are analyzed using ANOVA and artificial neural network (ANN). The experimental work was conducted to follow Taguchi techniques. HCWCI is finding newer applications in mining; mineral processing industries were the workpiece in the machining studies using cobalt-based cubic boron nitride insert tool. Localized heat was added at the tool-work interface which softens the metal and eases the machining operation. The influences of the control factors on the process responses have been analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the results are correlated using ANN. Linear regression was used to establish the relation between the control parameters and the process responses. The results show that TEM causes easy shearing of the material, leading to the reduction in cutting forces with expected improvement in tool life and surprisingly good surface finish. The confirmation tests suggest both second-order regression and ANN which are better predictive models for quantitative prediction of TEM of HCWCI, and ANN is more accurate of the two. Also, it was proved that oxy-LPG flame heating is an economical option compared to laser-heated machining in hard turning process. © 2014 Springer-Verlag London.
  • Item
    Latent heat flux estimation using trapezoidal relationship between MODIS land surface temperature and fraction of vegetation-application and validation in a humid tropical region
    (Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2014) Laxmi, K.; Nandagiri, L.
    The present study was taken up with the objective of developing a methodology for estimation of actual evapotranspiration (AET) using only satellite data. Accordingly, an algorithm based on the popular Priestley-Taylor method was developed. While previous studies have assumed a triangular relationship between land surface temperature (LST) and fraction of vegetation (FV) to calculate the Priestley-Taylor parameter (?), a trapezoidal relationship was adopted in the present study to enable applications in forested regions in the humid tropics. The developed algorithm was applied to the humid tropical Mae Klong region, Thailand, and latent heat flux (ET) estimates were validated with measurements made at a flux tower located at the centre of the region. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing satellite data products corresponding to the study area were used to derive various inputs required by the algorithm. Comparison of estimated and measured fluxes on five cloud-free days in 2003 yielded root mean square error (RMSE) of 64.73 W m-2 which reduced to 18.65 W m-2 when one day was treated as an outlier. The methodology developed in this study derived inputs only from satellite imagery and provided reasonably accurate estimates of latent heat flux at a humid tropical location. © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
  • Item
    Hydrological effects of land use /land cover changes on stream flow at Gilgel Abay River Basin, Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia
    (CAFET INNOVA Technical Society 1-2-18/103, Mohini Mansion, Gagan Mahal Road, Domalguda, Hyderabad 500029, 2016) Mulu, A.; Dwarakish, G.S.
    Water is the most important resource for the survival of living things and it is the most essential resource associated with land use/ land cover (LU/LC) changes. Therefore, it is very important to make evaluations of the expected impact on the hydrology and water resources due to expected changes. The main objective of this study is to assess the hydrological effect of land use/ land cover changes on stream flow at GilgelAbay river basin using Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) model. System inputs are daily time-series values of precipitation, minimum and maximum air temperature, and parameter files which are generated from GIS Weasel. To identify effect of changes in LU/LC, vegetation type and vegetation density on stream flow, LU/LC, vegetation type and vegetation density data from 1990-2000 and 2001-2010 years were considered. This different period LU/LC, vegetation type and vegetation density with soil data and DEM were given to GIS Weasel to generate different parameters for PRMS model. These generated parameters together with time series data (daily minimum and maximum air temperature, daily precipitation and daily stream flow) feed to PRMS model to simulate stream flow for the years 1993-2000 and 2001-2008. From the time series data, climate changes (daily maximum and minimum temperature and daily precipitations) were kept the same as baseline period (1993-2000). The stream flow of 2001-2008 compared with baseline period (1993-2000) and the effect of LU/LC, vegetation type and vegetation density was identified using calibrated and simulated PRMS model. Hence, as LU/LC, vegetation type and vegetation density changed from 1993-2000 period to 2001-2010 period, stream flow increased from 7.8% (128.4 Mm3) to 25.3% (432 Mm3) and ET decreased from 4.2% (75 Mm3) to 20% (524 Mm3) from baseline period. For the whole simulation periods (2001-2008) stream flow increased by 10.9% (784 Mm3), but ET decreased 6.7% (43 Mm3) related to baseline periods. © 2016 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved.
  • Item
    Effect of Bath Temperature on Cooling Performance of Molten Eutectic NaNO3-KNO3 Quench Medium for Martempering of Steels
    (Springer Boston, 2017) Pranesh Rao, K.M.; Prabhu, K.N.
    Martempering is an industrial heat treatment process that requires a quench bath that can operate without undergoing degradation in the temperature range of 423 K to 873 K (150 °C to 600 °C). The quench bath is expected to cool the steel part from the austenizing temperature to quench bath temperature rapidly and uniformly. Molten eutectic NaNO3-KNO3 mixture has been widely used in industry to martemper steel parts. In the present work, the effect of quench bath temperature on the cooling performance of a molten eutectic NaNO3-KNO3 mixture has been studied. An Inconel ASTM D-6200 probe was heated to 1133 K (860 °C) and subsequently quenched in the quench bath maintained at different temperatures. Spatially dependent transient heat flux at the metal–quenchant interface for each bath temperature was calculated using inverse heat conduction technique. Heat transfer occurred only in two stages, namely, nucleate boiling and convective cooling. The mean peak heat flux (qmax) decreased with increase in quench bath temperature, whereas the mean surface temperature corresponding to qmax and mean surface temperature at the start of convective cooling stage increased with increase in quench bath temperature. The variation in normalized cooling parameter t85 along the length of the probe increased with increase in quench bath temperature. © 2017, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International.
