Non-newtonian flow modelling based design of plate heat exchangers

Plate heat exchangers (PHEs) are widely used in food industries for processing liquid products, because of their high thermal effectiveness, ease of maintenance and cleaning, high heat exchange rate and demand of relatively small floor area.  As many food products are non-Newtonian fluids, particularly pseudoplastic in nature, it is important to study nature of their flow and heat transfer characteristic in PHEs.  Aqueous solutions of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) at different weight concentrations (0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%) and 25 ≤ NRe,gen ≤ 250 and at different inlet temperatures (50°C, 60°C and 70°C) were considered as operating conditions.  Using data obtained, relations between dimensionless numbers (NNu, NPr and NRe,gen) were established.  Pressure drop across inlet and outlet of PHE was measured for each run and correlations between friction factor and generalized Reynolds number were established for different concentrations.  To study flow pattern of CMC fluid through narrow gap between two plates, simulation was carried out using FLUENT 6.3 software by supplying actual experimental conditions.  Theoretical method is suggested for predicting temperatures of fluids after each pass of PHE

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of grain-water suspensions in tube

In this study of solid-liquid flow, rice and cassava starch particles were used as the dispersed media and water was used as the carrier fluid. Experiments were carried out on slurries with solid concentrations of 5%, 10% and 15% w/w which flowed in a 13mm ID and 3 m long tube –in - tube heat exchanger. Steam was used as the heating medium. Calculated convective film to particle heat transfer coefficient (hfp) values ranged from 11 to 32 kW m -2 K -1 for cassava and rice particles with uncertainty of ± 2 kW m -2 K -1. A decrease in heat transfer coefficient values was found as a result of short residence time at the higher flow rates. To investigate the solid-liquid two-phase flow Eulerian multiphase model was adopted in simple axisymmetric geometry. Velocity profiles of the liquid and solid phases with different particle fractions were estimated from the simulated results. The respective velocities of both phases were higher in the upper part of the tube than in the lower portion because of settling caused by gravity. The slip velocity of particles was estimated from the simulations and it ranged from 6.68 cm/s to 9.80 cm/s for the cassava particles and 13.83 cm/s to 19.38 cm/s for the rice particles. The rice grains always lagged the liquid phase where as the cassava starch globules moved faster than the carrier liquid in the central region and very close to the wall. The particle volume concentration profile was also investigated and it was observed that a high particle concentration formed a core around tube centreline

