IR@CIMFR - Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR)
Not a member yet
2618 research outputs found
Sort by
Characterization and Testing of KF/CaO Heterogeneous Catalyst for Biodiesel Production
No full textThe application of heterogeneous catalyst in the production of biodiesel cannot only decline the costs of the separation process but also reduce the cost of biodiesel. The present study has emphasized on the performance evaluation of KF/CaO catalyst for biodiesel synthesis from nonedible Jatropha curcas oil (JCO). The synthesized catalyst was characterized through various analytical methods such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), CO2-temparature program desorption (CO2-TPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, BET surface area (SA) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The novelty of this heterogeneous catalyst (KF/CaO) is its reuse without leaching of Ca2+. It was observed from experimental study that prepared catalyst reflects high efficiency towards catalytic transesterification activity. Furthermore, the catalyst has admirable stability, making it suitable for use as a solid base catalyst in the manufacture of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas oil with 5.5 percent free fatty acid (FFA). Reusability tests of the prepared catalyst validated that it could be reused up to four times without sacrificing ample activity, thereby giving rise to a potentially relevant biodiesel production possibility
Stabilization of metals in sludge-amended soil using red mud and its effects on yield and oil quality of Brassica juncea cultivar Kranti
No full textProlonged application of sewage-sludge may cause excessive accumulation of metal(oid)s in soil, leading to phytotoxic effects. Spread of contaminants in soil can probably be hindered by using an effective metal(oid) stabilizer. Pot experiment in open field conditions was conducted for five months to evaluate the metal(oid) (Al, Cu, Zn, Cd and Cr) stabilization potential of red mud (RM) in sludge-amended soil and its effects on growth, yield, oil quality parameters and metal(oid) accumulations in Brassica juncea cultivar Kranti. The test plant was grown at different RM concentrations (0, 5, 10 and 15% w/w) in sludge-amended soil (soil/sludge: 2:1 w/w). As the total and phytoavailable metal(oid) concentrations in sludge were high, its application increased their concentrations in soil compared to the control (no RM and sludge). Increasing RM concentrations in sludge-amended soil effectively stabilized Cd followed by Cr, Cu, Zn and Al, leading to their reduced contents in plants coupled with enhanced growth performance and yield. Maximum plant (root and shoot) biomass (14.9%) and seed yield (40.4%) were found in 10% RM treatment, whereas oil content showed substantial increase with increasing RM treatments in sludge-amended soil. Mustard oil showed low rancidification, high long-chain fatty acids, saturated and polyunsaturated (ω-3 and ω-6) fatty acids within FAO ranges for edible oils under varying RM treProlonged application of sewage-sludge may cause excessive accumulation of metal(oid)s in soil, leading to phytotoxic effects. Spread of contaminants in soil can probably be hindered by using an effective metal(oid) stabilizer. Pot experiment in open field conditions was conducted for five months to evaluate the metal(oid) (Al, Cu, Zn, Cd and Cr) stabilization potential of red mud (RM) in sludge-amended soil and its effects on growth, yield, oil quality parameters and metal(oid) accumulations in Brassica juncea cultivar Kranti. The test plant was grown at different RM concentrations (0, 5, 10 and 15% w/w) in sludge-amended soil (soil/sludge: 2:1 w/w). As the total and phytoavailable metal(oid) concentrations in sludge were high, its application increased their concentrations in soil compared to the control (no RM and sludge). Increasing RM concentrations in sludge-amended soil effectively stabilized Cd followed by Cr, Cu, Zn and Al, leading to their reduced contents in plants coupled with enhanced growth performance and yield. Maximum plant (root and shoot) biomass (14.9%) and seed yield (40.4%) were found in 10% RM treatment, whereas oil content showed substantial increase with increasing RM treatments in sludge-amended soil. Mustard oil showed low rancidification, high long-chain fatty acids, saturated and polyunsaturated (ω-3 and ω-6) fatty acids within FAO ranges for edible oils under varying RM treatments compared to sludge-amended soil. Furthermore, high oleic and low erucic acid contents in mustard oil indicated a better oil quality under different RM treatments. Metal(oid) contents in seeds under different red mud treatments were within FAO/WHO limits for consumption. Thus, RM applications preferably 5 and 10% (w/w) in sludge-amended soil might be effective in stabilization of metal(oid)s using B. juncea cultivar Kranti coupled with better yield, improved oil quality and metal(oid)s within limits for human consumption.atments compared to sludge-amended soil. Furthermore, high oleic and low erucic acid contents in mustard oil indicated a better oil quality under different RM treatments. Metal(oid) contents in seeds under different red mud treatments were within FAO/WHO limits for consumption. Thus, RM applications preferably 5 and 10% (w/w) in sludge-amended soil might be effective in stabilization of metal(oid)s using B. juncea cultivar Kranti coupled with better yield, improved oil quality and metal(oid)s within limits for human consumption
Intelligent dry fog dust suppression system: an efficient technique for controlling air pollution in the mineral processing plant
