impulse-ed 2-060417

IMPULSE 2017
PARAMETRIC MODEL ORDER REDUCTION –
for a simple mathematical model that does the job.
DEE, RSET
Large scale systems are present in many fields of engineering and for many applications, such as
circuit simulation and time dependent partial differential equation (PDE) control problems, where
the internal dimension of the system is quite large, with respect to the number of input and output
ports. In these large scale settings, the system dimension makes computations intractable due to
memory, time limitations and ill-conditioning. The common approach to overcome this is by
means of model order reduction (MOR). The resulting reduced model can eventually replace the
original system as a component in a large simulation or it can be used to develop a low dimensional
controller suitable for real time applications.
The challenge in MOR is the adaptation of parameter changes. Due to the high demands on
parameter studies during geometrical design and control, the ability to change parameter values
after reduction is emphasized, especially from the fact that a reduction procedure requires
considerable amount of calculations. Therefore in recent studies, various attempts to include
parametric effects in the reduced model are made.
Parametric model order reduction (PMOR) methods are well suited for such design activities as
they can reduce large systems of equations with respect to both frequency and other design
parameters. Mainly interpolation based PMOR techniques have better opportunities to use various
types of parameters but the models from each parameter set needs to be reduced and to which
space they should be subjected and interpolated is one of the main focus of research, and also one
of the limitation so far is that only simple models with a few parameters are tested.
Dr. ELIZABETH RITA SAMUEL
ASST.PROFESSOR, DEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
ELECTRIC SPRING (ES) - A PROMISING SMART GRID
TECHNOLOGY
Most PV systems are set up to disconnect from the grid whenever they detect a significant fault.
If a single home’s PV system trips off-line, it’s only a headache for the owner. But if hundreds or
thousands of them do so simultaneously, it could upset the network’s delicate balance, turning an
otherwise small disturbance into an outage blacking out an entire city or county. Throughout much
of the developed world, electric utilities are facing an unprecedented challenge. Growing numbers
of customers are installing solar PV systems on their homes or businesses. The power they’re
injecting into distribution lines is causing voltage- and frequency-control problems that threaten
to destabilize the grid. While this is not yet a major problem, it could become one as distributed
solar systems proliferate. The cause of the problem is the inverter, an electronic system that
converts the direct current (DC) supplied by the PV panels into the alternating current (AC) that
flows on the power grid. Although they supply AC at the right voltage and frequency to sync with
the distribution grid, they are otherwise passive. They can’t sense what is happening on the grid
and adjust themselves accordingly. But newer “smart” inverters can prevent a PV system from
going off-line when it doesn’t have to. By doing so, they can actually make the grid more stable,
by preventing the sudden deterioration of voltage and frequency that would otherwise occur when
hundreds or thousands of PV panels are suddenly taken off-line.
Smart inverters are poised to fill a big need in the fast-evolving electric-utility industry. As more
and more homeowners put PV panels on their roofs, the power they are supplying is reducing the
need for big, centralized generating plants. The upshot is that increasing numbers of these
traditional power plants are getting retired, and grid operators are scrambling for ways to keep
their networks running with the same high level of reliability that their customers have long taken
for granted. The combination of smart inverters and new control methods will be essential for
helping utilities transition to the grid of the future, in which vast amounts of wind- and solargenerated
electricity will be the norm. A smart inverter can “ride through” voltage or frequency
dips and other short-term grid disturbances and if these inverters have communications
capabilities, they can let grid operators monitor and control them in response to changing
conditions.
The power grids of the future may need advanced inverters that don’t simply follow what the grid
is doing but actually help form the grid, by responding instantaneously to disturbances and working
in concert to help keep the grid stable. This approach, known as Virtual Oscillator Control (VOC),
was developed by an NREL team led by Brian Johnson working with Sairaj Dhople of the
University of Minnesota; Francesco Bullo at the University of California, Santa Barbara; and
Florian Dörfler at ETH Zurich.
The basic idea behind VOC is to leverage the properties of oscillators—that is, anything that moves
in a periodic fashion, such as a mechanical spring, a metronome, or a motor. When two oscillators
are paired, or coupled, their motions will naturally align and picture several weights hanging from
springs that are connected to a rigid and fixed board. As the weights are given a pull to set the
springs bouncing, the springs will tend to bounce in an uncoordinated fashion. However, if the
board itself is suspended from the ceiling on springs, it becomes a feedback mechanism that
responds inversely to the pushes and pulls from the bouncing weights. Within a short period of
time, the weights will all start bouncing at the same frequency, all in lockstep.

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
For virtual oscillator control, the trick is to make each inverter respond to the grid much like a
spring: If the grid voltage drops, the inverter adjusts its output such that it “pushes” against the
voltage change. Likewise, a surge in grid voltage will induce an inverter to “pull” the voltage back
to the nominal range. An increase or decrease in grid frequency will similarly cause the inverter to
adjust its power output to compensate. The use of “Electric Springs” is a novel way of distributed
voltage control while simultaneously achieving effective Demand-Side Management (DSM)
through modulation of noncritical loads in response to the fluctuations in intermittent renewable
energy sources like Wind, solar etc. The role of demand side management is going to be critical
once the penetration of renewable energy sources becomes significant. This would bring about a
paradigm shift from the traditional centralized control of hundreds of power plants to match the
demand to decentralized control of millions of loads to balance the supply (generation). In a
distribution network, uncertainty and variability associated with renewable energy sources, such
as solar power and wind power, can easily cause power fluctuations, voltage instability and
frequency deviations. In recent years, Electric Springs (ESs) have been developed as a new means
of addressing these issues. Besides regulating ac voltages in the distribution network, ESs can also
regulate the load power flow to response the variable renewable sources. Therefore, it brings a
new control paradigm, i.e., the load demand following variable power generation.