Evaluation of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology as an Effective Organic Option for Large Scale Paddy Cultivation in Farmer’s Field – A Case Study from Kowgachi-II Gram Panchayat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Comparative study of Chemical (Farmer’s Practice) and Organic (under Inhana Rational Farming Technology developed by visionary scientist, Dr. P. Das Biswas, Founder, Inhana Biosciences, Kolkata) aman paddy (rainfed) cultivation was conducted at farmers’ field under large scale production in Mathurapur village, Kowgachi-II Gram Panchayat, North 24 Parganas of West Bengal during crop year 2012 – 2013. Farmers from the village volunteered in the programme under encouragement from local gram panchyat towards hand on experience regarding effectivity of organic farming system in paddy. Compost was prepared locally using Novcom composting (Developed by Inhana Biosciences) method by the project farmers taking poultry litter as raw material. Well matured compost was prepared (as indicated by brownish colour and earthy smell) within 20 days. Analysis of compost quality as per standard guideline confirmed its high quality. Total nutrient content (NPK) was varied from 3.86 to 4.74 percent (on dry weight basis) with microbial population in the range of 1016 c.f.u per gram moist compost; which was significantly higher than reference value as obtained for poultry compost. CO2 evolution rate (mean 2.74 mgCO2 – C/g OM/day) and phytotoxicity bioassay test value (mean 0.82) tallied with ideal standard range, confirming the maturity and non- phytotoxicity of the compost. Aman (rain fed) Paddy (Oriza sativa) variety Khitish and Minikit -3654 were used for the study. These two varieties were taken considering their common usage by the farmers of the Block. Seeds of Khitish variety were sourced from Gram Panchayat as provided by Government of West Bengal, while Minikit-3654 was sourced as foundation seed developed by Monduri Farm, BCKV, State Agricultural University, West Bengal, India. Agronomic components in terms of numbers of tillers/hill, productive panicles/m2, filled grains/panicle and 1000 grains weight (g) of organically grown paddy was comparatively higher than conventionally grown paddy and its cumulative effect was considered in terms of total yield under two different management systems. In case of paddy variety Minikit- 3654 yield under organic practice (i.e., Inhana Rational Farming Technology) varied from 3375 kg/ha to 4125 kg/ha with average value of 3750 kg/ha while 3000 kg/ha to 3750 kg/ha with mean value of 3563 kg/ha under conventional chemical practice. In case of Khitish variety yield under organic (i.e. under Inhana Rational Farming) was almost at par to chemical farming practice and varied from 3750 kg/ha to 4500 kg/ha with a mean value of 4125 kg/ha. Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) in terms of partial factor productivity (PFP) was higher in case of Khitish variety in comparison to Minikit-3654 irrespective of the practice undertaken. However, in both cases, nutrient use efficiency (NUE) was higher under organic practice which may be due to better N mineralization from Novcom compost as well as better N uptake efficiency of the plants under IRF Plant Management Package. This is perhaps significant because the nutrient availability is considered as a limiting factor under organic soil management particularly under waterlogged condition and in the soil which has been applied with synthetic fertilizers for many years. In terms of soil quality development, organic package of practice has shown positive indication towards enhancement of soil quality component like soil pH, available NPK and specially soil microflora enhancement where as under conventional practice no such variations were noted. There is higher net income in case of Minikit variety but as the cost of cultivation under Inhana Rational Farming being is almost similar to chemical farming practice, there is potential for further higher net income if the produce is sold at even 10 percent premium price as organic item. The technology has most convincingly demonstrated its potential to ensure successful organic paddy cultivation in the most cost- effective manner and can definitely bring about economic prosperity among the farming community if adopted on a further larger scale. Significantly all these results were achieved in the very first year of application. The ecological and social cost of industrial agriculture, if considered; then this performance certainly promises clear potential towards sustainable organic cultivation for resource poor and marginal farmers

Evaluation of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology as a Cost Effective Organic Cultivation Method in Farmer’s Field

Inhana rational farming (IRF) technology was studied as an organic package of practice in farmers’ field using green gram (Samrat: PDM-84-139) as test crop. The study was conducted at Binuria village in Birbhum district of West Bengal during the crop season of 2013–14. The study area lies in 23.66°N and 87.63°E at about 179 ft above MSL, with level to nearly level landscape. The experiment was laid down as per randomized block design (RBD) with seven treatments replicated three times. The treatments included local farming practice with chemical inputs, organic package of practice (Inhana Rational Farming [IRF] Technology developed by Dr. P. Das Biswas, Founder, Inhana Biosciences, Kolkata) as well as integrated farming practice (combination of chemical and organic inputs for both soil and plant management). Compost application was an integral part of soil management under the studied organic package of practice (POP) and the same was produced on farm using Novcom composting method (developed by Dr. P. Das Biswas, Founder, Inhana Biosciences, Kolkata). Evaluation of the biodegradation process along with quality analysis of its end product (Novcom compost) indicated that Novcom composting method could serve as an effective alternative for conversion of agro waste into good quality end product. Highest greengram production was obtained under chemical and organic soil input integration @ 75:25 along with organic plant management (Yield: 715 kg/ha) followed by 100% organic (Yield: 699 kg/ha) and chemical farming practice (Yield: 665 kg/ha). At the same time, gross income under organic POP was higher than that that obtained under conventional farming practice. Comparison of value cost ratio (VCR) under integrated management vis-à-vis chemical practice confirmed better scope for economic sustainability when chemical pesticides/growth parameters were replaced by organic plant management inputs; as compared to application of chemical alone. Post harvest soil analysis showed that the plots receiving Novcom compost showed an overall positive trend in soil quality specially in terms of soil biological parameters. The findings indicated that IRF technology as an organic POP can serve as an economically viable option for large scale adoption in farmers’ field

