#

YANTRAPATRA Department of Mechanical Engineering

“Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth... these are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women's empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all. “ -Ban Ki-moon World environment day i s a campaign observed internationally every year on 5th of June to raise awareness about environmental issues . Yantrapatra is celebrating 44th World Environment Day with its readers.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SPECIAL

ISSUEJUNE 2018

8

#

Researchers at Belgium are developing an amazing new technology which will potentially have the ability to extract electricity from pollution and organic waste products. They came up with a way to capture polluted air and convert it into power in the form of hydrogen gas, a technology that could prove a two-pronged environmental panacea. The device is only at proof-of-concept stage right now, but the researchers hope to scale it up for industrial purposes to produce clean energy in a similar way to a solar panel. This technology will help slow global warming by cleaning excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. At the same time this new technology would help deal with the rising populations and resultant waste/pollution problems. This process would also eliminate the need to use fossil fuels as an energy source. One way to produce hydrogen gas today is through the process of electrolysis, where an electrical current is applied to water to split it into hydrogen and oxygen. One of the main difference with electrolysis is that this setup requires no additional electrical energy. The device runs on contaminated air and light, that’s it. The invention began with the discovery by the team members at University of Leuven, who found out that production of hydrogen gas using this device does not necessarily require clean liquid water, but it can also be done by capturing water molecules out of mid-air. The device consists of two chambers separated by membrane. On one side, a titanium-dioxide-based photo catalyst is activated by light to break down organic molecules and purify the air. Researchers are now working to improve the cell’s performance towards industrial relevance. One of the key aspects they are looking at is to improve the light-efficiency of the catalyst that drives the gas-purification reactions. They want an effective use of larger fraction of incoming solar light. Commercialization is still some time away and more research needed to scale the technology for industrial application and technology has a lot of potential.

TURNING POLLUTION TO POWER

#

THE MYSTERY OF DISAP APE RING STAR

For the first time, astronomers have witnessed a star disappear right before their eyes. Known as N6946-BH1, the star appears to have collapsed into a black hole without the usual flair of a supernova, which not only marks the first time scientists have witnessed the birth of a black hole, but could change our understanding of the life and death of stars. According to conventional thinking, when a star exhausts its energy supply, it violently ejects most of its matter outwards in a supernova, before collapsing in on itself to form a black hole. But N6946-BH1 has bucked the trend, skipping the supernova stage and quietly collapsing into a black hole. These failed supernovae (or "massive fails", as the team calls them) could help patch some holes in our stellar knowledge. How did a star 25 times the size of our Sun simply wink out of existence? Such large stars often go out with a bang – a supernova – blasting off much of their remaining mass before collapsing to form an incredibly dense black hole. The typical view is that a star can form a black hole only after it goes supernova. If a star can fall short of a supernova and still make a black hole, that would help to explain why we don't see supernovae from the most massive stars. Some 22 million light-years from Earth, the star N6946-BH1 is located in (or used to be, anyway) the galaxy NGC 6946, which is often known as the Fireworks Galaxy due to how regularly its stars go supernova. But this one was different. Telescope images show that N6946-BH1 was clearly visible in 2007, brightened slightly around 2009, and had vanished completely by 2015. To confirm that a dust cloud or something similar hadn't just obscured their view, the astronomers examined the spot in the visible light spectrum with the Hubble Space Telescope, and in infrared with Spitzer, and came up empty in both cases. N6946-BH1 was simply gone. With a mass 25 times that of the Sun, the resulting supernova should have been clearly visible. Instead, that minor brightening may have been a failed supernova, which would be the first time one has been directly detected. If stars can collapse in this way, the team says, it could help explain why supernovae from particularly massive stars are rarely spotted.

#

The hybrid bicycle concept is a full working prototype designed to bridge the gap between small displacement motorcycles and large bicycles. Hybrid bicycles blend characteristics from more specialized road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. The resulting "hybrid" is a general-purpose bike that can tolerate a wide range of riding conditions and applications. Their stability, comfort and ease of use make them popular with novice cyclists, casual riders, commuters, and children. The objective was to create a small, lightweight and modular bike to accommodate young people living in cities. Hybrids typically borrow the flat, straight handlebars and upright seating posture of a mountain bike, which many bicyclists find comfortable and intuitive. Hybrids also employ the lighter weight, thinner wheels and smooth tires of road bikes, allowing for greater speed and less exertion when riding on the road. Hybrid bikes often have places to mount racks and bags for transporting belongings, much like a touring bike. Able to run on either gasoline, electric or human power, the benefits of the hybrid bicycle are evident in the context of operating anywhere motorized vehicles are prohibited. It can reach speeds of 70mph with the gasoline engine in use. Hybrid bikes have spawned numerous sub-categories satisfying diverse ridership. They are classified by their design priorities, such as those optimized for comfort or fitness — and those offered as city, cross or commuter bikes. Examples are trekking bike which is a hybrid with all the accessories necessary for bicycle touring-mudguards, pannier rack, lights etc, cross bike which utilizes a road bicycle frame similar to a racing or touring bicyle, commuter bike which is designed specifically for commuting over short or long distances and it typically features derailleur gearing.

