News & Events

Avinash Upadhyay, a Ph.D. student, won the Best Visual Presentation Award at the Asian Microgravity Symposium (AMS) 2024 held at IIT Madras for his work titled “Sound of Bubble Departure in Adverse Gravity Conditions.” His presentation focused on understanding the acoustics of bubble departure in microgravity, a phenomenon crucial for fluid dynamics in space applications. The award highlights the significance of his research, which explores innovative solutions to enhance the understanding of bubble behavior in unique gravity conditions, contributing to the advancement of technologies used in space exploration and related fields.

Tonmoy Sharma, Ph.D., secured the 2nd position in the Oral Presentation category at the Asian Microgravity Symposium (AMS) 2024 held at IIT Madras. His presentation, titled “Utility of Lubricant Infused Surfaces for Enhancing Droplet Removal in Microgravity Applications,” focused on using lubricant-infused surfaces to improve droplet removal in microgravity environments. This research is crucial for applications in space exploration, where controlling fluid behavior is challenging due to the absence of gravity. Sharma’s work offers innovative solutions that could enhance systems in space stations and spacecraft. His achievement reflects the growing impact of IIT Patna's research in advanced scientific fields.

Abhash Shukla won the 1st prize in the 'My Research in Three Minutes' Award at Research Scholars Day 2024, IIT Patna, for his presentation on “Atmospheric Water Harvesters for Dry Climates.” His concise and impactful presentation highlighted innovative approaches to addressing water scarcity in arid regions through advanced atmospheric water harvesting technologies. The award recognizes his ability to effectively communicate complex research in a brief yet engaging manner, underscoring the significance of his work in providing sustainable water solutions for dry climates.

Abhash Shukla won the Best Poster Presentation Award at Research Scholars Day 2024, IIT Patna, for his poster titled “Atmospheric Moisture Harvesting in Arid Climates: An Innovative Approach.” His research explores novel methods for extracting moisture from the atmosphere in dry climates, offering innovative solutions to address water scarcity in arid regions. The award recognizes the clarity, creativity, and scientific depth of his work, which holds significant potential for sustainable water resource management in regions facing water shortages

An Indian patent with patent no. 519459 was granted on 05/03/2024 for “An Apparatus and Method for Off-The-Grid Climate Control” to Sunil, Sinha, R., Raj, R., Thakur, A. D., Shukla, A., and Agarwal, A. This innovative technology provides a sustainable solution for climate control without relying on conventional power grids. The apparatus and method are designed to offer environmentally friendly and energy-efficient cooling and heating options, particularly useful in remote areas and off-grid locations. The patent recognizes the team's contribution to advancing renewable energy technologies for climate control.

An Indian patent with patent no. 510610 was granted on 14/02/2024 for “An Improved Heat Sink System for Suppressing Two-Phase Thermal and Flow Instabilities” to Sharma, D., Kumar, A., Ghosh, D. P., Raj, R., and Saha, S. K. This innovative heat sink system addresses critical challenges in managing thermal and flow instabilities in two-phase systems. The patented technology has significant applications in enhancing the efficiency of cooling systems used in various industries, including electronics and energy, by providing more stable heat dissipation methods. The patent highlights the team's contribution to advancing thermal management technologies.

An Indian patent with patent no. 496332 was granted on 09/01/2024 for “System and Method for Extracting Atmospheric Moisture” to Shukla, A., Sunil, Raj, R., and Thakur, A. D. This innovative system offers a sustainable solution for extracting moisture from the atmosphere, especially in regions facing water scarcity. The technology has significant potential for providing a reliable water source in arid climates, contributing to environmental sustainability. The patent acknowledges the team's pioneering work in developing efficient methods for atmospheric moisture harvesting.

