Remodelling fan blades to downsize the bird strike impact
Bird strikes are a crucial phenomenon that should be taken into consideration while designing aircraft. Bird strikes have been reported since the early days of flight causing fatal disasters. It is estimated that around 300 people were killed, and several aircraft were destroyed because of bird strikes. A great deal of research has been conducted to tweak the design of aircraft to bring down the impact of bird strikes. Prof Prakash Jadhav and his PhD scholar Gruhalakshmi Yella from the Department of Mechanical Engineering have published a paper offering an appropriate solution in this regard.
Their paper titled “Hybrid joint interface in composite fan blade subjected to bird strike loading” has been published in the international journal, ‘Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science’ having an impact factor of 1.76. The research puts forward an ideal solution to alter the design of the aircraft fan blades which are frequently being subjected to such collisions. The duo proposes a hybrid joint interface using two fibres instead of a single fibre.
Some delamination failures observed in the trailing edge of the blades could probably increase the effect of such bird strikes. For rectifying the delamination problem, the proposed solution is to use a material with higher strain capability such as glass fibres in the areas on the fan blade which are prone to delamination, while maintaining carbon material on the remaining blade. The concept is proved by first performing a static analysis on 3D FEA coupons with an in-built hybrid interface joint and next by performing a dynamic bird strike analysis on 3D FEA coupons and sub-element models with an in-built hybrid interface.
Abstract of the Research
Fan blades are one of the most important components of an aircraft engine. Bird strikes on fan blades have always been a cause of worry and it can cause slices of birds to hit other parts of the engine which may lead to greater damage. Bird strikes cannot be completely avoided. Although current composite blades can withstand the bird strike impact, some delamination failures are still observed on the trailing edge side of the blade, possibly due to vibration bending modes. This paper talks about using two fibres in a composite blade instead of the current single fibre one. For this to be feasible, two fibre joints at various locations on the blade must be properly designed. The design criteria used here is the lowest inter-laminar shear strain level at critical joint locations.
- Published in Departmental News, Mechanical Engineering NEWS, News, Research News
DST-SERB international research fellowship for Dr Raviteja
SERB International Research Experience (SIRE) is a coveted opportunity for passionate researchers to collaborate with leading institutions across the globe for high-end research training in frontier areas of Science and Technology. Dr Raviteja from the Department of Civil Engineering has earned this opportunity through his resourceful project titled “Sustainable Ash based Geosynthetic Clay Liners for MSW Landfills”. The work proposes a sustainable design of solid waste landfill liners using industrial by-products like fly ash.
Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills need to be lined at the bottom to avoid contaminant transport. The conveyance of noxious pollutants from the landfill to the natural ground can be restricted using natural or synthetic barriers. In general, natural materials like clays/bentonites in combination with geomembranes (GMB) are used in liners. However, to increase the strength properties and reduce the compressibility characteristics, bentonites are often mixed with sand. With the increased cost and scarcity of sand, there is a renewed interest among the researchers to identify an alternative material to replace sand proportion in compacted GCLs in MSW landfills. Among several materials, fly ash is proved to be a potential substitute for sand in landfill liners.
This experience will serve as an excellent opportunity to work at one of the world-renowned, state-of-the-art geoenvironmental laboratories at the University of Illinois Chicago. “I feel fortunate to collaborate with Prof. Krishna Reddy, one of the eminent researchers in the geoenvironmental research fraternity. My research at UIC would be on developing sustainable ash-based geosynthetic clay liners for MSW landfills. I also wish to pursue recent advances in this area and identify a framework for my future research”, said Dr Raviteja. The project will help him establish strong research collaborations with experts in the geotechnical labs at other US universities. He can also make field visits to identify the practical problems and direct his research toward the real-field applicability.
With an enriching research exposure at UIC, he will be able to formulate innovative and advanced research problems to enhance the visibility and applicability of his project. Presenting this work at various conferences and seminars will also attract various potential collaborations and MoU with other universities abroad. According to him, “this is a less explored domain that will immensely benefit research scholars and undergraduate students to invent new possibilities and scopes in the future”.
- Published in CIVIL NEWS, Departmental News, Faculty Achievements, News, Research News
Top five winners of the Suggestion contest
Innovative suggestions create a doorway to a world of opportunities and possibilities. The Suggestion contest conducted by the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation received 206 entries, and each of them was significant in one way or the other. Finding out the most impactful and meaningful suggestions among them was a hectic task, and we have five winners for the competition. Congratulations to CSE second-year student Krishna Manideep, BBA second-year student Pratibha Maurya and CSE first-year students; Vishnu Vardhan, Pranathi Jayanthi, and G Sai Rohith for making it to the top five.
The department has started programmes like “ExplorerHive” and “the Leader” based on the suggestions of students. Many more innovative programs are yet to come by utilising the suggestions obtained through the competition. Congratulations to the whole 206 participants for their contributions and suggestions. We value each of you and your suggestions and will try our best to put them all into practice.
- Published in IDEA NEWS, News, Students Achievements
A solar-powered innovation of Venkata Sree Harsha
Student innovations that render hope and reassurance to an ever-changing society with booming demands indeed call for sweeping appreciation and recognition. We are elated to present the story of one of our budding masterminds who has brought us laurels through his trailblazing invention. Our first-year Mechanical Engineering student, Venkata Sree Harsha has developed the prototype of a solar electric bicycle with iconic features. This is a well-timed invention presented in the face of exacerbating pollution and energy insufficiency.
There have been endless studies and research going on to discover alternate solutions to bring down the imprudent use of conventional sources of energy. We are running out of our resources on one hand, and they are causing irreversible damage to the environment on the other hand. Tapping the invaluable potential of solar energy is the ideal way to welcome a new era of renewable energy resources. Solar inventions are therefore encouraged and put to implementation. This is believed to expedite the use of such renewable resources.
Venkata Sree Harsha’s solar-powered bicycle can run for unlimited distance in sunlight and for 2 hours at night when fully charged. It is fitted with a 24 Volt, 350-Watt DC motor, two 12 Volt batteries, two 6-Watt solar panels, and other components. The rechargeable batteries are attached to a 36 Volt motor, and it is connected in a series fashion. The solar power panels are fastened to the rear end of the vehicle which actively charges the bicycle while it is running on the sun. The total investment for this environment-friendly solar bicycle came approximately to rupees 15,000. This is a fruitful innovation when the escalating fuel prices are causing hardships in an average Indian household.
The young innovator expressed his delight and contentment over making his tiny share of contribution to the lives of those who are struggling to make ends meet in a world where expenses are soaring high without limits. His passion for science and determination to bring technology to right and productive use are what made this innovation possible. Mr Venkata also thanked his teachers and fellow friends who helped and guided him throughout this rewarding journey.
- Published in Departmental News, Mechanical Engineering NEWS, News, Students Achievements