Evaluation of an organic package of practice towards integrated management of Solanum tuberosum and its comparison with conventional farming in terms of yield, quality, energy efficiency and economics

A study was taken up during 2014-16 for evaluating the potential of an organic package of practice towards integrated crop production (green farming) in comparison to conventional farmers’ practice in West Bengal, India. Under green farming, compost was integrated with chemical fertilizer for soil management while organic plant/ pest management was undertaken utilizing Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology. The study indicated higher yield (9.7 %), higher nutrient use efficiency and economic sustainability under green farming irrespective of study area or potato variety. Higher qualitative expression in terms of starch content, pulp pH, vitamin C etc. under green farming might be due to the organic plant management aimed at energization of plant biochemical functions. Soil quality development as noted under green farming might have been influenced by the on-farm produced compost containing rich self- generated micro flora (in order of 1016 per colony forming unit.). The study indicated that green farming may serve as an efficient substitute of conventional farming towards yield sustenance, abatement of food toxicity and quality end product; through higher use of renewable energy and activation of plant physiological functions

Adoption of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology as an Organic Package of Practice towards Improvement of Nutrient Use Efficiency of Camellia Sinensis through Energization of Plant Physiological Functioning

The effectivity of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology towards energization of plant physiological functioning was evaluated in comparison to other organic packages of Practice under FAO-CFC-TBI Project at Maud Tea Estate, Dibrugarh, Assam, India during 2008 to 2013. The study area lies in 27.26. N latitude and 95.12 E longitude covering a total area of 154.58 ha area with level to nearly level landscape. The experiment was laid down as per randomized block design (RBD) with 8 treatments replicated 3 times. The treatments included available two organic methods viz. Biodynamic Farming (BD) and Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) (developed by Dr. P. Das Biswas, Founder, Inhana Biosciences, Kolkata) as well as organic inputs viz. vermicompost, bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, herbal formulations which are used in organic tea gardens in India on large scale. The organic inputs selected for evaluation were combined to form different ‘Packages of Practice’ based on scientific rationale. The different packages were : Biodynamic (BD) with Biodynamic compost, Conventional Organic Practice with Indigenous compost @ 13.5 ton/ha (CO), Inhana Rational Farming Tech-nology with 8 ton Novcom Compost (IRF-2), Inhana Rational Farming Technology with 5.1 ton Novcom Compost (IRF-4), Vermi-compost @ 9.4 ton/ha + Conventional Organic Practice (VCO), Vermicompost @ 9.4 ton/ha + Microbial Formulations for both soil and plant management (VMI), Vermicompost @ 9.4 ton/ha + Microbial Formulations for only plant management i.e. Bio-pesticides+ Bio-growth promoter (VMIP). Agronomic Efficiency (NUE), which among other factors depends upon the nutrient uptake and utilization efficiency of plant or con-versely the state of plant physiology was assessed to score the different organic packages as per N expensed for unit crop production. Highest NUE was obtained under IRF packages followed by VMI, VMIP and VCO. The highest crop yield along with high NUE under IRF-2 indicated an effective management approach towards activation of plant physiology. But the most significant finding was that there was a considerable enhancement of nutrient use efficiency under the treatment plots which received total package of practice(ie. both plant and soil management) in comparison to the plots which received only the soil management part of the same package of practice (12.35 to 93.77 % increase). The results indicated towards a definitive role of organic plant management w.r.t. enhancement of the plant physiological functioning. While the agronomic efficiency was found highest in both soil management as well as complete package under IRF technology but also the percent change in agronomic efficiency (total package vs. only soil management part of the same package) was highest in case of IRF package of practice. This indicated positive impact of IRF plant management programme towards plant physiological functioning leading to higher crop response

Adoption of Rational Farming Technology for Development of a Model for Exploring Sustainable Farming Practice in Farmer’s Field

