National Institute of Technology, Silchar

About: National Institute of Technology, Silchar is a education organization based out in Silchar, Assam, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Control theory & Electric power system. The organization has 1934 authors who have published 4219 publications receiving 41149 citations. The organization is also known as: NIT Silchar.

Bringing Computation Closer toward the User Network: Is Edge Computing the Solution?

Abstract: The virtually unlimited available resources and wide range of services provided by the cloud have resulted in the emergence of new cloud-based applications, such as smart grids, smart building control, and virtual reality. These developments, however, have also been accompanied by a problem for delay-sensitive applications that have stringent delay requirements. The current cloud computing paradigm cannot realize the requirements of mobility support, location awareness, and low latency. Hence, to address the problem, an edge computing paradigm that aims to extend the cloud resources and services and enable them to be nearer the edge of an enterprise's network has been introduced. In this article, we highlight the significance of edge computing by providing real-life scenarios that have strict constraint requirements on application response time. From the previous literature, we devise a taxonomy to classify the current research efforts in the domain of edge computing. We also discuss the key requirements that enable edge computing. Finally, current challenges in realizing the vision of edge computing are discussed.

Effect of reaction pathway and operating parameters on the deoxygenation of vegetable oils to produce diesel range hydrocarbon fuels: A review

Abstract: Growing demand for fossil fuels and related environmental issues have directed global attention towards development of alternative fuels from renewable sources. In this regard, biodiesel synthesized from vegetable oils and animal fats has shown potential as alternative to diesel fuel owing to its comparable fuel properties and combustion characteristics. However, higher oxygen content in biodiesel has raised some technical issues for its long term utilization in engines. Subsequently, the second generation liquid hydrocarbon fuels are being developed via catalytic deoxygenation of fatty acids present in vegetable oils. Presently, the research focus is on the pathways for catalytic deoxygenation like hydrodeoxygenation, decarboxylation, and decarbonylation. In hydrodeoxygenation, use of hydrogen gas and sulfided metal catalysts ensure higher conversion of vegetable oil into hydrocarbon fuel compared to the other two pathways. On the contrary, decarboxylation and decarbonylation are mostly hydrogen-free processes ensuring economical production of hydrocarbon fuel from vegetable oils. Hence, the techno-economical issues related to deoxygenation process need to be addressed for its commercial viability. Further, key operating parameters like nature of catalysts and supports, catalyst amount, reaction temperature, reaction atmosphere, hydrogen partial pressure, feed type, feed rate, type of solvent, H2/fatty acid molar ratio etc. are reported to have substantial influence on the hydrocarbon yield and selectivity. This review paper expounds a comparative assessment on the various deoxygenation pathways with their reaction mechanisms to opt for the suitable pathway for conversion of vegetable oils into hydrocarbon fuels based on yield and selectivity of the desired product, ease of use, economy etc. It also explicates the influence of various operating parameters to obtain optimum hydrocarbon conversion and selectivity during catalytic deoxygenation of vegetable oils and related feedstock.

Al-doped zinc oxide thin films for liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors

Abstract: Undoped and Al-doped zinc oxide thin films were prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis technique using Zn(CH3COO)2 as a precursor solution without or with AlCl3 as a doping solution, respectively. The dopant concentration (at% Al to Zn) was varied from 0 to 1.5 at%. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analyses of the films confirm that all the films are of polycrystalline zinc oxide in nature, possessing hexagonal wurtzite structure. The films show the change in preferential orientation depending on the doping concentration of Al. The crystallite size in the 0.5 at% Al-doped film is found to be minimum (∼103 nm) among all the films. It is observed that the resistivity of the Al-doped films decreases with the Al dopant concentration up to 1 at%. At a higher doping concentration of 1.5 at%, the disorder produced in the lattice causes an increase in the resistivity of the film. It is found that compared to the undoped ZnO film, Al-doped films show high response to LPG. Among all the doped films studied, the 0.5 at% Al-doped ZnO film shows the maximum response (∼89%) to 1 vol% of LPG in air at 325 °C. Further, the response and recovery times of the films to LPG become shorter at higher operating temperatures. A possible mechanism of LPG sensing has been explained.