HYBRID SPORTS BICYCLE

#

What inspired you to appear for the GATE? A good rank in GATE gives you the opportunity to either get the best of

Post-Graduation in Engg., i.e., an opportunity to pursue M.Tech. from IISc. Or IITB, the

top-ranking colle es, every engineers Mecca or get the best possible PSU or Central

Govt. job like in IOCL, ONGC, NTPC or DRDO, BARC. For those who are interested in Research,

M.Tech. is the golden opportunity as you can get recommendation for Ph.D. from

some world renowned institute like MIT. What strategies helped you crack the exam? Studying with full dedication with least possible distractions is the only

strategy to crack any exam. My target was only GATE, I did not focus much on ESE (due to age

criteria being 21 or above) though I used to solve problems of the same. For cracking

GATE, all that a person needs to do is to study the college syllabus thoroughly (most of

the syllabus ove lapped) except Aptitude and English part and studying properly for

college proved quit helpful How did you prepare for the PSU interviews? If you are getting a good rank in GATE, it is considered that you know

sufficiently in you technical field. So, all that is required is to cover up current affairs part. For my interviews, I started by revising one subject for each interview

properly. Tell about your preparation phase. Have you joined any coaching institute for the Preparation ? I did not join any coaching institute’s classroom programme because I had sufficient guidance from my family. I joined Made Easy Test Series and took some guidance from

A graduate from JSSATE Noida (2013-17 batch), Mr. Himanshu Verma grabbed AIR-26 in GATE 2017, currently he is working

Mumbai ONGC, at trainee management as

. Here are some exerpts from the conversation between Team Yantrapatra and Mr. Himanshu Verma.

ALMA MATER

#

Anubhav Sir at IMS Learning Resources, Lucknow for Interview and GD, which was more of a confident boosting session of 4-5 hours. For everything else I had some good friends, out ofwhich two of them were the most helpful, helped me every time I was stuck. And during my preparation phase, I used to “Eat. Study. Sleep. Repeat.”. Try to cover subjects with the college curriculum. For instance, if you are in 5th semester, then study subjects like TOM and Machine Design (you get 4-5 months to study maximum 5 or 6 subjects- that too half of the subjects in this case-TOM and MD thoroughly and in any coaching institute you will be taught all these subjects within 12-14 months.) What is the success mantra that you would like to give to other GATE aspirants which has been critical for your preparation as well? Focus more on finding the solution to any problem (not competition questions only) instead of struggling to avoid it. If you will study any subject like IC Engine for 3-4 months for college curriculum, then it is obvious that you will prepare it with much ease and a firm base than just studying it for few hours in coaching (learn these awesome subjects, don’t just mug things up). What was your aim while attempting GATE? PSU recruitment or further studies? While attempting GATE my target was very much clear: IISc Bangalore. So, I knew, I can reach there only if I am able to score 90+. So, my target was to attempt as many correct questions as possible for the best research institute for PG in India. Any other important tips? **Avoid short hand books (covering entire subject in 100-180 page) as the first study material, i.e., the first book you will read. Study any subject from some good author’s book, then for revision you can study from such books. (It is also helpful, but just like the icing on the cake; get the cake then go for the icing). **Make notes of all the subjects that you study. Not just the class notes, but your own notes. **Try to read two or more books for some subjects like IC Engine, TOM, Thermodynamics, SOM, Maths (maths quite important subject, worth 15 marks and 100-15=85), it will help you counter any types of question. **Practice as many variety of questions as possible. **Study, this is practical life, not theoretical one where miracles happen, not some script life.

#

All the efforts are seen only by a few eyes, The rest see where the rest lies, If it is good then thou efforts are great like a stiff wall, But if it fails then thy efforts were just flaws.

Just be thyself, don’t prove it to others, Cause envy eyes won’t understand you ever, With a smile at face and curse in eyes, Envy ones would cast like Christ.

But loving ones would always appreciate by heart, So never hurt them or get separated apart. Remember, a devil can cast like a holy priest, To satisfy his need and fulfil his greed.

So just think before trusting the world so mean, Don’t just close your eyes and hold a hand to end up crying, when you lose it. At last relations do end, But memories can’t be done apart.

-Akanksha Bajpai

STUDENT’ S

C O R N E R

This is an entry from the event “THE WINDOW” organised by Yantrapatra. Such creative entries of students are invited from all the years, you can also mail your entries to us at: yantrapatra@gmail.com

#

TEAM YANTRAPATRA

HEAD-OF-DEPARTMENT : DR. MAMATHA T.G. FACULTY INCHARGE: Dr. PRASHANT CHAUHAN

HARSHIT SHARMA DIVYA SAXENA JATIN SINGHAL (EDITORIAL/HEAD) (MANAGEMENT) (EDITORIAL)

PRAKHAR KHANN

A SHIVANSHU MEROTHIA

(EDITORIAL) (MANAGEMENT)

CO-ORDINATORS & VOUNTEERS -

VAIBHAV PATHA

K SRISHTI SINGH SURAJ MISHRA (MANAGEMENT) (EDITORIAL) (EDITORIAL)

(SECOND YEAR) (SECOND YEAR) (FIRST YEAR)

)

F O U R T H

Y E A R

Y E A R

TH

I RD