The effectivity of Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology was critically evaluated as a model of Sustainable Farming Practice in farmers’ field using okra (variety : Shakti - F1 hybrid) as test crop. The stusy was conducted at Binuria village in Birbhum District of West Bengal during February to October (2013). The village is in close vicinity of Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan. The study area lies in 23.660 N and 87.630E at about 179 ft. above MSL, with level to nearly level landscape. The experiment was laid down as per randomized block design (RBD) with 7 treatments replicated 3 times. The treatments included local farming practice with chemical inputs, organic farming practice (Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology’ developed by Dr. P. Das Biswas, Founder, Inhana Biosciences, Kolkata) as well as integrated farming practice (combination of chemical and organic inputs for both soil and plant management). The most significant finding was that 100% reduction of chemical pesticide can be economically viable in the very first year with adoption of IRF Organic Package of Practice, under which 13.6% yield increase was recorded as compared to conventional farmer’s practice. Also when IRF was adopted for integrated cultivation model, higher yield as well as higher net income was obtained in comparison to conventional Farmer’s practice. Upto 144.5% higher Nitrogen Utilization efficiency and 32.8 % higher partial factor productivity was recorded under treatments with IRF Package. This higher response might be due to increased uptake and utilization of indigenous nutrients under the influence of high quality Novcom compost containing huge population (in order of 1016 c.f.u per gm moist compost) of self- generated microbes, which led to better nutrient (both macro and micro) mineralization in soil for plant uptake. This was also complimented by IRF Plant Management Package, which perhaps enhanced plant physiological functioning in terms of better N uptake and its utilization within plants

Evaluation of Different Organic ‘Packages of Practice’ in Young Tea Plantation: A case study under FAO-CFC-TBI Project at Maud Tea Estate, Assam, India

Maintenance of young tea under organic package of practice is a challenging task and needs a proper intervention. The present study under FAO-CFC-TBI project was done at Maud Tea Estate, Assam, India to find out an effective pathway for growing healthy and productive young tea plants. Seven different organic packages of practice were chosen to evaluate their potential in terms of crop efficiency as well as soil quality rejuvenation. Crop yield was recorded of highest value under Inhana Rational Farming (IRF-2: made tea 807 kgha-1) package of practice. Yield under the treatment was 55.2 percent higher than control and about 25.6 percent higher than the next best performing package of practice i.e. VMI (653 kgha-1). The third highest yield was obtained under IRF-1 and VCO, which recorded almost similar crop (made tea: 619 & 618 kgha-1 resp.) followed by BD (593 kgha-1), Co (567 kgha-1) and MI (556 kgha-1) packages. Value cost ratio (VCR), which is excess revenue generated per unit rupee invested; followed similar trend as observed in case of New Plantation experiment indicating highest economic sustainability under IRF-2 (4.37) followed by IRF-1 (2.33) package. Value cost ratio in case of other organic packages varied between 0.25 and 1.02, indicating economic vulnerability considering that VCR < 2.00 has been indicated by Agricultural economists as the critical mark below which there is no necessary risk coverage against investment towards input cost

Experimental analyses of drying characteristics of selected food samples

The objective of this work was to separately study the various aspects of drying. Agricultural produce were selected across various categories and their drying curves, prediction of the drying rates during constant rate periods of drying, the critical moisture contents and finally whether drying in the falling rate was capillary controlled or diffusion controlled were studied. Palm candy solution was included in the study to analyze the diffusivity values for a solution. Drying experiments were conducted with convective hot air flow in cabinet tray dryer. In case of palm candy solution and potato slices, drying was mainly capillary controlled in the falling rate period. The constant drying rate Rc in case of palm candy solution and potato slices were 2.986 x 10-4 kg H2O m-2s-1 and 2.5 x 10-4 kg H2O m-2s-1, respectively.In case of mango pulp and banana slices the drying was diffusion controlled in the falling rate period and the constant drying rate Rc for the mango pulp and banana slices were 2.44 x 10-4 kg H2O m-2s-1and 2.00 x 10-4 kg H2O m-2s-1 respectively. The diffusion coefficients Deff for mango pulp and banana slices were 3.655 x 10-10 m-2 s-1and 3.428 x 10-10 m-2 s-1, respectively.  Paddy drying properties were studied at different temperatures and it was observed that with elevation of temperature both constant drying rate Rc and diffusion coefficient Deff increased