An ES connected in series with the noncritical load (e.g., a water heater) that has high voltage
variation tolerance forms the so-called smart load. The critical load that requires a well-regulated
mains voltage is parallel with the smart load branch. By operating under inductive or capacitive
mode, the ES can inject a controllable voltage and accordingly change the uncritical load voltage
so as to maintain the voltage across the smart load at a constant level. In addition, it also enables
uncritical load to vary its power consumption and thus contributes to the demand response.
Overall, the smart load can be intended to provide reactive power compensation to the system by
adjusting the output voltage of ES and ensure a tightly regulated voltage across the critical load.
So far, three generations of ESs have been developed. The first generation, consisting of a singlephase
inverter with a capacitor installed on the dc-link side, is connected in series with a noncritical
load and drawback is its limited reactive power compensation capability. The second
generation is proposed and it replaces the capacitor with a battery, which enables the active power
regulation. However, the battery brings other problems such as larger size, shorter service life and
higher cost. The third generation solves the battery problem using two bidirectional inverters
connected back-to-back through a dc bus, but additional transformers are required to isolate the
inverters from the grid. It is expected that the ES, as a decentralized approach, can also be used to
improve the power quality of the distribution (low-voltage) power grids. Conventionally, single
centralized techniques such as the series and shunt VAR compensators are used at the high voltage
level to improve the performance of AC power systems by providing 1) load compensation and 2)
voltage support.
There is a growing interest in using dc power systems and micro grids for our electricity
transmission and distribution, particularly with the increasing penetration of photovoltaic power
systems. ES’s Dispersed throughout the distribution system can provide a strong and cost effective
mechanism for distributed voltage control that emerged as a novel way of DSM on the real time
basis.
Ms. PRATHIBHA P.K.
ASST.PROFESSOR, DEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
INTEGRATION OF SC METHODOLOGIES WITH
Fundamentals of SMC
SLIDING MODE CONTROL
The SMC theory was originated in late 1950s in the former USSR, led by Prof. V. I. Utkin and
Prof. S. V. Emelyanov [2] to address specific problems associated with a special class of VSSs,
which are the control systems involving discontinuous control actions.
In the early days of VSS, the research was focused on single-input and single-output systems, and
various well-known methodologies were developed, e.g., the eigen value assignment approach [2],
the Fillipov approach [5], etc. In recent years, the majority of research in SMC has been done with
regard to multiinput and multioutput systems (MIMO), so we will use MIMO system framework
as a platform for discussing the integration of SC methodologies in SMC. Commonly, the MIMO
SMC systems considered are of the form
ẋ˙ = f(x, t) + B(x, t)u + ξ(x, t)
where
x ∈ R n u is the system state vector and ξ(x, t) ∈ Rn represents all the factors that affect the
performance of the control system, such as disturbances and uncertainties in the parameters of the
system.
.It is well known that when this condition (the matching condition) is satisfied, the celebrated
invariance property of SMC stands.
The design procedure of SMC includes two major steps encompassing two main phases of SMC:
1) Reaching phase: where the system state is driven from any initial state to reach the switching
manifolds (the anticipated sliding modes) in finite time;
2) Sliding-mode phase: where the system is induced into the sliding motion on the switching
manifolds, i.e., the switching manifolds become an attractor. These two phases correspond to the
following two main design steps.
1) Switching manifold selection: A set of switching manifolds are selected with prescribed
desirable dynamical characteristics. Common candidates are linear hyper-planes.
2) Discontinuous control design: A discontinuous control strategy is formed to ensure the finite
time reachability of the switching manifolds. The controller may be either local or global,
depending upon specific control requirements.
In the context of the system (1), following the main SMC design steps, the switching manifolds
can be denoted as
s(x) = 0 ∈ Rm, where s = (s1, . . . , sm)T
is characterized by the control structure defined by

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
.
According to the SMC theory, when the sliding mode occurs, a so-called “equivalent control” is
induced, i.e.,̇
Without loss of generality, we assume that
is nonsingular. It is commonly
understood that in the sliding mode, there exists a virtual control signal
which drives the system dynamics resulting in
SMC Design Methods
There are several SMC controller types seen in the literature, which one to use is dependent upon
the specific problems to be dealt with. However, central to the SMC design is the use of the
Lyapunov stability theory, in which the Lyapunov function of the form
is commonly taken. The control design task then becomes to find a suitable
discontinuous control such that V< 0 in the neighborhood of the equilibrium.
If one would like to embed learning and adaptation in SMC to enhance its performance, one
common alternative Lyapunov function may be constructed as
where R and Q are symmetric nonnegative definite matrices of appropriate dimensions.
Typical SMC strategies for MIMO systems include the following.
1) Equivalent control-based SMC. This is a control of the type
Where u s is a switching control component which may have two types of switching
and there are other variants.
2) Bang-bang-type SMC: This is a control of direct switching type

̇
IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
should be large enough to suppress all bounded uncertainties and unstructured systems dynamics.
Design of such control relies on the Fillipov method, by which, a sufficient large local attraction
region is created to suck in all system trajectories.
3) Enforce
to realize finite time reachability, where R>0 and K>0 are diagonal matrices and
Key Issues in SMC Theory and Applications
There are several key issues that are commonly seen as obstacles affecting the wide spread
applications of SMC, which have prompted the extensive use of SC and other technologies
in SMC systems in recent years. Some of these are listed in the following.
1) Chattering:
As has been previously mentioned, SMC is a special class of VSSs, in which the sliding modes
are induced by disruptive control forces. As demonstrated in the previous sections, despite the
advantages of simplicity and robustness, SMC generally suffers from the well-known problem,
namely,chattering , which is a motion oscillating around the predefined switching manifold(s).
