High-Performance Computing for SKA Transient Search: Use of FPGA based Accelerators -- a brief review

This paper presents the High-Performance computing efforts with FPGA for the accelerated pulsar/transient search for the SKA. Case studies are presented from within SKA and pathfinder telescopes highlighting future opportunities. It reviews the scenario that has shifted from offline processing of the radio telescope data to digitizing several hundreds/thousands of antenna outputs over huge bandwidths, forming several 100s of beams, and processing the data in the SKA real-time pulsar search pipelines. A brief account of the different architectures of the accelerators, primarily the new generation Field Programmable Gate Array-based accelerators, showing their critical roles to achieve high-performance computing and in handling the enormous data volume problems of the SKA is presented here. It also presents the power-performance efficiency of this emerging technology and presents potential future scenarios.Comment: Accepted for JoAA, SKA Special issue on SKA (2022

FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT OF ORAL FAST-DISSOLVING FILMS OF RUPATADINE FUMARATE

Objective: Rupatadine fumarate (RF) is an anti-allergic drug indicated for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. It has low oral bioavailability due to its poor aqueous solubility and extensive hepatic first pass metabolism. In the present work, oral fast-dissolving films (OFDF) have been formulated and evaluated to facilitate dissolution in the oral cavity itself. Methods: Pullulan and HPMC (5, 15 cps) were employed as film formers and six formulations were tried. The physicochemical compatibility between drug and the polymers was studied by FTIR spectroscopy. RF-beta-cyclodextrin (BCD) inclusion complex was initially prepared and evaluated. The inclusion complex was incorporated into the film. OFDF were formulated and prepared by solvent casting method. The film size for one dose was 2 × 2 cm. The films were evaluated for various film parameters including disintegration time and drug release. Results: Preliminary film studies indicated % of film former solution to be between 3 and 5% for good appearance, mechanical strength, and quick disintegration. Solubility enhancement of RF is almost 40-fold from its BCD inclusion complex. Drug content in the films ranged between 83 and 90%. The pH ranged between 6 and 7 for all the formulations. All OFDF of RF disintegrated within one minute. With higher viscosity grade of HPMC, disintegration was comparatively slower and so was the drug release. Pullulan based films also showed desirable properties. F3 had disintegration time was 28 s and % drug release was 92% in 180 s. Conclusion: OFDF of RF could be formulated employing pullulan and HPMC low viscosity grades by solvent casting method. F3 containing HPMC E5 at 37% by weight of dry film showed desirable film properties. Stability studies indicated that there was no significant change in the films with respect to physicochemical properties and in vitro release

A review on the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by the bioleaching approach

This review discusses the latest trend in recovering valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to meet the technological world's critical metal demands. Spent LIBs are a secondary source of valuable metals such as Li (5%–7%), Ni (5%–10%), Co (5%–25%), Mn (5–11%), and non-metal graphite. Recycling is essential for the battery industry to extract valuable critical metals from secondary sources to develop new and novel high-tech LIBs for various applications such as eco-friendly technologies, renewable energy, emission-free electric vehicles, and energy-saving lightings. LIB waste is currently undergoing high-temperature pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical processes to recover valuable metals, and these processes have proven to be successful and feasible. These methods, however, are not preferable due to the difficulties in controlling the process, secondary waste produced, high operational cost, and high risk of scaling up. Biotechnological approaches can be promising alternatives to pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies in metal recovery from LIB waste. Microbiological metal dissolution or bioleaching has gained popularity for metal extraction from ores, concentrates, and recycled or residual materials in recent years. This technology is eco-friendly, safe to handle, and reduces operating costs and energy demands. The pre-treatment process (material preparation), microorganisms used in the bioleaching of LIBs, factors influencing the bioleaching process, methods of enhancing the leaching efficiency, regeneration of electrode materials, and future aspects have been discussed in detail.Ministry of National Development (MND)National Environmental Agency (NEA)National Research Foundation (NRF)This SCARCE project is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister's Office, Singapore, the Ministry of National Development, Singapore, and National Environment Agency, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore under the Closing the Waste Loop R&D Initiative as part of the Urban Solutions & Sustainability – Integration Fund (Award No. USS-IF-2018-4)