Rahul Sinha won the Best Poster Award for his presentation on “Biomass Gasification-Based Dryers for Neem Leaves” at the 27th National and 5th International Indian Society for Heat and Mass Transfer (ISHMT) – Advances in Science and Technology of Fluids Engineering (ASTFE) Heat and Mass Transfer Conference 2023, held at IIT Patna. His research focuses on the development of efficient biomass gasification-based drying systems for neem leaves, a key innovation for improving the drying process in agricultural applications. The award recognizes the technical excellence and potential impact of his work in enhancing sustainable drying technologies.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Patna hosted the 27^th National and 5^th International ISHMT-ASTFE Heat and Mass Transfer Conference during December 14-17, 2023. Organized under the aegis of the Indian Society of Heat and Mass Transfer, the biennial event serves as a premier platform for global researchers to share insights and advancements in heat and mass transfer. The four-day conference featured 4 plenary lectures, 13 keynotes, 4 industry sessions, 48 parallel sessions, and 3 poster sessions, with over 215 oral and 120 poster presentations. Selected papers were published in special issues of reputed journals. The event attracted nearly 400 participants from over 10 countries, including representatives from ISRO, BARC, DRDO, IGCAR, CSIR, and ANSYS. Sponsors include #SERB, #BRNS, #CADFEM, #AMETEK, and publishers like Begell House and ACS. Special sessions on industry-academic collaboration and entrepreneurship were held and sponsored by IIT Patna's Incubation Center and the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Abhash Shukla won the Best Poster Presentation Award for his work on “Novel Atmospheric Water Harvester for Arid Climatic Conditions” at Research Scholars Day 2023, IIT Patna. His research introduces an innovative approach to atmospheric water harvesting, specifically designed for arid regions facing water scarcity. The award highlights the significance of his work in providing sustainable solutions for water collection in dry climates, contributing to the advancement of water resource management technologies in challenging environments.

An Indian patent with patent no. 453932 was granted on 22/09/2023 for “A System and Method for Controlling the Buoyancy of an Underwater Submersible” to Raj, R., Thakur, A., Banerjee, S., and Pandey, U. This innovative system provides a method for precise control of the buoyancy of underwater submersibles, allowing for better flexibility and stability in aquatic environments. The technology has significant applications in underwater exploration, research, and other maritime operations, enhancing the efficiency and safety of submersible vehicles in various underwater conditions. The patent recognizes the team’s contribution to advancing submersible technology.

IIT Patna has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ozone Cell for a 5-year research project focused on the development of Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) chemicals as alternatives to HCFCs and HFCs. The project, supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, will be led by Dr. Rishi Raj and Dr. Ajay D. Thakur. This research aims to identify and develop sustainable and environmentally friendly refrigerants, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change and protect the ozone layer. The MoU marks a significant collaboration in advancing green chemistry solutions for the refrigeration and air conditioning industries.

Avinash Upadhyay, a Ph.D. student, won the Best Oral Presentation Award for his presentation on “Understanding the Role of Counterions of Imidazolium-based Ionic Liquids on Boiling Heat Transfer” at the International Chemical Engineering Conference (ICHEC) 2022, held at IIT Patna. His research focuses on the impact of counterions in imidazolium-based ionic liquids on the boiling heat transfer process, offering insights that could improve thermal management in chemical engineering applications. The award recognizes his contribution to advancing knowledge in the field of heat transfer and ionic liquids.

An Indian patent was granted on 01/03/2022 for “System and Method for Heat Recovery in Gasification Process” to Sunil, Raj, R., Thakur, A. D., Rajan, B. K., Chaitanya, B., Sinha, R., Agarwal, A., and Agarwal, A. This innovative system improves the efficiency of the gasification process by recovering and utilizing waste heat, which can significantly reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. The patented technology has important applications in sustainable energy production, particularly in biomass and waste-to-energy systems, contributing to more efficient and eco-friendly energy solutions.

Dr. Rishi Raj was honoured with the prestigious Swarnajayanti Fellowship 2021 by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the fields of boiling and acoustics. His research focuses on innovative techniques to enhance boiling heat transfer and the role of acoustics in multiphase dynamics. The fellowship will support his continued work in these areas, advancing scientific understanding and developing technologies that can improve thermal management and energy efficiency in various applications.