No full textDust suppression system plays a significant role in mining and allied industries. It has become an integral part of the environmental management system. Dust emission from mining and mineral processing industries poses environmental and health problems to workers and surrounding people. Dust creates a reliability issue in machinery and ventilation systems, causing infrastructural damage and the industry’s financial losses. This paper deals with a smart dry fog dust suppression system which has been developed for effectively controlling dust emission from mining and mineral processing activities. The system has been implemented in an iron ore crushing and screening plant in India, and its efficacy has been evaluated for controlling dust emission. The installed dry fog system reduced dust concentration to 0.10–0.17 mg m−3 from the prevailing dust concentration of 0.62–1.73 mg m−3 in work zone areas, which was much below the permissible limit below 1 mg m−3 where silica content in the dust was less than 5%. Percentage of free silica in the work zone dust reduced to traces from 3.61 to 4.80%. Similarly, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in the ambient air were decreased to 90–99 μg m−3 and 49–58 μg m−3 from 185 to 250 μg m−3 and 148–200 μg m−3, respectively. Further, concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were drastically reduced by 51.35–60.4% and 69.69–71.0%, respectively. The reduced dust concentrations in the ambient air were within the prescribed limit of PM10 (100 μg m−3) and PM2.5 (60 μg m−3). The system significantly reduces dust and free silica concentration in the work zone areas below the permissible limit. The system controls dust emission with an increase in production as it has been found that the number of nozzles is directly correlated with a reduction in dust. Furthermore, the system does not change the raw material’s mass as water added to dust is less than 0.01% of the raw material. The system is designed to give the best results within the closed environment of the plant. The system helps in eco-friendly and clean mining. The system reduces the breakdown and maintenance cost of mining equipment, thereby decreasing overall operating costs. Further, the system minimizes mine workers’ health problems, like silicosis and severe other occupation diseases. The system is automatic, cost-effective, energy efficient, and easy to maintain. Further, the system is capable of handling dust problems in the closed environment of crushing and screening plants. These properties make the system techno-economically feasible for installation in mineral processing plants
Predicting blast-induced pull using regression tree
No full textThe tunnel advance (pull) per blast considerably influences the time and expenditure incurred to construct tunnels using conventional drill and blast methods. Blasts with high pull efficiency can considerably lessen the construction time by reduc-ing the number of drilling, blasting and mucking cycles. Researchers have developed some empirical and theoretical models for determining pull. However, these models are based upon hit and trial techniques. The previous works on the similar subject suggest that the pull efficiency cannot be correlated to a variable. Nevertheless, the literature suggests that the soft computing techniques can be used for solving such non-linear problems. The present study aims to develop a classification and regression tree (CART) model to predict the pull using various blast design parameters, such as cross-sectional area, number of blast holes, hole diameter, hole depth, charge per hole, maximum charge per delay, total charge and charge factor. A dataset comprising of 100 data points was compiled from tunnelling sites of Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Project for model formulation. The dataset was divided in a ratio of 80:20 for training and testing, respectively. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) of the CART model and multivariate regression analysis were com-pared for the validation. The suitability of the CART model was further verified by conducting statistical hypothesis test
Nanoarchitectonics with electrochemical additive manufacturing process for printing the reduced graphene oxide
No full textThe synthesis process of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets generally requires the printing of graphene oxide (GO) as a
frst step and later its reduction through a chemical or thermal route to get the required rGO in the second step. The present
work demonstrates the printing of rGO using 0.1% w/v dispersion of GO in water in a single-step process. The method uses
the nascent electrochemical additive manufacturing, which allows for non-template-based deposition of microscopically
patterned systems. The samples are deposited at 1, 3, and 5 V at 0.1 mm s
−1 printing speed. Deposited rGO is characterized
using XRD, Raman, and FTIR for various qualitative and quantitative aspects. The surface morphology and topographical
studies are performed using SEM and AFM techniques. The RMS roughness calculated using the AFM results, ranging from
5.7 nm to 15.3 nm for 1 to 5 V, indicates the trend of increasing roughness with the deposition potential. The XAS spectroscopy data show that the sample printed at 5 V has the highest purity rGO. The capacitive behaviour of the as-deposited rGO
has also been discussed and contrasted with the rGO deposited using other prevalent methods. The specifc capacitance of
the micro capacitor was found up to 10.84 F g−1 with coulombic efciencies for 500 cycles at 0.2 A g−
Electro-catalytic Behavior of High Entropy Alloy-graphene (HEA:G) Composite
No full textHigh entropy alloy (HEA) nanoparticles composed of five or more elements in nearly equimolar
concentrations are gaining attention due to their excellent thermal, electrical and catalytic behavior [1].