Metal extraction from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) at high pulp density by environmentally friendly bioleaching process

Spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are more hazardous due to the presence of several toxic metals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, manganese, etc. as well as electrolytes such as LiPF , LiBF , or LiClO . However, these spent LIBs are the secondary source of metals that can be extracted and reused in many ways to decrease their potential environmental risks. Metal extraction from the mixture of LiCoO -based spent LIBs at a high pulp density by bioleaching is challenging because of microbial inhibition due to high metal toxicity and substrate (iron) limitation. In the present study, we have investigated the bioleaching of a mixture of LiCoO -based LIBs at high pulp density (100 g/L) using cost-efficient autotrophic bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. By increasing the biogenic H SO production in the culture media, as well as replenishing the bacterial culture for three cycles, we could recover 94% cobalt and 60% lithium in 72 h at 100 g/L pulp density. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis of LIB powder before and after bioleaching confirmed that more than 90% cobalt leached out from the LIB powder. This bioleaching process is an environmentally friendly way of extracting metals from the mixture of LIBs in gadgets and can be used for all types of spent LIBs.Ministry of National Development (MND)National Environmental Agency (NEA)National Research Foundation (NRF)This SCARCE project is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister's Office, Singapore, the Ministry of National Development, Singapore, and National Environment Agency, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore under the Closing the Waste Loop R&D Initiative as part of the Urban Solutions & Sustainability – Integration Fund (Award No. USS-IF-2018-4)

Bioleaching as an eco-friendly approach for metal recovery from spent NMC-based lithium-ion batteries at a high pulp density

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are extensively used for power storage in most gadgets, electric vehicles (EV), and energy storage devices. Spent LIBs are an excellent source of metals, which can be recycled and reused in new batteries to reduce environmental impacts. Our current study reports bioleaching-mediated metal recovery from spent nickel-, manganese-, cobalt (NMC)-based LIBs at a high solid content, using an autotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis showed recoveries of 90% Ni, 92% Mn, 82% Co, and 89% Li from spent LIBs in 72 h at a solid content of 100 g/L. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analyses of the LIB powder before and after bioleaching confirmed that most of the metals leached out from the batteries. A high leaching efficiency was achieved by elevated concentrations of H2SO4 and ferric ion in the A. ferrooxidans culture as well as replenished bacterial culture for three cycles during the bioleaching. The bioleaching process reported here can be used to efficiently extract metals from spent EV batteries in an eco-friendly manner.Ministry of National Development (MND)National Environmental Agency (NEA)National Research Foundation (NRF)Accepted versionThis SCARCE project is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister's Office, Singapore, the Ministry of National Development, Singapore, and National Environment Agency, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore under the Closing the Waste Loop R&D Initiative as part of the Urban Solutions & Sustainability – Integration Fund (Award No. USS-IF-2018-4)

Image based shape characterization of granular materials and its effect on kinematics of particle motion

Quantification of particle shape features to characterize granular materials remains an open problem till date, owing to the complexity involved in obtaining the geometrical parameters necessary to adequately compute the shape components (sphericity, roundness and roughness). A new computational method based on image analysis and filter techniques is proposed in this paper to overcome this difficulty. In this method, operations are performed on binary images of particles obtained from raster images (collection of pixels) by the process of image segmentation. The boundary of particles captured in 2D images consist of micro, meso and macro scale features on which filter techniques are applied to remove the micro level features for the quantification of particle roughness and to obtain a roughness free boundary. A robust algorithm is then written and implemented in MATLAB to obtain the complete geometry of the particle boundary (free from roughness features) and to identify the precise corner and non-corner regions along the boundary. This information is used to quantify the roundness (as per Wadell in J Geol 40:443-451, 1932) and sphericity of particles. The proposed methodology to measure roundness and sphericity is compared against standard visual charts provided by earlier researchers. Finally, the methodology is demonstrated on real soil particles falling across a wide range of sizes, shapes and mineralogical compositions. Also, an idea to comprehend the kinematics of particle motion based on its concavo-convex features is discussed with two proposed novel descriptors and a visual classification chart