India’s First-ever Methanol Fueled Buses launched by Transport Minister, Know about Clean Energy Mission here

On March 12, 2023 (Sunday), Nitin Gadkari showcased 100% methanol-powered buses that will be run by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). The buses will be operated with methanol blended fuel as part of Mission Clean Energy.

The preliminary tests will be run on a pilot basis. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari recently announced several pilot trials of MD15 buses on the premises of Vidhana Soudha. Moreover, they are to be tested with 15% methanol-blended fuel provided by Indian Oil. On this occasion, a truck that runs on 100% methanol (M 100) was also introduced by the government.

Government’s Clean Energy Project

An official of BMTC stated that this methanol-focused initiative has been put forth by the Central Government and NITI Aayog. The corporation will be providing 10 buses including both BSVI (Bharat Stage Emission Standards) and BSIV (Bharat Stage IV) for the implementation.

This illustrious project of the Union government aims at solving air quality problems and also curbing pollution along with promoting dependency on the import of fuel. Experiments will be done in order to determine the success rate of these buses. The newly designed buses are to be operated for a total period of three months. Methanol blended fuel will be taken from Indian Oil for conducting the trial run.

‘Methanol Economy’ Programme by NITI Aayog

According to the data given by Niti Aayog on “Methanol Economy”, Methanol is a good alternative to conventional transportation fuels. This is a low-carbon, hydrogen-carrier fuel produced from high ash coal, agricultural residue, and CO2 from thermal power plants as well as natural gas.

NITI Aayog’s ‘Methanol Economy’ Programme is determined to significantly decrease India’s oil import bill and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Furthermore, the aim is to convert coal reserves and municipal solid waste into methanol, as stated by the resource centre.

Blending 15% methanol in gasoline would as a consequence lead to at least a 15% reduction in the import of gasoline/crude oil. In addition to this, this would cut down GHG emissions by 20%. Therefore, improving urban air quality. NITI Aayog emphasized Methanol Economy as it can create more than 5 million job opportunities through methanol production or application and other distribution services.

Benefits of Methanol

In the production of Methanol, lower cost is involved hence it is preferred by the economies as compared to other fuel alternatives. Talking about its multiple benefits, Methanol as a fuel has a much lower risk of flammability relative to gasoline which is quite hazardous.

Source:Methanol Institute

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Failure Analysis on Poly Carbonate hub

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Failure Analysis on Poly Carbonate hub
I recently completed a failure analysis on a polycarbonate hub used to secure a steel tube. A number of parts had cracked while undergoing engineering use testing in the laboratory. The fractographic examination, which included scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealed fracture surface features that indicated that the parts failed though the application of stress at a high strain rate. It was concluded that the engineering testing produced rapid mechanical overload, in which the stresses exceeded the short-term strength of the material. Plastic materials, including polycarbonate, can undergo a ductile-to-brittle transition associated with high strain rate events.

The high strain rate failure mechanism was specifically identified in the SEM images by the presence of features known as river markings. They extended out from and bounded the crack origin. The crack origin area also displayed a relatively smooth texture, which was indicative of a brittle fracture mode. The cracking initiated with a design corner (yellow circle), which likely acted as a point of stress concentration.

Source:The MADISON GROUP
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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Fiber properties:

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Fiber properties:

As you may already know, fibers and their properties are very important to the performance of the final composite material being developed! 

Not only that, but the material price also needs to be in accordance with the business case of the project! 

That said, how does the most common high performance reinforcements fare against each other when it comes to Specific Fiber Toughness, Compressive Modulus, Tensile Modulus, Compressive Strength, Tensile Strength, Density and Cost? 

This graph offers an easy way to compare and select the best option between them! 

Bibliographical Reference:

Structural Composite Materials - Page 35

Source:#managingcomposites #thenativelab

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Strength of fibers

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Strength of fibers

Fibers generally exhibit much higher strengths than the bulk form of the same material. The probability of a flaw per unit length present in a sample is an inverse function of the volume of the material. Since fibers have a very low volume per unit length, they are much stronger on average than the bulk material, which has a high volume per unit length. On the other hand, because a bulk material has a much higher content of weakening flaws, it exhibits much lower variability in strength. Thus, the smaller the fiber diameter and the shorter its length, the higher the average and maximum strength but the greater the variability. Therefore, fibers have higher strength than their bulk counterparts, but they have greater scatter in their strength. The variability in the strength of fibers is a function of the flaws they contain and, in particular, the flaws they contain on the surface. 

