i-manager's Journal on Future Engineering and Technology (JFET)


Volume 11 Issue 4 May - July 2016

Research Paper

Performance Benefits of Sports Equipment Produced Using Rapid Prototyping Techniques

Tom Page*
Senior Lecturer, Loughborough Design School, United Kingdom.
Page, T. (2016). Performance Benefits of Sports Equipment Produced Using Rapid Prototyping Techniques. i-manager’s Journal on Future Engineering and Technology, 11(4), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.26634/jfet.11.4.8107

Abstract

Rapid prototyping is an advancing technology that allows the manufacture of parts through layering material, unlike conventional methods of manufacture that typically removes material. The process is becoming more and more popular within different industries because of the capabilities that it can provide; there are also many applications of this process that can create improved products from how they were originally manufactured. The aim of this project is to evaluate how 3D printing techniques can affect athlete's performances when applied to the design of sports equipment, through looking at how rapid prototyping is used within sport. Interviews with athletes that have experience using 3D printed sports equipment would prove very useful to his project, however, the arrangement of this interview may prove difficult. Further investigation and review of current and proposed rapid prototyping projects will also be another research method used through this project.

Research Paper

Effect of Fermentation Time on the Physicochemical Properties of Palm Oil

Uche Chidiebere* , Ekumankama E.O**, Ogba Promise Adaku***, Uche Kelechi****
*Doctorial (Ph.D) Candidate, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
** Professor, Department Of Food Science Technology, Ebonyi State University Abakalikinigeria.
*** Department Of Food Science Technology, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria.
**** Department Of Biochemistry, Federal University Of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.
Chidiebere, U., Ekumankama, E.O., Adaku, O.P., and Kelechi, U. (2016). Effect of Fermentation Time on the Physicochemical Properties of Palm Oil. i-manager’s Journal on Future Engineering and Technology, 11(4), 14-23. https://doi.org/10.26634/jfet.11.4.8109

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of fermentation time on the physicochemical characteristics of palm oil. The palm fruit samples used were divided into two groups with each being divided into four portions. One group was boiled during processing while the other group was not boiled. The two groups were evaluated and processed in batches separately, for three days, six days, twelve days, and fourteen days of fermentation using a traditional method of processing. A comprehensive range of physicochemical properties, namely: free fatty acid, moisture content, peroxide value, saponification value, iodine value, refractive index, freezing point, flash point, smoke point, and specific gravity were determined. The coefficient correlation of the effect of fermentation showed that, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the FFA, Iodine Value, Moisture Content, Saponification Value, Smoke point and Freezing Point, but no significant difference (P > 0.05) in Peroxide Value, Flash Point and unboiled samples for specific gravity and refractive index. Three days and six days of fermentation were seen to be ideal for the processing of palm oil as the values obtained gave the best product characteristics that are acceptable for international quality standards for palm oil. There is a need to avoid storing palm fruits beyond 6 days of fermentation before processing in order to produce high quality palm oil.

Research Paper

CFD Analysis of the Effect of Internal Plates on Natural Convection in a Sodium Filled Bottom Heated Cylindrical Enclosure

Jasmin Sudha A* , Nashine B.K**, Selvaraj P.***
A. Jasmin Sudha *  B.K. Nashine **  P. Selvaraj ***
*-*** Safety Engineering Division, FRTG, IGCAR, Kalpakkam, India.
Sudha, A.J., Nashine, B.K., and Selvaraj, P. (2016). CFD Analysis of the Effect of Internal Plates on Natural Convection in a Sodium Filled Bottom Heated Cylindrical Enclosure. i-manager’s Journal on Future Engineering and Technology, 11(4), 24-31. https://doi.org/10.26634/jfet.11.4.8112

