Sadhan Mahapatra

Aluminium-ion batteries: developments and challenges

The concept of exploring the superior benefits of electropositive metals as anodes in rechargeable metal-batteries has resurfaced in recent times in anticipation of the future societal need for high energy density and affordable batteries. A rechargeable battery based on aluminium chemistry is envisioned to be a low cost energy storage platform, considering that aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earths crust. The high volumetric capacity of aluminium, which is four and seven times larger than that of lithium and sodium respectively, unarguably has the potential to boost the energy density of aluminium-batteries on a per unit volume basis. Efforts to develop rechargeable aluminium-batteries can be traced to as early as the 1970s, however this area of research has seen a surge in activity since 2010, when the possibility of achieving an ambient temperature aluminium system was convincingly demonstrated. In recent times, rechargeable aluminium-batteries have been rechristened as aluminium-ion batteries. This review aims to comprehensively illustrate the developments regarding rechargeable non-aqueous aluminium-batteries or aluminium-ion batteries. Additionally, the challenges that impede progress in achieving a practical aluminium-ion battery are also discussed.

Design and testing of a control system for Supply Side electrical load Management

Indias energy demand is increasing rapidly with the intensive growth of economy. The electricity demand in India exceeded the availability, both in terms of base load energy and peak availability. The efficient use of energy source and its conversion and utilizations are the viable alternatives available to the utilities or industry. There are essentially two approaches to electrical energy management. First at the supply / utility end (Supply Side Management or SSM) and the other at the consumer end (Demand Side Management or DSM). This work is based on Supply Side Management (SSM) protocol and consists of design, fabrication and testing of a control device that will be able to automatically regulate the power flow to an individual consumers premise. This control device can monitor the overuse of electricity (above the connected load or contracted demand) by the individual consumers. The present project work specially emphasizes on contract demand of every consumer and tries to reduce the use beyond the contract demand. This control unit design includes both software and hardware work and designed for 0.5 kW contract demand. The device is tested in laboratory and reveals its potential use in the field.

Eco-Enterprises, Policies and Institutional Setup for RHEES - North East India

The paper presents a possible approach to address India’s formidable challenge of ensuring security of access to modern energy carriers to the majority of its rural population. This study presents a case study of the selection methodology, implementation strategies for setting up Energy Eco-enterprise in North-East, India under RHEES. The RHEES (Rural Hybrid Energy Enterprise Systems) approach aims at designing and implementing a ‘participatory’ process of capturing the perception of rural end-users on all the aspects of energy and associated benefits as well as seeking their inputs for energy access induced empowerment and long-term sustainability. In addition, the paper provides an insight into the profitability of such eco-enterprises using existing business models which support sustainability in renewable energy generation, distribution, use and develop new entrepreneurial modes which prioritize and enable production and fair marketing of value-added by-products as well as carbon credits to local, national and international markets.

Iterative Model for the Performance Evaluation of a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

This paper is based on the studies made on a numerical model for calculating the turbine characteristics at low tip speed ratio for a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine. The turbine characteristics are analysed for different configurations over the total operating range i.e. from tip speed ratio of zero to a maximum value where CP becomes zero. The simulation model provides acceptable results, however for the blade position near the hub, a non-convergent situation is observed i.e. the flow parameters converge to values outside those associated with turbine operation. This indicates the possibility of a multisolution.