Solid fuel block as an alternate fuel for cooking and barbecuing: Preliminary result

A large part of the rural people of developing countries use traditional biomass stoves to meet their cooking and heating energy demands. These stoves possess very low thermal efficiency; besides, most of them cannot handle agricultural wastes. Thus, there is a need to develop an alternate cooking contrivance which is simple, efficient and can handle a range of biomass including agricultural wastes. In this reported work, a highly densified solid fuel block using a range of low cost agro residues has been developed to meet the cooking and heating needs. A strategy was adopted to determine the best suitable raw materials, which was optimized in terms of cost and performance. Several experiments were conducted using solid fuel block which was manufactured using various raw materials in different proportions; it was found that fuel block composed of 40% biomass, 40% charcoal powder, 15% binder and 5% oxidizer fulfilled the requirement. Based on this finding, fuel blocks of two different configurations viz. cylindrical shape with single and multi-holes (3, 6, 9 and 13) were constructed and its performance was evaluated. For instance, the 13 hole solid fuel block met the requirement of domestic cooking; the mean thermal power was 1.6 kWth with a burn time of 1.5 h. Furthermore, the maximum thermal efficiency recorded for this particular design was 58%. Whereas, the power level of single hole solid fuel block was found to be lower but adequate for barbecue cooking application.

Studies of phosphazenes. Part 15. Chloro(phenoxy)cyclotetraphosphazenes, N4P4Cl8-n(OPh)n

The reaction of N4P4Cl8(1) with sodium phenoxide (or phenol in the presence of triethylamine) has been studied under a variety of experimental conditions. The chloro(phenoxy)-derivatives, N4P4Cl8-n(OPh)n[n= 1 or 2 (mixture of four non-geminal isomers), 3(mixture of non-geminal isomers), 4(mixture of isomers), 5(mixture of isomers), 6(mixture of four non-geminal isomers), or 8], have been isolated by column chromatography over silica gel. Attempts to separate geometric isomers were unsuccessful. Structural elucidation of the products is based on the 31P n.m.r. data for the chloro-precursors and 1H and 31P n.m.r. spectra of the dimethylamino- and/or methoxy-derivatives. The chlorine-replacement pattern is discussed.

Effect of chelating anions on metal-crown interaction. Part III. X-ray structure of potassium picrate complex of benzo-15-crown-5

The cr~¢stal structure of [potassium(benzo-15-crown-5)](picrate) shows that in the complex the metal is sandwiched between two crowns andhas no interaction with plcrate.

X-ray crystal and molecular structure of a hydrated lithium picrate complex of benzo-15-crown-5; An example of non-chelation of the crown

Complexation of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions with crown ethers is well known (1) and chemical and crystallographic studies have been carried out for number of complexes (2,3). The interaction of the metal with the crown ether depends on the nature of the cation and particularly on the basicity of the anion (4) , In this paper we report the crystal and molecular structure of a lithium picrate complex of benzo-15-crown-5, the first x-ray crystallographic study of a lithlum-crown system.

Ranking of Prospective New Generation Location for a Power Network in a Deregulated System

In developing countries high rate of growth in demand of electric energy is felt, and so the addition of new generating units becomes necessary. In deregulated power systems private generating stations are encouraged to add new generations. Finding the appropriate location of new generator to be installed can be obtained by running repeated power flows, carrying system studies like analyzing the voltage profile, voltage stability, loss analysis etc. In this paper a new methodology is proposed which will mainly consider the existing network topology into account. A concept of T-index is introduced in this paper, which considers the electrical distances between generator and load nodes.This index is used for ranking significant new generation expansion locations and also indicates the amount of permissible generations that can be installed at these new locations. This concept facilitates for the medium and long term planning of power generation expansions within the available transmission corridors. Studies carried out on a sample 7-bus system, EHV equivalent 24-bus system and IEEE 39 bus system are presented for illustration purpose.

Structure of pentacyclo[7.4.2.02,6.06,15.011,14]pentadec-4-ene-7,13-dione, a novel pentacyclic C15 quinane system

C 15H 1602 (a synthetic precursor to dodecahedrane), monoclinic, P21/n, a = 12.171 (5), b = 6.976(5), c = 13.868 (3) A, B = 102.56 (3) ° , Z = 4, D m = 1.30, D c = 1.318 g cm -3, F(000) = 488, g(Mo K¢t) = 0.92 cm- 1. Intensity data were collected on a Nonius CAD-4 diffractometer and the structure was solved by direct methods. Full-matrix least-squares refinement gave R = 0.077 (R w = 0.076) for 1337 observed reflections. All the five-membered rings are cis fused and have envelope (C s symmetry) conformations.

Crystal and molecular structure of 15-bromolongibornane-8,9-dione

The crystal and molecular structure of the title compound (1) has been determined by the heavy-atom method from 1038 observed three-dimensional photographic data. Crystals are orthorhombic, with a = 20.07 ± 0.02, b= 10.05 ± 0.02, c= 7.31 ± 0.01 Å, space group P212121, with Z= 4. The structure was refined by block diagonal leastsquares to R 0.099. The conformation of the norbornane moiety is discussed. The seven-membered ring portion of the molecule adopts an approximate chair conformation. The packing of the molecules in the crystal is mainly a consequence of van der Waals interactions.

