Mechanical Assigment-1

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1)  Explain emerging trends in mechanical engineering field.

          

1. Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

Enables the creation of complex and lightweight parts.

Useful in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical fields.

Reduces waste and production time.

2. Robotics and Automation

Widely used in manufacturing, defense, and medical applications.

Includes collaborative robots (cobots) that work with humans.

Improves efficiency and safety in industries.

3. Smart Materials and Structures

Materials that respond to external stimuli (heat, pressure, electric field).

Shape Memory Alloys, Piezoelectric materials.

Used in aerospace, civil engineering, and medical devices.

4. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Integrated with mechanical systems for predictive maintenance and smart design.Used in intelligent manufacturing and real-time monitoring.

5. Internet of Things (IoT) in Mechanical Systems

Sensors and connectivity improve machine monitoring.

Enables real-time data collection and control of mechanical systems.

6. Sustainable and Green Manufacturing

Focus on energy-efficient processes and eco-friendly materials.

Reduces environmental impact and promotes recycling.

7. Advanced Simulation and Modeling

Use of tools like ANSYS, SolidWorks, and MATLAB.

Helps in virtual prototyping, stress analysis, and optimization.

8. Nanotechnology

Engineering materials at the nanoscale for better strength, durability, and performance.Applications in electronics, energy, and medicine.

9. Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering

Design of prosthetics, implants, and medical devices.

Growing demand due to healthcare innovations.

10. Electric and Autonomous Vehicles

Involves battery technology, thermal management, lightweight materials, and aerodynamic designs.Mechanical engineers work with electronics and software teams for integration.

2) Write a note on fossil fuels.

      Thermal or heat energy will be liberated when certain combustible substances are burnt. A combustible substance containing carbon as the main combustible element, which on complete combustion liberates large quantity of heat that can be used for domestic, industrial and power production, is called a fuel, A fuel contains combustible elements like arbon, hydrogen, compounds of hydrocarbon, sulphur, and incombustible elements like nitrogen and ash. Some fuels also contain traces of oxygen. Since the fuel contains mainly carbon and hydrogen as the combustible elements, it is known as hydrocarbon fuel. The heat energy liberated by the combustion of a fuel is converted into mechanical energy which can be used for generation of electrical energy in thermal power stations and for running automobiles, ships, locomotives, etc

3) Explain with neat  sketch of nuclear power plant.

          Figure shows the schematic diagram of a Nuclear Power Plant. It essentially consists of a Nuclear Reactor (which is a device where nuclear chain reactions are initiated, controlled and also sustained at a steady rate), a steam generator, a cooling water condenser, a cooling tower, turbine and a generator. Control rods are housed inside the reactor vessel. These rods are used to control the splitting of uranium atoms.

        The Reactor and Steam generator are housed inside a Containment Structure. The Nuclear reaction produces enormous amount of heat, which is transferred into a steam generator where steam IS produced by reaction of heat with cooling water. This steam is led to the turbine using a Steam line and the steam is utilized to drive the turbine and hence generate power using a generator. The advantage of this type of design is that the radioactive steam/water never get into contact with the turbine.

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4) Explain with neat sketch hydro power station.

    Hydro energy is considered as an indirect source of solar energy. The water from the earth's surface gets evaporated by solar heat and is transported by winds. This in turn results ins rainfall. This hydrological cycle Is going on since ages. The rain water flowing as river can be stored to higher levels by building dams across the river and released in a controlled way to generate mechanical power. The potential energy of water stored at a height is converted into mechanical energy in water turbines. The mechanical energy

produced by the water turbines is further converted into electrical energy by the electric generators which are coupled to the water turbines. A typical hydro-power station is as shown in Fig.

     The electrical energy generation by hydro-electric power plants is non-polluting and is a renewable source of energy. The several problems associated with the hydro energy are, construction of giant dams alters the ecology of both the upstream and downstream regions, dislocation of living activities, submerging of agricultural lands,etc.

5) Explain with neat sketch of  wind power plant.

Wind Energy Conversion

       A windmillis the oldest device built to convert the wind energy into mechanical energy used for grinding. milling and pumping applications. It consists of a rotor fitted with large sized blades. Now attempts are made to improve the performance of the wind turbines by applying sound engineering and aerodynamic principles. Although the wind energy converters are built for simple applications such as pumping water, etc. but the main focus of attention now lies in converting wind energy into electricity. A typical Windmill Schematic Diagram is shown in fig.

6) Explain environmental issues of global warming and ozone declination.

Environmental issues like GLOBAL WARMING

      Global warming, also referred to as climate change, is the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system and its related effects. Multiple lines of scientific evidence show that the climate system is warming. Many of the observed changes since the 1950s are unprecedented in the instrumental temperature record, and in paleoclimate proxy records of climate change over thousands to millions of years.

      In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (PCC) Fifth Assessment Report concluded, "It iS extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the

mid-20th century. The largest human influence has been the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. In view of the dominant role of human activity in causing it, the phenomenon is sometimes called "anthropogenic global warming" or "anthropogenic climate change". Climate model projections summarized in the report indicated that during the 21st century, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to 1.7 °C (0.5 to 3.1 °F) to 2.6 to 4.8 °C (4.7 to 8.6 °F) depending on the rate of greenhouse gas emissions. These findings have been recognized by the national science academies of the major industrialized nations and are not disputed by any scientific body of national or international standing,

      Future climate change and associated impacts will differ from region to region. Anticipated effects include rising sea levels, changing precipitation, and expansion of deserts in the subtropics. Warming is expected to be greater over land than over the oceans and greatest in the Arctic, with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice. Other likely changes include more frequent extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, heavy rainfall with floods, and heavy snowfall; ocean acidification; and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes. Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the abandonment of populated areas due to rising sea levels. Because the climate system has a large "inertia" and greenhouse gases will remain in the atmosphere for a

long time, many of these effects will persist for not only decades or centuries, but tens of thousands of years.

OZONE DEPLETION.

    Ozone depletion describes two related events observed since the late 1970s: a steady lowering of about four percent in the total amount of ozone in Earth's atmosphere (the ozone layer), and a much larger springtime decrease in stratospheric ozone around Earth's Polar Regions. The latter phenomenon is referred to as the ozone hole. There are also springtime polar tropospheric ozone depletion events in addition to these

stratospheric events.

     The main cause of ozone depletion and the ozone hole is manufactured chemicals, especially manufactured halocarbon refrigerants, solvents, propellants and foam-blowing agents (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),

HCFCs, halons), and referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). These compounds are transported into the stratosphere by the winds after being emitted from the surface. Once in the stratosphere, they release

halogen atoms through photodissociation, which catalyze the breakdown of ozone (03) into oxygen (O2). Both types of ozone depletion were observed to increase as emissions of halocarbons increased

    Ozone depletion and the ozone hole have generated worldwide concern over increased cancer risks and other negative effects. The ozone layer prevents most harmful UVB wavelengths of ultraviolet light (UV

light) from passing through the Earth's atmosphere. These wavelengths cause skin cancer, sunburn and cataracts, which were projected to increase dramatically as a result of thinning ozone, as well as harming

plants and animals. These concerns led to the adoption of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, which bans the production of CFCs, halons and other ozone-depleting chemicals.

         The ban came into effect in 1989. Ozone levels stabilized by the mid-1990s and began to recover in the 2000s. Recovery is projected to continue over the next century, and the ozone hole is expected to reach pre- 1980 levels by around 2075. The Montreal Protocol is considered the most successful international environmental agreement to date