The application of HEA as a heterogeneous catalyst in energy conversion applications exhibit substantially
enhanced catalytic activity compared to noble metal (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) based catalysts [2]. HEA/Graphene
(HEA:G) composites with varied weight percentage ratios of HEA and graphene have shown remarkable
catalytic behavior towards water oxidation and non-enzymatic urea detection [3-4]. This response is due
to the synergistic effect of HEA in catalyzing the redox reaction and graphene in accelerating the electron
transfer process. Hence HEA based composites can replace traditional metal-based catalysts and can bring
a great revolution in energy storage and sensing applications. This work illustrates the electro-catalytic
behavior of HEA:G towards enzyme-less oxidation of glucose
Perceptive Driving Assistant System for Opencast Mines During Foggy Weather
No full textDuring harsh weather conditions, the presence of fog, dust in the environment degrades the image’s quality, which affects the visibility of drivers of heavy earth-moving machinery in opencast mines. Due to low visibility, mining operations cannot be carried out as drivers are easily prone to accidents. This paper proposes a technique that includes developing a vision enhancement system called perceptive driving assistant system for increasing visibility of real-time video of the road in front of the vehicle for operators of heavy earth-moving machinery at opencast mines during harsh weather conditions to overcome the problem. The system consists of high-quality Internet Protocol cameras and thermal cameras for real-time image processing and other well-defined devices, which is quite capable of enhancing the visibility of the image, outlining edges of the road, and detecting obstacles present on the path of operators for smooth driving and reducing threat of accidents. A high-speed graphical processing unit has been used for quality-performance parallel computing, which is well suited for real-time operations to empower fast real-time operations. The calculated frame per second (fps) of image enhancement, object detection, and edge detection is 17.91, 15.91, and 25.09 fps, respectively. The actual frame rate is 26.07 fps, and after applying the algorithm, the final frame rate is 19.65 fps. The calculated accuracy of the object detection model is 81.23%. Field trials indicate that the developed system has performed adequately during foggy weather
Numerical study of stability of coal pillars under the influence of line of extraction
No full textIn underground coal mining, strata instability is one of the most catastrophic hazards, which involves sudden and violent dynamic failure of the pillars and overlying strata. Despite decades of research, the contributing factors and mechanisms of failure of underground structures are still not completely understood. Hence, it remains challenging to forecast strata failures and quantify their likelihood of occurrence. This paper deals with the scope of application of different line of extraction in problematic conditions, such as when the pillars are surrounded by goaf areas or are overstressed or there are other transportation/coal evacuation issues. In this paper, the effect of line of extraction on pillar stability has been studied in the context of an Indian underground coal mine by way of a comparative analysis through numerical simulation. The stress on the coal pillars during depillaring have been found to be similar for steep-diagonal line and straight line of extraction. However, stress on the pillars in case of steep-diagonal line follows a better trend than straight line of extraction. Overall, the results of this study establish the scope of application of different line of extraction in geo-mining conditions which do not allow implementing straight line of extraction in mechanised depillaring
Spontaneous Combustion in Relation to Drying of Low Rank Coal
No full textThe water molecules associated with coal play a significant role in spontaneous ignition and combustion of coal. This paper deals with studies to evaluate the impact of moisture content on crossing point temperature (CPT) and ignition point temperature (IPT) of some low-rank coal and lignite after various stages of drying. Experimental data suggest (i) existence of critical moisture content value determining the propensity of a particular coal toward self-heating and (ii) content of moisture and nature of oxygen-bearing functional groups to be the most influencing factors in self-heating. The auto-oxidation cum self-heating characteristics of coal become more conducive with increase in the ratio of quantity of hydroxyl to carboxyl functional groups. The FTIR studies further corroborate that the initial stages of auto-oxidation cum self-heating occur presumably at the surface of the coal