Post Graduate Students
DIPLINA PAUL
Educational background:
- Tech in Agricultural Engineering from Assam University (Central University), Silchar, 2014.
- Pursuing M. Tech in Aquacultural Engineering, Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, IIT-Kharagpur, 2016.
Achievements/Awards received:
- Gold medal for academic excellence in B. Tech (Agricultural Engineering), 2014.
- Secured 11th state rank in class-x board examinations (Assam Board), 2007.
Role at present (IIT Kharagpur): M. Tech Scholar
Research Area: Enhancing the performance of microbial fuel cell by zeolite mediated anode and Ag-Pt nano alloy catalysed cathode.
Objectives:
- To fabricate zeolite mediated anode supported on graphene oxide (GO) to enhance bio-catalytic activity of anodophile in microbial fuel cells (MFCs).
- To synthesize and characterize silver-platinum (Ag-Pt) nano-alloy dispersed on N-doped graphene nano-sheet as cathode catalyst for enhancing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in MFC.
- To enhance in situ bioremediation of sediment in sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) and subsequent power recovery using graphene oxide-zeolite modified carbon felt/stainless steel wire mesh anode.
Findings of the study:
- SEM, XRD and Raman spectroscopy analyses confirmed the doping of GO-Zeolite composite and GO on the respective carbon felt anodes.
- Zeolite-GO composite doped carbon felt was found promising to be used as anode material in MFC for high coulombic recovery and superior performance.
- Zeolite as a mediator in MFC increased the CE by 2.6-folds and power density by 3.6-folds.
- N-doped graphene with Ag/Pt/Ag-Pt cathode catalysts were synthesised by one pot hydrothermal process and were characterised by TEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, Nano Auger Spectroscopy. N-doped graphene with Ag-Pt was found to be a promising cathode catalyst to enhance ORR of MFCs.
Gourav Dhar Bhowmick
Educational background:
- Tech in Agricultural Engineering from UttarbangaKrishiViswavidyalaya, Coochbehar, West Bengal, in the year 2014.
- Pursuing M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur.
Achievements/Awards received:
All India rank of 57th in GATE-2014 in Agricultural Engg.branch.
Role at present (IIT Kharagpur): Joint M.Tech – PhD Scholar.
Research Area: Performance evaluation of a two-stage wastewater treatment process combining microbial fuel cell and aerobic membrane bioreactor.
Objectives: To evaluate a two-stage wastewater treatment process combining microbial fuel cell using TiO2 nanoparticles as cathode catalyst and aerobic membrane bioreactor(continuous feed input and intermittent permeate collection).
Findings of the study: The study on MFC with a novel use of photo-catalyst TiO2nano-particles on cathode surface improved the electrical performances and wastewater treatment as well.The study also revealed an energy efficient and two-stage process of MFC–submerged MBR technology minimizing the organic matter load in final effluent by more than 98% (3 to 0.050 ± 0.010 kg/m3 of total COD) with complete removal of suspended solids and consequently generating high – quality effluent and bio-electricity in this process.
PANKAJ KUAMR GAUTAM
Educational Background (Graduation onwards):
- Tech in Civil Engineering from MMMEC Gorakhpur
- Tech in Environmental Engineering and Management from IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal
Role at present: M.Tech Scholar
Research Area: Development of low cost Microbial Carbon Capture Cell (MCC)
Objective: study of different cathodic parameter such as algal species, algal concentration and light intensity on performance of MCC.
Finding of the study: In MCCs,effect of different algal species (Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Anabaena ambigua) on electricity generation and COD removal was invstigated in batch mode operation. The power density obtained in MCC withChlorella pyrenoidosa and Anabaena ambigua was 94.1 and 62.3 mW/m2 ,respectively and corresponding COD removal of 87 and 84%.