Two causes are commonly conceived.
1. The presence of parasitic dynamics in series with the control systems causes a smallamplitude
high-frequency oscillation. These parasitic dynamics represent the fast actuator
and sensor dynamics which are normally neglected during the control design.
2. The switching non idealities can cause high-frequency oscillations. These may include
small time delays due to sampling [e.g., zero-order hold (ZOH)], and/or execution time
required for calculation of control, and more recently, transmission delays in networked
control systems.
Various methods have been proposed to “soften” the chattering. Examples are as follow.
1. The boundary layer control in which the sign function is replaced by which could be a
constant or a function of states as well.
2. The continuous approximation method in which the sign function is replaced by a
continuous approximation
Where ε is a small positive number
This, in fact, gives rise to a high-gain control when the states are in the close neighborhood
of the switching manifold.
2) Matched and Unmatched Uncertainties:
It is known that the celebrated invariance property of SMC lies in its insensitivity to matched
uncertainties when in the sliding mode. However, if the matching condition is not satisfied,
the sliding mode (motion) is dependent on the uncertainties ξ which is not desirable because
the condition for the well-known robustness of SMC does not hold. Research efforts in this

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
aspect have been focused on restricting the influence of the uncertainties ξ within a desired
bound.
3) Unmodeled Dynamics:
Mathematically, it is impossible to model a practical system perfectly. There always exists
some unmodeled dynamics. The situation may be worsened if the unmodeled dynamics contains
high-frequency oscillatory dynamics which may be excited by the high-frequency control
switching of SMC. There are several aspects of dealing with this unmodeled dynamics.
More broadly, in the complex systems environment, the object to be controlled is difficult to model
without a significant increase in the dimensions of the problem space. Often, it is more feasible to
study the component subsystems linked through aggregation. The challenge is how to design an
effective SMC without knowing the dynamics of the entire system (apart from the aggregative
links and local models). This research topic has been very popular in recent years in the intelligent
control community using, for example, NNs, FL, and PR,where PR technology is being focused
here.
SC TECHNOLOGIES
In this section, some brief introduction to the key SC techniques which are commonly used in
dynamical systems and control. Components of SC technologies are NNs, FL, and PR which
subsume belief networks, evolutionary computation (EC), chaos theory, and parts of learning
theory.
PR refers to EC, chaos theory, belief networks, and parts of learning theory. Below are some brief
overviews of the area.
Among PR technologies, EC techniques have been a most widely used technology for optimization
in SMC. The EC paradigm attempts to mimic the evolution processes observed in nature and utilize
them for solving a wide range of optimization problems. EC technologies include genetic
algorithms (GAs), genetic programming, evolutionary algorithms, and strategies. In general, EC
performs directed random searches using mutation and/or crossover operations through evolving
populations of solutions with the aim of finding the best solutions (the fittest survives). The
criterion which is expressed in terms of an objective function, is usually referred to as a fitness
function.
INTEGRATION OF SC METHODOLOGIES
The aforementioned SC paradigms offer different advantages. The integration of these paradigms
would give rise to powerful tools for solving difficult practical problems. It should be noted that
NNs and EC are about a process that enables learning and optimization while the FL systems are
a representation tool. Emerging technologies such as swarm optimization, chaos theory, and
complex network theory also provide alternative tools for optimization and for explaining
emerging behaviors which are predicted to be widely used in the future.
SMC WITH SC
There has been extensive research done in using SC technologies for SMC systems. An earlier
survey already out-lined some of the major developments. Since then, significant research has

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
been progressed and this paper aims to depict the state of the art of SMC with SC. We will use
the same categories as in Section III to summarize the developments.
As has been stated before, the integration of SMC and SC has two dimensions. One is the
application of SC technologies in SMC to make it “smarter” and the other using SMC to enhance
SC capabilities. This survey will be confined within the scope of the former, i.e., the application
of SC technologies in SMC.
SMC WITH PR
One PR technology commonly used in SMC is the EC for optimization. Another area is the
application of chaos theory in SMC. We shall discuss their applications in SMC in the following.
SMC WITH EC:
The optimization of the control parameters and the model parameters are vitally important in
reducing chattering and improving robustness. In this respect, various optimization techniques can
be used such as the gradient-based search, Levenberg–Marquart algorithm, etc.; however, a
significant amount of information about the tendency of search parameters toward optima (i.e., the
derivative information) is required. The complexity of the problem and the sheer number of
parameters make the application of the conventional search methods rather hard. The key process
of using EC is to treat the set of parameters (often a large number) as the attributes of an individual
in a population and generate enough number of individuals randomly to ensure a rich diversity of
“genes” in the population, through bio inspired operations such as mutation and/or crossover. The
advantages previously mentioned has motivated various researchers to use EC as an alternative to
find “optimal” solutions for SMC.
SMC with Integrated NN, FL, and EC
It is recognized that NNs and EC are processes that enable learning and optimization while the
fuzzy systems are a representation tool .For complex systems which are difficult to model and
represent in an analytic form, it is certainly advantageous to use fuzzy systems as a paradigm to
represent the complex systems as an aggregated set of simpler models, just like the role of local
linearization plays in nonlinear function approximation by piecing together locally linearized
models. NNs on the other hand can be used as a learning mechanism to learn the dynamics while
the EC approaches can be used to optimize the representation and learning. Such ideas have been
used quite extensively in dynamic systems and control areas. Research works in this area include
two fuzzy NNs are used to learn the control as well as identify the uncertainties to eliminate
chattering in distributed control systems. The conventional BP-based learning mechanism can be
employed for learning.
Ms. RINU ALICE KOSHY
ASST.PROFESSOR, DEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES & THEIR ROLE
IN RENEWABLE INTEGRATION
1. Short Introduction to the Electric Grid
The amount of electricity produced must always be on the same level as demand. Unfortunately
the demand keeps changing from throughout the year and through the day too (Fig 1).
Fig 1: Load curves for typical electrical grid
In addition to this most renewable energy sources have a fluctuating output.So an efficient storage
of energy is essential. They balance out fluctuations of renewable energies.
2. Energy Storage Technologies
2.1 Flywheels
Flywheels store energy in form of kinetic energy in a rotating hub. Low maintenance and long
lifespan, no carbon emissions, Fast Response times and N o toxic components are its advantages
and its disadvantages are high acquisition costs, low storage Capacity and High self discharge (2-
20 % per hour)
Fig 2: Fly wheels
2.2 Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
A SMES system stores energy in form of an electromagnetic field surrounding the coil.

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
Fig 3: SMES Components
Most superconducting coils are wound using conductors which are comprised of many fine
filaments of a niobium-titanium (NbTi) alloy embedded in a copper matrix. The Size of the coil
depends upon the energy storage requirement and coil geometry. The power conditioning system
is an Interface between the superconducting magnet and AC power system. The cryogenic units
maintain a temperature of about 4.5 K. The control system controls the power flow from the
renewable device to the storage system and also controls the flow to the grid. Fast responses,
capability of partial and deep discharges, environmentally safe are its advantages. The system is
very expensive and of poor efficiency. It also has high energy losses (∼ 12% per day)
2.3 Batteries
Batteries store energy in chemical form. Most battery technologies use two different compounds
which release energy in form of an electrical current when reacting with each other. It has high
potential for improvements. The main drawback is its limited life cycle and require a lot of
resources for production.
2.4 Pumped Storage Hydroelectricity (PSH)
In a PSH electrical powered turbines pump water into higher reservoirs. When needed, the water
flows back down and power the reversed turbines. PSH is capable of storing huge amounts of
energy. High efficiency, fast response time and cheap makes it ideal for storage. Availability of
water is essential for its operation. Environmental impacts are of concern.

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
2.5 Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)
Fig 4: PSH
CAES plants store energy in form of compressed air in underground caverns. The Advanced
Adiabatic (AA) CAES stores the heat produced during the compression and compensates the
freezing during the expansion.
Fig 5: CAES
This technology is capable of storing huge amounts of energy with high efficiencies. It has fast
response time and inexpensive too. The disadvantage is that it is economical for storage for a short
time.
3. Summary / Conclusion
PSH currently the only viable solution, Flywheels, SMES and batteries possess small potential,
CAES shows the greatest potential.
Dr. UNNIKRISHNAN P.C.
PROFESSOR, DEE

IMPULSE 2017
BROADBAND FOR TRANSPORTATION
----HYPERLOOP
DEE, RSET
Conventional means of transportation (road, water, air, and rail) tend to be some mix of expensive,
slow, and environmentally harmful. Road travel is particularly problematic, given carbon
emissions and the fluctuating price of oil. Rail travel is relatively energy efficient and offers the
most environmentally friendly option, but is too slow and expensive to be massively adopted.
Given these issues, the Hyperloop aims to make a cost-effective, high speed transportation system
for use at moderate distances.
Construction
Hyperloop is used for both passenger and freight transportation. It has a pod like vehicle that will
be propelled through a near vacuum tube at a speed greater than the airline speed. The pods would
accelerate to cruising speed gradually using a linear electric motor and glide above their track
using passive magnetic levitation or air bearings. The tubes could go above grounds on columns
or it could go underground, therefore eliminating the dangers of grade crossing.
The Hyperloop was proposed by Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX/Tesla in a white paper in 2013, as a
replacement to the California High Speed Rail.
The Hyperloop vision is to short-circuit the relationship between energy and speed: To push the
tech down and to the right, well into the zone of opportunity; to bring useful, fast, cheap, reliable
mass transportation to the billions who can’t afford more than a bus, or who must travel faster than
private jet; to do for people and cargo what global fibre networks did for the internet-on-demand,
point to point transportation that’s at once banal and miraculous; to build a metro system that spans
countries with a stop in every town.
Theory of operation
Hyperloop has four key features

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
1) The passenger capsules aren't propelled by air pressure like in vacuum tubes, but by two
electromagnetic motors. It is aimed to travel at a top speed of 760 miles per hour.
2) The tube tracks have a vacuum, but not completely free of air. Instead, they have low pressure
air inside of them.
Most things moving through airtubes will end up compressing the air in the front thus, providing
a cushion of air that slows the object down. But the hyperloop will feature a compressor fan in the
front of the capsule. The compressor fan can redirect air to the back of the capsule, but mostly air
will be sent to the air bearings.
3) Air bearings are ski like paddles that levitate the capsules above the surface of the tube to reduce
friction.
4) The tube track is designed to be immune to weather and earthquakes. They are also designed to
be self-powering and not obstructive. The pillars that rise the tube above the ground have a small
foot-print that can sway in the case of an earthquake. Each of the tube sections can move around
flexibly of the train ships because there isn't a constant track that capsules rely on.
And solar panels on the top the track supply power to the periodic motors.
Advantages of Hyperloop
Ms. AISWARYA KRISHNAN
S4 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
PEROVSKITE EDGES CAN BE TUNED FOR
OPTOELECTRONIC PERFORMANCE - LAYERED 2D
MATERIAL IMPROVES EFFICIENCY FOR SOLAR
CELLS AND LEDS
In the eternal search for next generation high-efficiency solar cells and LEDs, scientists at Los
Alamos National Laboratory and their partners are creating innovative 2D layered hybrid
perovskites that allow greater freedom in designing and fabricating efficient optoelectronic
devices.It mainly includes Industrial and consumer applications like low cost solar cells, LEDs,
laser diodes, detectors, and other nano-optoelectronic devices.
