IIT Delhi Showcases Technologies with Societal Impact, Innovations in Clean Energy, Healthcare, Manufactuting at All IITs R&D Fair IInvenTiv

New Delhi: IIT Delhi showcased a number of technologies developed in various fields by its researchers at the two-day All IITs Research and Development fair named ‘IInvenTiv’ inaugurated on Friday by the Union Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.

Under the theme Technologies with Societal Impact, IIT Delhi showcased a wide variety of technologies with societal impact such as, biogas driven car and scooter, tactile books for the visually challenged, smart cane, waterless urinals, machine for making tulsi mala beads, bamboo-based construction components, AI/ML DIY kit, technology for accurate TB detection, biomass cookstove, sheep shearing device, water level measuring device, smart vending cart, Ionic liquids for effective capture of CO2, recycling of plastic waste and e-waste, voice-based participatory media for rural India, earthquake resilient infrastructure, geothermal piles for clean energy and early warning of floods.

 

 

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IIT Delhi researchers demostrated two technologies related to Clean Energy and Renewables.

a) Replacement of Diesel Generators with Vanadium Redox Flow Battery for Clean and Sustainable Environment

The team at IIT Delhi has developed vanadium redox flow battery, whose technological features are backed by its filled patents. The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) can store and deliver renewable energy efficiently, durably, and economically. Further, the effort is in the direction to realize the goal of Panchamrit as committed in the COP26 by the Indian Government. Demonstration of the developed VRFB system in operating environment has been achieved. The research team is validating the technology at product level. The project is funded under National Innovation Challenge Award (NICA) 2020 by DST, Govt. of India, and demonstrated a working product for rural electrification. Further, a prototype is installed in IIT Delhi for charging mobile gadgets as product validation in real environment. A VRFB based electric vehicle charging station is being developed for 2W/3W electric vehicles plying in IIT Delhi to showcase that it can be used for electric vehicle charging station.

b) Methanol Production from Indian Coal: Pilot Plant Demonstration, Catalysis and Scale-up Technologies

India has very little crude oil reserves, and most of its crude oil, and hence energy requirements, is imported. On the other hand, India is endowed with abundant reserves of coal, arguably fifth in the world with respect to proven coal reserves. Unfortunately, most of the coal in India is high ash, which means that the mineral matter (not carbon) in coal is as high as 40-45%.
This project, conceived as an academia-industry collaboration, proposed to set up a pilot plant for 1 tonne per day (1 tpd) methanol production, dovetailed on a synthesis gas (syngas) source.  The background research and development towards catalyst development, reactor engineering, and scale-up, that go into the design and reliable and optimized operation of this pilot plant, is being done in multiple research projects in IIT Delhi. The pilot plant was set up in Thermax premises in Pune and has been commissioned and the technology has been established to confidence through multiple campaigns.

Two technologies were demonstrated by the IIT Delhi researchers under the manufacturing theme.

a) Advanced CNC Micromachining System (AMMS) with integrated tool head

An advanced micromachining system (AMMS) having 4 conventional mechanical tool-based micromachining processes viz. µ-milling, µ-drilling, µ-turning, µ-grinding and 2 advanced unconventional (µ-EDM, µ-Laser Beam Machining) processes with integrated micro tool manufacturing and metrology is developed. AMMS is an all-in-one machining tool center for manufacturing micro components in a very few steps covering materials of various hardness range. AMMS has an indigenously developed unique control system for individual micromachining process control, 5-axes CNC motion control and metrology. The system is also capable of fabricating micro-grinding tools and finishing of micro-components.

Application potential areas of AMMS: Defence, Medical Implant Manufacturer, Precision Manufacturing Industry, Automobile and Aerospace Industry.

b) Continuous Electrospinning Machine

Electrospinning is the most popular technology for producing nanofibres for various emerging applications in the areas of automotive and industrial filtration, biomedical devices, electronic sensors, protection and environment to name a few. 
Uniqueness of the solution: SMITA Research Lab at IIT Delhi has developed for the first time in India a unique modular technology for industrial scale production of nanofibers. This technology is superior to the existing foreign technologies. Using this technology, nanofibers can be deposited continuously and uniformly over a wide width of substrates at high rates. Further, the diameter and the deposition thickness of the nanofibers can be controlled precisely. In India, there is no company engaged in the mass production of nanofibres. The technology is patented in India, UK and USA. 

Under the healthcare theme, IIT Delhi researchers showcased two technologies.

a) 3D Bioprinted Skin Disease Models

Using a patented technology by the IIT Delhi researchers, RegenArtis Pvt. Ltd. Is developing 3D bioprinted human skin disease models for various skin diseased conditions like skin scarring, Psoriasis, and aging skin, for the development and testing of new drugs in pharmaceutical/cosmetic industries.

b) Continuous Processing for Production of Biotech Therapeutics

Project was aimed at creation of technology enablers for implementation of continuous manufacturing for biotherapeutics. Key objectives included:
• Reduce the cost of manufacturing for biotherapeutics
• Catapult the Indian biotech industry ahead with respect to technology
• Make biotherapeutics affordable and improve accessibility of health facilities across the globe

Theme- Smart Cities & Infrastructure 

a) Smart Public Transport Toolkit: 
Public transport (PT) is the mainstay of travel for 70% Indians who don’t own a personal vehicle. However, our bus agencies predominantly provide static route networks and adopt manual scheduling practices thereby struggling to meet the evolving travel demand of an increasing population. Lack of technical expertise is limiting bus agency’s ability to incorporate customer needs into service planning and scheduling. The lack of demand responsiveness of our PT systems is resulting in a rapid decline in their ridership despite the overall increase in population and travel activity. Retaining existing PT users and attracting users from private modes of transport is crucial for the economic progress of our cities and transforming them into Smart Cities. 
The problem solved is to make PT demand responsive and reliable. Towards this objective, we are proposing a data-driven schedule optimization toolkit that analyzes the existing bus services in cities and recommends a revised schedule that will improve the service level at the least operational cost. Therefore, the toolkit is beneficial from users as well as service providers perspectives. 
Uniqueness of the solution:  
The solution will help bus agencies use data available within their systems and optimize service at no extra cost. Our tool accounts for the unique operating practices of Indian bus agencies which plan and operate their fleet. We have actively worked with Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), the largest urban bus fleet provider in India to ensure our tool meets the realworld requirements. The tool is transferable and thus can be used by any city transport authorities after contextual modifications.

                                  (Technologies with Societal Impact)
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