Phase Change Materials (PCM) find wide applications for transient thermal control in several industry sectors, such as reducing cost of energy to maintain thermal comfort in occupied space, transportation of blood, tissue, and organs, increasing the reliability of electronic devices, power systems, and weapons used in warfare, and for renewable power generation. Use of contained phase change materials (PCM) for this purpose is a simple, but quite effective and low-cost technical solution. PCM changes from solid to liquid in an endothermic process by absorbing heat, and the liquid to solid phase change occurs when the phase change material releases heat in an exothermic process. The presentation will discuss the state-of-the-art of phase change materials for buildings applications and the limitations of incorporating phase change materials. The challenges include supercooling, low thermal conductivity, phase segregation, fire safety, corrosion, and cost. This study explored how some of these issues can be limited or eliminated. The energy consumption in residential buildings is mostly associated with the heating and cooling load of the interior environment. The application of phase change materials has been demonstrated as a solution to decrease the energy consumption of an apartment building for both heating and cooling.
Keywords: Phase change material, Thermal management, Buildings applications, Energy consumption.
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Exploiting hydro resources for power generation in Central Southern Himalayan region encompassing Nepal, Bhutan, India, and China require constructing dams and storages in the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems. Hydropower is not the main portfolio of power in India and China, but Bhutan and Nepal are generating almost 100% of their electric power from hydro resources. The generated hydropower not only meets the power needs of these two countries but also, they export the surplus power to neighbouring country. Currently Bhutan generates 4 times more hydropower than its needs. A similar mega plan is underway in Nepal. The Ganges and Brahmaputra River flow is the collection of pulses and not a uniform flow of water that change during the day and year feeding continuously and sustainably millions of years developed upstream and downstream ecosystem as well as human water consumption, food production and transport. To achieve a reliable electric power supply, engineers smooth out the river pulses by constructing thousands of water storages and dams in Central Southern Himalayan region to suit continuous power generation demand thereby making the Ganges and Brahmaputra River ecosystems as water pipes. These artificial changes and obstructions will have irreversible impact on these two important river ecosystems on which the livelihood of over 600 million people depends. This paper highlights the needs for amalgamated approach involving expertise from engineers, hydrologists, economists, environmentalists, ecologists, and most importantly the traditional beneficiaries from upper, middle, and lower riparian nations for undertaking a comprehensive river ecosystem management plan, implementation, monitoring, continuous assessment, and corrective measures collectively. Additionally, the paper discusses the need for utilization of indigenous hydro resources for power generation that can be used beyond the national boundary in South Asia to enhance the collective energy security for economic prosperity and social development.
Keywords: Hydropower, Cross-border power trading, Ecology, Environment.
Biography:

As the smaller and faster-based current trend of technological development leads to dramatic increase in the power densities and heat flux in modern devices and systems, it’s more challenging to meet their thermal management demands than ever. Smart and innovative thermal solutions and technologies are thus urgently needed to tackle such increasing challenges for the thermal management of many important sectors such as electrical vehicles, microelectronics, power electronics equipment and energy systems. Here comes the novel nanofluids, the suspension of nanoscale particles in heat transfer fluid, which show great potential to meet such thermal management and energy performance demands. Having substantially increased thermophysical properties and features, the impact of nanofluids technology is great considering that the thermal performance of heat exchangers or other systems, processes is vital for numerous industries. For instance, the potential estimated world-wide market for nanofluids only in heat transfer applications is a few billion dollars per year and it is expected to grow further and rapidly over the next several years or decade. Given the surge of research interests and activities as well as the enormous potential, this keynote first provides background of nanofluids and a critical appraisal on their performance in thermal management for their advanced applications. Subsequently, their roles and prospects in the energy sector particularly in solar energy utilization and conversion are discussed. Finally, this speech answers the key question poised here- is this new class of fluids capable of meeting modern thermal management and energy challenges.
Biography:

The paper will highlight the contribution of the manufacturing sector in the overall economy of major developed and some developing countries. In the broader concept of manufacturing the position and role of metal cutting and machining will be highlighted. The major challenge towards achieving high precision, good product quality and productivity will be addressed. Chatter, a self-excited vibration in machining process, with its adverse effects will be introduced. The existing theories on chatter problem will be summarized and the concept of Resonance theory of chatter will be introduced. The works of the author on understanding the causes of chatter formation in turning and in end milling will be briefly discussed to explain the justification for proposing the Chatter Resonance Theory of Chatter. Basic concepts of the Resonance theory will be presented. Different Chatter control strategies developed by the author and his students with their effectiveness in controlling chatter will be illustrated in brief. Finally, the contribution of the school of the author towards understanding the complex phenomenon of chatter in machining through research and publication and innovation will be summarized.
Keywords: Magnetic suspension, Magnetic Bearing, Mechatronics, Electromagnet, Permanent magnet.
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