The material is a layered compound, a stack of 2D layers of perovskites with nanometer thickness
(and the 2D perovskite layers are separated by thin organic layers.This work could overturn
conventional wisdom on the limitations of device designs based on layered perovskites."
The 2D, near-single-crystalline "Ruddlesden-Popper" thin films have an out-of-plane orientation
so that uninhibited charge transport occurs through the perovskite layers in planar devices. At the
edges of the perovskite layers, the new research discovered "layer-edge-states," which are key to
both high efficiency of solar cells (>12 percent) and high fluorescence efficiency (a few tens of
percent) for LEDs. The spontaneous conversion of excitons (bound electron-hole pairs) to free
carriers via these layer-edge states appears to be the key to improving the photovoltaic and lightemitting
thin-film layered materials.
Moreover, once carriers are trapped in these edge states, they remain protected and do not lose
their energy via non-radiative processes. They can contribute to photocurrent in a photovoltaic
(PV) device or radiatively recombine efficiently for light-emission applications. "These materials
are quantum hybrid materials, possessing physical properties of both organic semiconductors and
inorganic semiconducting quantum wells.These results
address a long-standing problem not just for the perovskite
family, but relevant to a large group of materials where edges
and surface states generally degrade the optoelectronic
properties, which can now be chemically designed and
engineered to achieve efficient flow of charge and energy
leading to high-efficiency optoelectronic devices.
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory and their
research partners are creating innovative 2-D layered
hybrid perovskites that allow greater freedom in designing and fabricating efficient optoelectronic
devices
Ms. ANN CHERIACHEN THOPPIL
S8 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
CAN INDIA BECOME SUSTAINABLE?
DEE, RSET
Jeremy Rifkin, an economist and activist, said in New Delhi in January 2012, “India is the Saudi
Arabia of renewable energy sources and, if properly utilized, India can realize its place in the world
as a great power”. Keeping this in our mind let’s take a glimpse at the present energy situation in
India.
Dusk descends on a village in the eastern Indian state of Bihar as residents start their evening
chores. Women walk in a line, balancing packets of animal fodder on their heads. Others lead their
water buffalo home before dinner. Overhead loom bare utility poles - built but never wired for
electricity - casting long shadows across the landscape. Of the world’s 1.3 billion people who live
without access to power, a quarter (about 300 million) live in rural India in states such as Bihar.
Night-time satellite images of the sprawling subcontinent show the story: Vast swaths of the
country still lie in darkness. It is quite ironic and It’s a matter of shame that 68 years after
independence we have not been able to provide a basic amenity like electricity to all citizens.
India, the third-largest emitter of greenhouses gases after China and the United States, has taken
steps to address climate change in advance of the global talks in Paris this year - pledging a steep
increase in renewable energy by 2030. But India’s leaders say that the huge challenge of extending
electric service to its citizens means a hard reality - that the country must continue to increase its
fossil fuel consumption, at least in the near term, on a path that could mean a threefold increase in
greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030, according to some estimates.
When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked climate change with President Obama in
September at the United Nations, he was careful to note that he and Obama share “an
uncompromising commitment on climate change without affecting our ability to meet the
development aspirations of humanity.”. If India’s carbon emissions continue to rise, by 2040 it
will overtake the United States as the world’s second-highest emitter, behind only China,
according to estimates by the International Energy Agency. Yet the Indian government has long
argued that the United States and other industrialized nations bear a greater responsibility for the
cumulative damage to the environment from carbon emissions than developing nations with Modi
urging “climate justice” and chiding Western nations to change their wasteful ways.
Although 300 million Indians have no access to power, millions more in the country of 1.2 billion
people live with spotty supplies of electricity from the country’s unreliable power grid. The grid
failed spectacularly in 2012, plunging more than 600 million people into total blackout. In the
country’s high-tech capital of Bangalore, for example, residents have recently had to endure hours
of power outages each day after repairs and a bad monsoon season prevented the state’s
hydro-electric and wind power plants from generating enough electricity. Energy access is worse
in rural areas. Bihar, one of India’s poorest states, has a population of 103 million, nearly a third
the size of the United States. Fewer have electricity as the primary source of lighting there than in
any other place in India, just over 16 percent, according to 2011 census data. Families still light
their homes with kerosene lamps and cook on clay stoves with cow-dung patties or kindling.
The Indian government has launched an ambitious project to supply 24-hour power to its towns
and villages by 2022 - with plans for miles of new feeder lines, infrastructure upgrades and solar
micro grids for the remotest areas. Led by Modi, an early proponent of solar technology, India is
in the midst of a huge drive to expand its solar and wind capacity, with plans for dozens of mega-

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
parks that the government hopes will move the country closer to its goal of 100 gigawatts of solargenerating
capacity by 2022, plus 75 gigawatts of other renewable energy, predominantly wind.
The government wants to expand its hydroelectric and nuclear power capacity as well. The
ambitious goal - which some see as unrealistic - would essentially require the country to double
its installed solar-generating capacity every 18 months from its current capacity of four gigawatts.
India also wants to double its coal production in the next five years, to more than 1 billion tons
annually, with plans to open 60 more coal mines. India has the world’s fifth-largest coal reserves,
and officials say cheap, plentiful coal will make up the lion’s share of the country’s energy budget
well beyond 2030. At the same time, the Indian government says it wants to develop its economy
using green technology, setting up 100 smart cities and touting its work with energy efficiency in
industrial buildings and making LED light bulbs affordable. In recent months, the Indian
government has announced plans to modernize its national grid and is preparing to address the
financial woes of the country’s state-owned utility companies.