  • Item
    Elevated Temperature Solid Particle Erosion Performance of Plasma-Sprayed Co-based Composite Coatings with Additions of Al2O3 and CeO2
    (Springer New York LLC barbara.b.bertram@gsk.com, 2017) Nithin, H.S.; Desai, V.; Ramesh, M.R.
    In this paper, investigation into solid particle erosion behavior of atmospheric plasma-sprayed composite coating of CoCrAlY reinforced with Al2O3 and CeO2 oxides on Superni 76 at elevated temperature of 600 °C is presented. Alumina particles are used as erodent at two impact angles of 30° and 90°. The microstructure, porosity, hardness, toughness and adhesion properties of the as-sprayed coatings are studied. The effects of temperature and phase transformation in the coatings during erosion process are analyzed using XRD and EDS techniques. Optical profilometer is used for accurate elucidation of erosion volume loss. CoCrAlY/CeO2 coating showed better erosion resistance with a volume loss of about 50% of what was observed in case of CoCrAlY/Al2O3/YSZ coating. Lower erosion loss is observed at 90° as compared to 30° impact angle. The erosion mechanism evaluated using SEM micrograph revealed that the coatings experienced ductile fracture exhibiting severe deformation with unusual oxide cracks. Reinforced metal oxides provide shielding effect for erodent impact, enabling better erosion resistance. The oxidation of the coating due to high-temperature exposure reforms erosion process into oxidation-modified erosion process. © 2017, ASM International.
  • Item
    Regional climate trends and topographic influence over the Western Ghat catchments of India
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd vgorayska@wiley.com Southern Gate Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ, 2018) Mudbhatkal, A.; Mahesha, M.
    This study investigates the role of elevation stratification and climate change on the hydrology of Western Ghat catchments during the period from 1951 to 2013 using gridded data. The trend analysis of rainfall and temperature was conducted using the Mann–Kendall trend test, and the hydrological modelling of the rivers was conducted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. To characterize the spatial distribution of rainfall and streamflow based on elevation stratification, contemporary rainfall zones were delineated and the response of each zone was evaluated. The results indicated that the maximum rainfall occurs at certain distance on the windward side from the crest of the Western Ghats. On the leeward side (eastern plateau), the rainfall is maximum at crest (Western Ghats) and decreases with distance. The rivers in the southern portion of the Western Ghats of India were highly vulnerable to changing climate followed by the central portion. The annual and monsoon rainfall in the southern river decreased at 0.43 and 0.30% decade?1 (1% significance level), respectively. The summer rainfall in the river of the central portion (Netravathi River) decreased at 0.44% decade?1. The annual air temperature of the southern river catchment (Vamanapuram) increased at the rate of 0.12 °C decade?1 (at 0.1% significance level), and the air temperature of the central rivers increased at the rate of 0.09, 0.08, and 0.07 °C (0.1% significance level), respectively. The streamflow response of the southern and central rivers was discernible as the monsoon flow decreased at 37% decade?1 (0.1% significance level) in the southern river and 10% decade?1 (5% significance level) in the central river. Interestingly, the pristine Aghanashini River demonstrated resilience to climate change with an increase in annual rainfall and streamflow at 115 mm decade?1 (5% significance level) and 0.71 Mm3 decade?1 (0.1% significance level), respectively. © 2017 Royal Meteorological Society
  • Item
    Microstructure and tribological characteristics of APS sprayed NiCrBSi/flyash cenosphere/Cr2O3 and NiCrBSi/flyash cenosphere/Mo composite coatings at elevated temperatures
    (Institute of Physics Publishing helen.craven@iop.org, 2019) Nagabhushana, N.; Rajanna, S.; Mathapati, M.; Ramesh, M.R.; Koppad, P.G.; Reddy, N.C.
    In the present investigation NiCrBSi/flyash/Cr2O3 and NiCrBSi/flyash/Mo composite coatings are developed using atmospheric plasma spray technique on superni 76 alloy. Coatings are characterized in terms of microstructure, phase analysis, and microhardness. Tribological properties of the coatings are evaluated using a pin on disc tribometer. Test is conducted under dry sliding conditions at room temperature, 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C respectively. Microstructure and worn surfaces of the coatings are analyzed by utilizing Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) where in phase analysis is carried out using x-ray diffractometer (XRD). XRD results revealed the presence of ?-Ni as primary phase along with Ni3B, Cr7C3, SiO2 and Al2O3 as minor phases in both the NiCrBSi/flyash/Cr2O3 and NiCrBSi/flyash/Mo coatings. Among the two coatings, Mo composite coating exhibited lower porosity and higher microhardness. The friction coefficient of both the coatings decreased with increasing temperature. The wear rate is found to decrease at lower temperatures but increased at a higher temperature (>400 °C) for Cr2O3 composite coating wherein Friction coefficient is decreased with increase in the temperature for Mo composite coatings. The worn surface analysis conducted revealed abrasive wear at lower temperatures while the transition from abrasive to adhesive is observed at higher temperatures. © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd.