11-Oct-2021: Tuning viscosity and elasticity of fluids can make transport and processing in food industries more efficient
Scientists have found a new method to improve the transportation of fluids like chocolates, lotions, sauces by tuning the viscosity and elasticity of fluids during materials processing in the food and personal care products industries.
Usually the transport of fluids through pipelines involves displacement of a more viscous fluid by a less viscous one. This creates instabilities at the interface between the fluids which leads to complex patterns of intrusion of the former into the latter. The complex intrusion pattern results in impurities during the transportation. Hence instabilities need to be removed to ensure smooth transportation of fluids during processing.
Scientists from Raman Research Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, have found that by changing the viscosity of the displacing fluid and the concentration-dependent elasticity of the displaced fluid, the instability can be reduced and the roughness of the interfacial pattern and the efficiency of displacement can be controlled.
In this study, funded jointly by DST SERB India and Raman Research Institute, the researchers used corn starch aqueous suspensions, (a non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluid), and glycerol-water mixtures (a Newtonian fluid) in their experiment. In the first set of experiments, the viscosity ratio between the two fluids (glycerol-water mixtures, the displacing fluid, and corn starch suspension, the displaced fluid) was changed by changing the viscosity of the glycerol water mixture. The viscosity of corn starch suspension was constant in this case while the viscosity of the mixture of glycerol and water was varied by changing the proportion of glycerol in the glycerol-water mixture. In the second set of experiments where the effect of elasticity of corn starch suspension is investigated, the viscosity ratio was kept constant. The elasticity of corn starch suspension was changed thereby changing its concentration, while viscosity ratio between the fluids was kept constant by choosing different concentration of the glycerol-water mixture. The research has been published in the journal ‘Colloids and Surfaces A’.
The suppression of instabilities leads to an efficient displacement of the more viscous/viscoelastic fluid which is useful in transportation of materials in industries such as food processing, oil recovery and sugar refining. The study can also help understand instabilities at the interface between two fluids which is essential in the design and enhancement of processes, like filtration and electrodeposition of metals, as also mixing and demixing of two phases like that of sugar and chocolate which can affect the texture and taste of the chocolate.
5-Aug-2021: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Gamma irradiation technology for food preservation has already been shared with private players
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said Gamma irradiation technology for food preservation has already been shared with private players and presently 26 Gamma Radiation Processing Plants are operational in the country in private, semi government and government sector for irradiation of various products.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha regarding reforms proposed in the atomic sector recently by the Finance Minister as a part of PM’s ₹ 20 lakh crore package, the Minister said, Gamma irradiation technology is used for inhibition of sprouting in bulbs and tubers, insect disinfestation of cereals, pulses and grains, microbial decontamination (hygienization) of dry spices etc. for preservation/shelf life extension by applying pre-determined radiation doses.
Setting of food irradiation facilities in the PPP mode certainly mitigates the huge quantum of post-harvest and storage losses of agricultural produce and food that results in national saving. However, reduction of food wastage will depend on various aspects such as post irradiation storage, total quantity of irradiated food products and time lapse between irradiation and distribution to users.
The Minister listed the following reforms related to Atomic Energy proposed by Hon’ble Finance Minister, Govt. of India on 16.05.2020:
- Establishing Research Reactor in PPP mode for production of medical isotopes to promote welfare of humanity through affordable treatment for cancer and other diseases.
- Establishing Facilities in PPP mode to use irradiation technology for food preservation.
- Linking India’s robust start-up ecosystem to nuclear sector by setting up Technology Development-cum-Incubation Centres for fostering synergy between research facilities and tech-entrepreneurs.
25-Jun-2021: Detailed Project reports of LIDAR survey of forest areas in 10 states for water and fodder augmentation released.
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar in a virtual event today released the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of LiDAR based survey of forest areas in ten states namely Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, and Tripura.
Shri Javadekar informed that the project which was awarded to WAPCOS, a PSU under the aegis of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India is a first of its kind and a unique experiment using LiDAR technology which will help augment water and fodder in jungles areas thereby reducing human-animal conflict, help in groundwater recharge, help local communities and also asked state forest departments to use CAMPA funds towards implementation of these projects in right earnest and in accordance with the ‘Ridge to Valley’ approach of watershed management.
WAPCOS has prepared these DPR’s using LiDAR technology in which the 3-D(three dimensional) DEM (Digital Elevation Model), imagery and layers of the project areas are used for recommending different types of Soil & Water conservation structures such as Anicut, Gabion, Gully Plug, Mini percolation tank, Percolation Tank, Field bund, Sunken pond, Farm pond etc. These structures will help in catching the rain water and prevent stream run off, which will help in recharging of Ground water.
WAPCOS with the participation of State Forest Departments identified one major ridge inside a forest block in these states with average area of 10,000 ha selected in each State for preparation of Detailed Project Reports for planning and identifying locations and structures for construction of appropriate and feasible micro soil and water conservation structures consistent with site specific geography, topography and soil characteristics.
States/UTs identified one major ridge inside a forest block with the criteria that area selected should have average rainfall of the state, and the area requires assisted natural generation which means the density of forests should be less than 0.4 or below, but should have reasonable potential to regenerate with the ANR interventions.
The project was awarded to WAPCOS in July 2020 at a cost of Rs.18.38 Crore/- for implementation in 26 states over 261897 hectare. The DPR’s for the remaining 16 states will also be released shortly.
25-Dec-2017: CPCB may consider using LiDAR devices to monitor air pollution
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) may consider using advanced LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) devices to vertically monitor the air quality of Delhi-NCR.
CPCB is currently focussing on strengthening its surface-level monitoring network, however, in “later stages”, vertical monitoring will also be taken up.
CPCB’s plans to use the LiDAR technology, using which laser beams are projected in the sky to study the composition of pollutants present in the upper layers, has hit a financial roadblock.
The CPCB has taken up the responsibility to strengthen the ground-level monitoring first on a priority basis. It may consider application of the LiDAR-like monitoring in later stages to have better strategic planning in air pollution control in Delhi-NCR for which fund would never be a constraint.
LiDAR is a monitoring system for mapping and modelling in micro-topography, forestry, agriculture, meteorology and environmental pollution.
Elastic Backscatter LiDAR and Raman LiDAR are used in monitoring air pollutants vertically.
The CPCB and IMD had used the Elastic Backscatter LiDAR in Delhi during the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the data was utilised in 3D modelling and forecasting during the games.
LiDAR projects laser beams towards the sky. Subsequently, the interplay of light with the objects falling on its path through absorption, reflection, scattering help determine the composition of suspended particulates.