India’s energy minister, Piyush Goyal, has been appealing to wealthier nations to provide capital
to invest in renewable energy projects to help the country reach and exceed the targets agreed in
Paris in November 2015. Japan’s Softbank has committed to invest $20bn (£16.2bn) in the Indian
solar energy sector, in conjunction with Taiwanese company Foxconn and Indian business group
Bharti Enterprises. In September the largely French state-owned energy company EDF announced
it would invest $2bn in Indian renewable energy projects, citing the country’s enormous projected
demand and “fantastic” potential of its wind and solar radiation. Adani opened the world’s largest
solar plant in Tamil Nadu earlier this year, and in October the energy conglomerate Tata announced
that it would aim to generate as much as 40% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025.
But even if sufficient capital is amassed, clean energy projects will not be successful without a
resilient power grid. Solar and wind power is not as stable as electricity produced from
conventional sources, hence upgrading to grids that are flexible enough to control unpredictable
surges is a process that cannot be overlooked. 15-20 percent of the total renewable energy
generated in the country is wasted due to the low capacity of power grids. Hence, construction of
the green energy corridor, a $3.5-billion project for transmission of renewable power, is necessary
to offset such losses. Germany’s development bank KFW has agreed to bankroll $1.1 billion for
the project.
In the 2027 forecasts, India aims to generate 275 gigawatts of total renewable energy, in addition
to 72GW of hydro energy and 15GW of nuclear energy. Nearly 100GW would come from “other
zero emission” sources, with advancements in energy efficiency expected to reduce the need for
capacity increases by 40GW over 10 years. Furthermore, our energy plan for 2030 involves
generating 850GW of power, of which renewables will account for 40 percent, but the bulk of the
remaining will come from coal as it continues to be the cheaper option. But since the present
government is headed in the right direction and is committed to walking the renewables path, we
could step up our game to reach our full renewable potential.
Mr. JIBIN GEORGE
S8 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
FIREFLY LEDS
DEE, RSET
The nighttime twinkling of fireflies has inspired scientists to modify a light-emitting diode (LED)
so it is more than one and a half times as efficient as the original. Researchers from Belgium,
France, and Canada studied the internal structure of firefly lanterns, the organs on the
bioluminescent insects’ abdomens that flash to attract mates. The scientists identified an
unexpected pattern of jagged scales that enhanced the lanterns’ glow, and applied that knowledge
to LED design to create an LED overlayer that mimicked the natural structure. The overlayer,
which increased LED light extraction by up to 55 percent, could be easily tailored to existing diode
designs to help humans light up the night while using less energy.
Fireflies create light through a chemical reaction that takes place in specialized cells called
photocytes. The light is emitted through a part
of the insect’s exoskeleton called the
cuticle. Light travels through the cuticle more
slowly than it travels through air, and the
mismatch means a proportion of the light is
reflected back into the lantern, dimming the
glow. The unique surface geometry of some
fireflies’ cuticles, however, can help minimize
internal reflections, meaning more light
escapes to reach the eyes of potential firefly
suitors.
Using scanning electron microscopes, the
researchers identified structures such as nanoscale ribs and larger, misfit scales, on the fireflies’
cuticles. When the researchers used computer simulations to model how the structures affected
light transmission they found that the sharp edges of the jagged, misfit scales let out the most light.
The finding was confirmed experimentally when the researchers observed the edges glowing the
brightest when the cuticle was illuminated from below.
“The tips of the scales protrude and have a tilted slope, like a factory roof.” The protrusions repeat
approximately every 10 micrometers, with a height of approximately 3 micrometers. “In the
beginning we thought smaller nanoscale structures would be most important, but surprisingly in
the end we found the structure that was the most effective in improving light extraction was this
big-scale structure,” say the researchers.
The firefly specimens that served as the inspiration for the effective new LED coating came from
the genus Photuris, which is commonly found in Latin America and the United States.
“The Photuris fireflies are very effective light emitters, but we are quite sure that there are other
species that are even more effective,” says the researchers and will continue to explore the great
diversity of the natural world, searching for new sources of knowledge and inspiration.
Mr. RONY JOSEPH
S8 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
THE INTERNET OF ENERGY
DEE, RSET
We waste too much energy and this is a direct cause of global warming. Imagine a fully integrated
electrical system that is safer, cleaner and sustainable. By utilising the Internet, Smart devices,
sensors and switches technologists have designed systems that save energy in an intelligent
fashion, saving the consumer money in the process.
The Internet of Things
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best: The Internet of Things uses the existing infrastructure
of the Internet to allow devices to communicate and share data. These devices include sensors,
Smart devices, lights, motors and vehicles as well as any compatible electronics. The advantages
of such a system are increases in automation, accuracy, efficiency and experience quality; going
beyond current “machine: machine” systems. It is estimated that the IOT will contain over 50
billion objects by 2020.
The Internet of Energy
As a subset of the IOT, the Internet of Energy (IOE) encompasses all objects involved in provision
and use of electricity from the power grid down to individual electronic devices. The main
objective of the IOE is to develop hardware, software and middleware for seamless, secure
connectivity and interoperability achieved by connecting the Internet with the energy grids. The
implementation of IoE services involves the use of multiple components, including embedded
systems, power electronics or sensors; which are an essential part of the infrastructure dedicated
to the generation and distribution energy.

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
The Smart Grid
Large territories have developed interconnected electrical supply systems that use the same
voltages and currents; these are most evident in large countries/continents like USA, Brazil and
the EU where the electrical grids are standardised.