Abstract

Natural convection in enclosures has numerous industrial applications, such as cooling of electronic equipment, emergency core cooling in nuclear reactors, and energy storage systems. A cylindrical cavity with aspect ratio (H/D) of 0.5, filled with liquid metal sodium is analyzed numerically for the natural convection setting inside the cavity due to the heated bottom side. The top of the cavity is cooled. Apart from the bottom wall heat source, there are two more plates which serve as either partitions or as additional internal heat sources in the cavity. The effect of their presence and their temperature on steady state thermal and velocity fields is evaluated in this analysis. The analysis has been carried out using the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code, PHOENICS (Parabolic Hyperbolic Or Elliptic Numerical Integration Code Series). The peak natural convective velocity is compared for different cases when the internal plates act as heat sources or as simple partial partitions inside the cylindrical enclosure. It is evident from the analysis that, natural convection is reduced inside the cavity when partial partitions are present in the cavity either in the form of heated plates or unheated plates.

Research Paper

Design and Performance Analysis of Solar Still For Water Purification

N. Annapurna Devi* , Sekhar K.**
* Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, MVGR College of Engineering, Vizianagaram, A.P, India.
** UG Scholar, Department of Chemical Engineering, MVGR College of Engineering, Vizianagaram, A.P, India.
Devi, N.A., and Sekhar, K. (2016). Design and Performance Analysis of Solar Still For Water Purification. i-manager’s Journal on Future Engineering and Technology, 11(4), 32-38. https://doi.org/10.26634/jfet.11.4.8114

Abstract

The world demand for potable water is steadily increasing with the rise in population, Since there is limited availability of potable water resources and plenty of impure water available for potential conversion into potable water. Water desalination using solar energy is a suitable alternative for potable water production from impure water. The main purpose of this study is to design a water distillation system that can purify water from any source. It is cheap, reliable and depends only on renewable solar energy. A solar still was designed with an airtight basin, in which saline or contaminated water is evaporated and condensed on the top cover for collection. During the process, the collected water is purified and clean water is obtained. The designed model is a single basin solar still of 600 mm x 350 mm base area, and glass cover of the still was inclined at 30 °C. Temperature of glass cover, temperature of impure water inside still and humidity were recorded continuously. The solar still produces 1.2 litres of pure water from 15 litres of dirty water during 6 hrs of time. From the results obtained it can be concluded that, as solar intensity increases the production of distillate would be higher. So, the solar still converts the impure water into pure water using the renewable solar energy. The incoming solar radiation from the sun heats the water and this water gets evaporated and condensed into pure drinkable water.

Research Paper

Kinematic Analysis and Workspace of a New Four Legged 3-Dof Parallel Manipulator with No Parasitic Motions

Harish Mandalaparthy* , Mohan Rao N.**
* Research Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada (JNTUK), Andhra Pradesh, India.
** Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Controller of Examinations, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada (JNTUK), Andhra Pradesh, India.
Mandalaparthy, H., and Rao, N.M. (2016). Kinematic Analysis and Workspace of a New Four Legged 3-Dof Parallel Manipulator with No Parasitic Motions. i-manager’s Journal on Future Engineering and Technology, 11(4), 39-47. https://doi.org/10.26634/jfet.11.4.8115

Abstract

All the 3-DOF (Degrees Of Freedom) parallel manipulators with three legs having three joints in each leg (3-PRS,3-PPS,3- PSP, and 3-RPS) are suffering from parasitic motions, and it is not possible to eliminate parasitic motions as they are inherent in their structure. In this present work, a new manipulator with three actuating legs (PSPR), and a passive constraint leg (PU) is proposed. As the actuations and constraints are separated, the constraint leg restricts the moving platform to move in unwanted directions and hence the parasitic motions are eliminated. Therefore, the manipulator is an accurate positioning device. The constituent equations are derived from the architecture of the manipulator. The problem of direct kinematics is solved and demonstrated through a numerical example. The inverse kinematics equations are differentiated with respect to time to obtain Jacobian matrices. Singularity analysis is carried out to identify singular positions. The workspace is represented in 3D space by taking rotation about x-axis as abscissa, rotation about yaxis as ordinate, and translation along z-axis as applicate.