Practising Western Science Outside the West: Personal Observations on the Indian Scene

Modern science, which was an indigenous product of Western culture, is now being practised in many non-Western countries. This paper discusses the peculiar social, cultural and intellectual problems which scientists of these non-Western countries face in adopting Western science in their situations, with special reference to India. It is pointed out that, in addition to money and communication, it is necessary to have a proper psychological gestalt to practise science satisfactorily. The author analyzes his experience as a physics student in India and in the United States to clarify the nature of this psychological gestalt, and to explain what makes it difficult for non-Western scientists to acquire it.

Melting of an Anchored Bilayer: Phase Transitions in the Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Pervoskite (CH3NH3)(CH3(CH2)(n)NH3)(2)Pb2I7 (n=11, 13, 15, 17)

The conformation, organization, and phase transitions of alkyl chains in organic-inorganic hybrids based on the double pervoskite-slab lead iodides, (CH3NH3)(CH3(CH2)(n)NH3)(2)Pb2I7 (n = 11, 13, 15, 17) have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, calorimetry, and infrared vibrational spectroscopy. In these hybrid solids, double pervoskite (CH3NH3)Pb2I7 slabs are interleaved with alkyl ammonium chains with the anchored alkyl chains arranged as tilted bilayers and adopting a planar all-trans conformation at room temperature. The (CH3NH3)(CH3(CH2)(n)NH3)(2)Pb2I7 compounds exhibit a single reversible phase transition above room temperature with the associated enthalpy change varying linearly with alkyl chain length. This transition corresponds to the melting in two-dimensions of the alkyl chains of the anchored bilayer and is characterized by increased conformational disorder of the methylene units of the chain and loss of tilt angle coherence leading to an increase in the interslab spacing. By monitoring features in the infrared spectra that are characteristic of the global conformation of the alkyl chains, a quantitative relation between conformational disorder and melting of the anchored bilayer is established. It is found that, irrespective of the alkyl chain length, melting occurs when at least 60% of the chains in the anchored bilayer of (CH3NH3)(CH3(CH2)(n)NH3)(2)Pb2I7 have one or more gauche defects. This concentration is determined by the underlying lattice to which the alkyl chains are anchored.

Modular design of synthetic protein mimics. Crystal structures, assembly, and hydration of two 15- and 16-residue apolar, leucyl-rich helical peptides

Two IS- and 16-residue peptides containing a-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) have been synthesized, as part of a strategy to construct stereochemically rigid peptide helices, in a modular approach to design of protein mimics. The peptides Boc-(Val-Ala-Leu-Aib),-OMe ( I ) and Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-(Val-Ala-Leu-Aib()11z)- OhaMvee been crystallized.Both crystals are stable only in the presence of mother liquor or water. The crystal data are as follows. I: C78H140N16019~2H20,P2,, a = 16.391 (3) A, b = 16.860 (3) A, c = 18.428 (3) A, p = 103.02 (I)O, Z = 2, R = 9.6% for 3445 data with lFol >30(F), resolution 0.93 A. 11: C7,Hl,,N,S018.7.5H,0, C2221, a = 18.348 ( 5 ) A, b = 47.382 (1 1) A, c = 24.157 ( 5 ) A, Z =8, R = l0,6%, for 3147 data with lFol > 3a(F), resolution 1.00 A. The 15-residue peptide (11) is entirely a helical, while the 16-residue peptide ( I ) has a short segment of 310 helix at the N terminus. The packing of the helices in the crystals is rather incfficicnt with no particular attractions between Leu-Leu side chains, or any other pair. Both crystals have fairly large voids, which are filled with water molecules in a disordered fashion. Water molecule sites near the polar head-to-tail regions are well detcrmined, those closer to the hydrophobic side chains less so and a number of possible water sites in the remaining "empty" space are not determined. No interdigitation of Leu side chains is observed in the crystal as is hypothesized in the "leucine zipper" class of DNA binding proteins.

Predictive testing for familial adenomatous polyposis in a rural South Indian community

During the course of genome studies in a rural community in the South Indian state of Karnataka, DNA-based investigations and counselling for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) were requested via the community physician. The proposita died in 1940 and FAP had been clinically diagnosed in 2 of her 5 children, both deceased. DNA samples from 2 affected individuals in the third generation were screened for mutations in the APC gene, and a frame-shift mutation was identified in exon 15 with a common deletion at codon 1061. Predictive testing for the mutation was then organized on a voluntary basis. There were 11 positive tests, including confirmatory positives on 2 persons diagnosed by colonoscopy, and to date surgery has been successfully undertaken on 3 previously undiagnosed adults. The ongoing success of the study indicates that, with appropriate access to the facilities offered by collaborating centres, predictive testing is feasible for diseases such as FAP and could be of significant benefit to communities in economically less developed countries.