The IOE makes use of millions of sensors across the grid (devices, sockets etc.) and integrated
computing systems, connected using existing Internet infrastructure, allowing the prediction of
future energy requirements: The Smart Grid. This affords huge savings in the amount of energy
usage, in the form of fossil fuels and others. Encouragingly there are currently over 500 Smart
Grid projects throughout the EU.
Smart Energy Devices
Smart socket devices on the market offer basic functionality that trails behind what has been
achieved in the lab; available devices can turn off appliances, run schedules and monitor
consumption but they are not fully automated i.e. they do not respond intelligently to real time
changes.
The importance of Smart devices in the IOE cannot be underestimated and researchers at The
University of Coruña have recently presented a system that monitors electrical usage in the home
and optimises consumption according to user preferences and electricity prices.
Researchers have a produced an integrated system that uses live electricity prices, obtained from
the Internet, in order to optimise usage for the user. This system also self-organises, using the Wi-
Fi infrastructure so that it can collect data with minimal user intervention. All of the software is
open source, allowing its modification by future developers and uses.
The System
Sensor and actuation subsystem: This controls the sensors and actuators of the system; responsible
for collecting current data and for activating the power outlet when it receives a request from the
control subsystem.
Communications subsystem: This consists of wireless transceivers that join an auto-configurable
star topology.
Management subsystem: This provides the user with the possibility of obtaining the current status
of all modules, modifying their configuration and acting directly on them remotely through a web
interface.
Control subsystem: This oversees controlling and managing the remaining subsystems, processing
the data through the appropriate algorithms and acts as the gateway of the network to connect to
the Internet.
The Future of the IOE
It has been demonstrated that this system can be used to operate devices at optimum times, saving
energy and money (up to 70€ / year /device) by using online energy prices. It could also be
optimised according to energy availability; for example, washing machines would be used at
midday, when the electricity generated from solar panels is at a maximum. Smart sockets,
thermostats and motion detectors are well established technologies that are integrated into the IOE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
in Smart Houses; these monitor all energy used by the home and data can be analysed / modelled
for specific streets or areas.
The Internet of Energy will ultimately provide a beautifully integrated system that monitors and
predicts consumption patterns. Eventually systems like the one presented here will exist in all
homes and feedback data that optimises power generation. This system will offer high levels of
participation to the user; plug and play convenience for new devices; faster response to power
outages and faults; and resilience to attack and natural disasters. The IOE can operate on a small
scale, saving the user money in the home; as well on the grid scale, allowing more efficient
electricity generation and decreasing fossil fuel usage.
Mr. KADAVIL SABU HAZEM
S8 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
CARBON NANOTUBES AND ITS FUTURE IN TAPPING
SOLAR ENERGY
With the increasing concern about the carbon dioxide concentration and global warming
in the earth, as well as the increasing demand on energy and the limitation of fossil fuels resources,
researches have been addressed towards other energy alternatives such as the amazing sustainable
source of energy, the sun. It has been calculated that less than one hour of sun energy received by
the earth is enough to satisfy the annual world human demand of energy. The solar energy is clean,
abundant and without any harmful effects on the environment. The photovoltaic effect is the
process allowing the conversion of light into electricity, this process needs semiconductors
materials in order to convert the photons into electrons. The photovoltaic solar cell technology
with its different generations is a multidisciplinary field involving classical disciplines like
physics, chemistry and materials sciences, beside new emerging technologies such as
optoelectronics, organic electronics and nano electronics. These technologies have been
tremendously expanded in the last decades, serving the development of photovoltaic solar cells
and making the field rich and attracting for several famous worldwide universities, institutes and
research centres.
A solar cell (photovoltaic cell) is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light
directly to electricity by photovoltaic effect. The solar cells of today are typically made of silicon,
an inorganic semiconductor material known by its environmental stability, high purity and its
distinguished charge transport properties. The silicon solar cells are dominating the Photovoltaic
market thanks to their high power conversion efficiency which hits 25% as per the latest report. In
spite of its market dominance and high conversion rates, fabrication of silicon solar cells is
complicated, expensive and energy-intensive leading to a costly manufacturing. The lack of a costeffective
energy in the inorganic solar cell technology has been one of the major drawbacks that
increased investigations on alternatives and promoted organic solar cells researches. An organic
solar cell or plastic solar cell is a type of photovoltaic that uses organic electronics, a branch of
electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light
absorption and charge transport to produce electricity from sunlight by the photovoltaic effect. The
organic solar cell technology is now a days, a promising competitive alternative of the inorganic
solar cell technology, specifically in terms of fabrication simplicity, cost and also its ability to bend
allows it to be used in areas where inorganic solar cells can’t be used. While working on organic
cells, researchers were struck with a basic theory. If organics involve the use of carbon and its
allotropes, why not use carbon in solar cells? This is how carbon nanotubes (a special form of
carbon) came to be considered for tapping solar energy.
Before studying about carbon nanotubes, we need to know what nanotubes are. Nanotubes are
particles that are on the nanoscale, which is are about 1 to 100 nanometres (nm) in size. For
comparison, the thickness of a sheet of paper is about 100,000 nm and the width of a hair, about
40,000 – 80,000 nm. Materials that exhibit a dimension below 100 nm have very different and
interesting properties than the bulk material. As an example, gold is a very inert metal, but below
100 nm, nanoparticles of gold possess properties that make them good catalysts and sensors. With
this in mind, let us see what carbon nanotubes are. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of
carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure. These cylindrical carbon molecules have unusual
properties, which are valuable for nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials
science and technology.

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
So, Why use CNTs in Solar Cells?