Flaws can be minimized by careful manufacturing processes and the application of coatings to protect them from mechanical and environmental damage. Precursors used in fiber manufacturing processes must be of high purity and free of inclusions. Many fiber manufacturing processes involve drawing or spinning operations that impose very high degrees of orientation parallel to the fiber axis, thus producing a more favorable orientation in the crystalline or atomic structure. In addition, some processes involve very high cooling rates that produce ultrafine-grained structures, which are not achievable in most bulk materials. 

That said, how do commercially important fibers fair against each other when it comes to specific strength and specific modulus? Check out this graph to discover! 

Bibliographical Reference:

Structural Composite Materials - Page 32

Source:#managingcomposites #thenativelab

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Fatigue Striations (PC HEADLIGHT LENS)

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Fatigue Striations

I completed a failure analysis on a polycarbonate automobile headlight lens. Cracking was identified within the lens during inspection conducted after completion of performance testing. This testing included exposure of the lens to vibratory stress.

The external macro examination indicated that the cracking lacked characteristics associated with micro ductility, and displayed features associated with brittle fracture. The crack was completed and the fracture surface was examined with the aid of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM examination revealed a single crack origin, positioned immediately adjacent to a threaded boss design feature. The origin corresponds to a design corner, which acted as a point of stress concentration, multiplying the applied vibratory load.

A characteristic feature present on the fracture surface was the presence of radiating band features. The bands presented features indicative of arrest markings associated with dynamic crack propagation. At high magnification, the bands displayed characteristics of fatigue striations, corresponding to crack propagation through alternating cycles of cracking and arrest. This was consistent with the stated stress loading which precipitated the failure.

The fatigue striations on this project were textbooks for plastic materials. Fatigue cracking generally initiates at inhomogeneities within the microstructure, particularly at points of stress concentration, as was the case in this instance. The imposed stresses typically produce a complex process of both interactions of the defects, resulting in the initiation of microscopic cracks. The presence of the crack under load creates a further condition of stress concentration around the crack tip. When the stress maximum within this region exceeds the yield strain, a zone of damage is formed immediately in front of the crack tip, resulting in craze formation. Continued cyclic stresses lead to disentanglement of polymer molecules chains through cumulative rupture of the craze fibrils and coalescence of micro voids. Ruptured crazes are evident in the images below representing the headlight lens project. This process represents crack propagation and corresponds to the formation of bands of fatigue striations, as indicated below.

Once again, fractography clearly tells the story of how the component failed.

Source:The Madison group

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Pressure Relief Valve:

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Pressure Relief Valve:
A pressure Relief Valve is a safety device designed to protect a pressurized vessel or system during an overpressure event. An overpressure event refers to any condition which would cause pressure in a vessel or system to increase beyond the specified design pressure or maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP). The primary purpose of a pressure Relief Valve is protection of life and property by venting fluid from an overpressurized vessel. Many electronic, pneumatic and hydraulic systems exist today to control fluid system variables, such as pressure, temperature and flow. Each of these systems requires a power source of some type, such as electricity or compressed air in order to operate.

A pressure Relief Valve must be capable of operating at all times, especially during a period of power failure when system controls are nonfunctional. The sole source of power for the pressure Relief Valve, therefore, is the process fluid. Pressure Relief Valve Once a condition occurs that causes the pressure in a system or vessel to increase to a dangerous level, the pressure Relief Valve may be the only device remaining to prevent a catastrophic failure.The importance of adding Pressure relief device in gas storage systems in the recent years get more priority than the others in the safety aspects of whole process.

Source:Technical Engineering portal

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: The main properties of composite materials

 Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

The main properties of composite materials

As you may know, the characteristics/properties of composite materials resulting from the combination of reinforcement and matrix depend on: the proportions of reinforcements and matrix, the form of the reinforcement, and the fabrication process. 

But what are the most remarkable properties of these materials? 

- Composite materials generally possess very high specific mechanical properties.

- Composite materials do not yield: their elastic limits correspond to the rupture limit.

- Composite materials have high strength under fatigue loads.

- Composite materials age under the action of moisture and heat.

- Composite materials do not corrode, except in the case of contact aluminum with carbon fibers in which galvanic phenomenon creates rapid corrosion.

- Composite materials are not sensitive to the common chemicals used in engines: grease, oils, hydraulic liquids, paints and solvents, petroleum. However, cleaners for paint attack the epoxy resins.

- Composite materials have medium- to low-level impact resistance (inferior to that of metallic materials).

- Composite materials have excellent fire resistance as compared with the light alloys with identical thicknesses. However, the smoke emitted from the combustion of certain matrices can be toxic.

Bibliographical Reference:

Composite Materials Design and Applications - Page 16

Source:#managingcomposites/#thenativelab

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