The importance of preserving the ecological balance has paved the way for developing water lubricated bearings for marine vessels and other various applications. These bearings have found widespread applications in high pressure water pumps, water-power plants and power generation stations in sea, mining industries, ships, boats and submarines. To investigate the performance envelope of a water lubricated journal bearing (WLJB) with partial slip/no slip pattern, a multi-groove bearing model is developed and analyzed using CFD in the present study. Taguchi analysis method is utilized to determine the highest influential parameter affecting the pressure distribution and load-carrying capacity of a water lubricated journal bearing. From Taguchi method, optimum values identified for design parameters such as attitude angle, groove angle, groove height and number of grooves are 60°, 9°, 7 mm and 2, respectively. For the optimum combination model, a higher load bearing capacity of 1484.5 N is attained. Approximately, 2.88 times increase in peak pressures are noted from the current optimal bearing model by comparing with previous findings. Results indicated that the number of grooves and groove angle are the most influential parameters affecting the bearing load capacity. Partial slip conditions are applied at the grooved surfaces of a bearing model designed based on the identified optimal groove parameters. Influence of varying slip intensity on bearing load capacity is analyzed using CFD simulation. Appropriate selection of slip regions and slip amplitude is found to play a major role influencing the performance of the water lubricated journal bearing.

Ocular surface disorders such as Lid Wiper Epitheliopathy (LWE), Superior Epithelial Arcuate Lesion (SEAL), and contact lens-induced Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD) as well as Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) affect one’s quality of life. Hence, it is imperative to investigate the underlying causes of these ocular surface disorders. During blink, the undersurface of the eyelid tends to interact with the cornea and the conjunctiva. The presence of a contact lens can add to the biomechanical frictional changes on these surfaces. To estimate these changes with and without a contact lens, a finite element model (FEM) of the eyelid wiper, eyeball, and contact lens was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. Biomechanical properties such as von Mises stress (VMS) and displacement were calculated. Our study concluded that (a) maximum VMS was observed in the lid wiper in the absence of contact lens in the eye and (b) maximum VMS was observed in the superior 1.3 mm of the cornea in the presence of the contact lens in the eye. Thus, the development of friction-induced ocular surface disorders such as LWE, SLK, SEAL, and LSCD could be attributed to increased VMS. FEA is a useful simulation tool that helps us to understand the effect of blink on a normal eye with and without CL.

Efficient machinery operation relies on the performance of high-quality lubricants. Currently, mineral oils of different grades are widely employed for lubricating machine components, but their environmental impact is a concern. Biolubricants are potential alternatives to mineral oils due to environmental factors. The present study focuses on assessing the rheological characteristics of SiO₂ nanoparticle (NP)-enhanced ecofriendly biolubricants for near zero and high-temperature conditions. Pure neem oil, pure castor oil and a 50:50 blend of both oils were considered as the base oils. Nanobiolubricants with enhanced dispersion stability were prepared for varied concentrations of NPs using an ultrasonification method. Viscosity analysis was conducted using an MCR-92 rheometer, employing the Herschel Bulkley model to precisely characterize the viscosity behavior of bio-oils. Due to the fluid–solid interaction between SiO₂ NPs and bio-oils, a crossover trend was observed in the flow curves generated for different base oils enriched with SiO₂ NPs. For neem oil, a significant increase in viscosity was noted for 0.2 wt% of NPs. Using the multilayer perceptron (MLP) algorithm, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to accurately predict the viscosity variations in nanobiolubricants. The accuracy of the predicted values was affirmed through experimental investigations at the considered nanoSiO₂ weight concentrations.

Indoor comfort has become a major factor with advancements in science and technology. This also leads to an increase in greenhouse gases as well as energy consumption. Desiccant-coated heat exchangers are one of the common solutions to these risks and to lower energy usage. In the present work, the capability of a solid composite desiccant blend prepared from coconut shell-based activated carbon and bio char was studied. Aluminum plates have been coated with the prepared solid desiccants. Desiccant-coated heat exchangers were cooled by the cerium oxide nanofluid passing through the pipes connected along the length of the heat exchanger. Air was blown through the plates where dehumidification occurs due to the vapor pressure difference between the air and the desiccant-coated plate. The experiments were conducted by varying the air velocity, water flow rate, and nanoparticle concentration. The nanoparticle volume fraction varied from 0.05% to 0.3%. Different performance parameters such as the moisture removal rate, dehumidification efficiency, cooling capacity, and coefficient of performance (COP) were calculated. Results showed that the performance parameters were enhanced with an increase in the water flow rate as well as the air flow rate. Furthermore, it was seen that with the addition and increase in nanoparticle concentration, the moisture removal rate and dehumidification efficiency were enhanced. In comparison to no addition of nanoparticles, a 0.3% addition of nanoparticles demonstrated a maximum increase in MRR of 53% and dehumidification efficiency of 57%. A maximum reduction of 6.1% in the dehumidification area was achieved by using 0.3% nanoparticles with water. It is recommended to use nanofluids for dehumidification using solid desiccants, which can enhance the performance without having negative influence on the environment.