Any solar cell should have good photovoltaic properties to provide maximum number of electronhole
pairs for a given intensity of incident light. The cell should be as strong as possible to improve
its life and should work at maximum possible efficiency. Above all, it should be cheap. Well,
CNTs have many such desirable properties that make it a potential photovoltaic material in the
coming years. When light falls on a solar cell, electrons are generated and transferred to the
external circuit via metallic conductors and connectors. If the photo-reception part of the cell
contains CNTs, a lot of positive differences can be observed. This is due to the electrical properties
of CNTs. They are hollow cylinders and hence electrons can only flow over its surface compared
to the conventional wires. Due to this reason, CNTs offers lesser resistance to the flow of current
and can help reduce losses. As for light harvesting properties, carbon nanotubes possess a wide
range of direct bandgaps matching the solar spectrum and its strong photoabsorption from infrared
to ultraviolet, allows it to absorb light belonging to different frequencies and wavelength. It has
high carrier mobility and reduced carrier transport scattering which allows CNTs to transfer
maximum current to the external load as much as possible with minimum loss of electrons within
the bulk of the cell. What good can a solar cell do if it can’t protect itself from mechanical stresses?
Carbon nanotubes are the strongest and stiffest materials yet discovered in terms of tensile strength
and elastic modulus respectively. In 2000, a multi-walled carbon nanotube was tested to have a
tensile strength of 63 gigapascals (9,100,000 psi). Since carbon nanotubes have a low density for
a solid of 1.3 to 1.4 g/cm 3 , its specific strength of up to 48,000 kN•m/kg is the best of known
materials, compared to high-carbon steel's 154 kN•m/kg.
Recently, SWNTs were directly configured as energy conversion materials to fabricate
thin-film solar cells, with nanotubes serving as both photogeneration sites and a charge carriers
collecting/transport layer. The solar cells consist of a semitransparent thin film of nanotubes
conformally coated on an n-type crystalline silicon substrate to create high-density p-n
heterojunctions between nanotubes and n-Si to favor charge separation and extract electrons
(through n-Si) and holes (through nanotubes). Initial tests have shown a power conversion
efficiency of >1\%, proving that CNTs-on-Si is a potentially suitable configuration for making
solar cells. For the first time, Zhongrui Li demonstrated that SOCl 2 treatment of SWNT boosts the
power conversion efficiency of SWNT/n-Si heterojunction solar cells by more than 60%. Later on
the acid doping approach is widely adopted in the later published CNT/Si works. Even higher
efficiency can be achieved if acid liquid is kept inside the void space of nanotube network. Acid
infiltration of nanotube networks significantly boosts the cell efficiency to 13.8%, as reported by
Yi Jia, by reducing the internal resistance that improves fill factor, and by forming
photoelectrochemical units that enhance charge separation and transport. The wet acid induced
problems can be avoided by using aligned CNT film. In aligned CNT film, the transport distance
is shortened, and the exciton quenching rate is also reduced. Additionally aligned nanotube film
has much smaller void space, and better contact with substrate. So, plus strong acid doping, using
aligned single wall carbon nanotube film can further improve power conversion efficiency (a
record-high power-conversion-efficiency of >11\% was achieved by Yeonwoong Jung).
Mr. SIDHARTH R.S.
S8 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
ARTIFICIAL LEAF: SOLAR CELL THAT PRODUCES
HYDROCARBON FUEL
Researchers have developed a new type of solar cell that is capable of transforming carbon dioxide
into usable hydrocarbon fuel using only sunlight as energy.
Compared with conventional solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity to be stored in
batteries, the new solar cells cheaply and efficiently convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
directly into usable fuel.
The new device works much like trees and plants that capture and convert carbon dioxide into
sugars to store them into energy. Unlike plants that use catalysts to produce sugar, the researchers
used nanoflake tungsten diselenide catalyst to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide.
The new solar cells produce usable energy-dense fuel, which could help address challenges linked
with the burning of other kinds of hydrocarbons such as oil, gasoline and coal.
A solar farm of these so-called artificial leaves can also remove significant amounts of the
greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere known to significantly drive global warming.
In plants, the process of converting carbon dioxide into sugar involves the organic catalyst enzyme.
Carbon monoxide is also a planet-warming greenhouse gas but scientists have already found a way
to convert it into usable fuel such as methanol. Converting carbon dioxide into something usable,
on the other hand, is more challenging because of it being relatively chemically unreactive.
The system involves a reaction very much similar to that found in nature. The artificial leaf
converts photons, or packets of light, into pairs of negatively charged electrons and positively
charged holes that separate from each other. When the holes react with water molecules, protons
and oxygen molecules are created. Along with carbon dioxide, the protons and electrons then react
together to produce carbon monoxide and water.
Mr. H.RAVISANKAR MENON
S8 EEE

IMPULSE 2017
DEE, RSET
1 2 3 4
5
7 12
6
8
10 11
13 14
9
1.Internal Fault Detection Of Transformer
2.What Blocks AC
3.Gas Filled In Transformer Conservation Bladder
4.Rolling Sphere method Is Used For Which Protection Design
5.Formed From R,Y And B Phases
6.The Standard Unit Of Magnetic Flux Density
7.An Electrical Test Tool That Combines A Basic Digital Multimeter
With A Current Sensor
8.A Safety Relay Device Mounted On Oil Filled Power Transformers
9.A Form Of Semiconductor Diode
10.This Is Required To Produce Electricity
11.A Device Used To Measure And Regulate The Speed Of A Machine
12.A Type Of Transformer Winding Connection
13.A Safety Device Used In Electrical Installations With High Earth
Impedance To Prevent Shock
14.A Digital Cellular Technology That Uses Spread Spectrum Techniques
Answers:
1. Differential 2. Inductor 3. Nitrogen 4. Lightning 5. Neutral 6. Tesla 7. Clampmeter
8. Buchholz 9. Zener 10. Magnet 11. Governor 12. Delta 13. ELCB 14. CDMA