Mechanical Engineering

Welcome Message

Welcome to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kanpur. We started our journey in the year of 1960. Over the last six decades, we have grown our expertise and competence in the core Mechanical Engineering curriculum and research.... - Read More

-Prof. Ashish Dutta
Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Featured Faculty

Ashish Dutta

Professor

Arun K. Saha

Professor

Pankaj Wahi

Professor

Nachiketa Tiwari

Professor

Niraj Sinha

Professor

Shyam Sunder Gopalakrishnan

Assistant Professor

Anikesh Pal

Assistant Professor

J. Ramkumar

Professor

Sumit Basu

Professor

Arvind Kumar

Professor

Malay K. Das

Professor

Jishnu Bhattacharya

Associate Professor

Anindya Chatterjee

Professor

Umesh Madanan

Assistant Professor

Anurag Gupta

Professor

Anupam Saxena

Professor

Bishakh Bhattacharya

Professor

Shantanu Bhattacharya

Professor

A team of researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has studied experimentally the fluid flow pattern inside the droplet in sitting drop method of protein crystallization using micro-PIV technique.

In this work, we have studied the convection inside the droplet at different stage of protein crystallization,” said Pradipta Kumar Panigrahi , Professor of Mechanical Engineering. The work is published on 7 Novemebr 2012 in Physical Review E. Different flow transition is observed during the process of protein crystallization. The lysozyme crystals are grown using vapour diffusion method of protein crystallization where the droplet is placed on a hydrophobic surface. The droplet contains solution of protein and precipitants. Effect of evaporation and precipitants leads to the growth of protein crystals. “Evaporation from the droplet surface causes circulating flow inside the droplet,” said doctoral student Tapan Kumar Pradhan, lead author of the research. “The crystal growth and flow study is done inside the droplet having volume 0.3 µL. The droplet is kept inside an enclosed chamber which is separated from the atmosphere. The strength of fluid convection inside the droplet gradually reduces with time. When crystal starts appearing inside the droplet, the fluid convection is disturbed by the presence of crystal.

Mohammed Asfer, doctoral student of mechanical engineering department is also an author of the work.

Research

Featured Research

Droplet Hydrodynamics during Lysozyme Protein Crystallization	Chromium Etching by Laser	Energy optimal walk of an 8 DOF compliant biped robot
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Research activities in the Department of Mechanical Engineering are at the forefront of innovation, advancing knowledge and technological developments in the multifaceted disciplines of mechanical engineering, as well as in several cognate areas.

We conduct fundamental and applied research in broad areas of Mechanical Engineering, reaching well beyond traditionally identified domains. Current projects have an impact both locally and abroad, and cross disciplinary boundaries. With its signature research programs of national and international distinction, the department aims to make a positive contribution towards securing environmental, industrial, and societal sustainability. The diversity of research projects undertaken by our faculties is a measure of the strong track record of research. It is the result of the great synergy between the fundamental research and applied research done at our department.

Diverse Research Areas

Researchers are engaged in extremely diverse, and often inter-disciplinary projects that include probing the mysteries of a tiny cell to deciphering the Earth's geophysics; designing microfluidic sensors to developing the next-generation gas turbines; optimizing fuel cells to controlling nuclear plasmas to meet the nations' energy demands; estimating the strength of tangled polymer chains to employing sturdy composites for aerospace structures; harnessing the solar power to designing cleaner combustion devices for a pollution-free environment; understanding human origins to building humanoid robots. The opportunities and challenges are endless!

Research Environment

Research at our department is usually done by small individual led research groups and there are also large interdisciplinary project teams across several departments. The research environment supports highly creative work done by a small group. The department promotes research opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students by fostering an environment of discovery and creativity through resource allocation, mentoring, and recognition.
Faculty and students at IITK respect the fact that to do path-breaking research, in addition to knowledge about an area; one requires creativity, self-belief, courage and persistence. Great research requires risk taking ability. The IITK culture offers support and encouragement to take on challenging work. This enables researchers to work on the important problems in their field. The strong institutional support enables the researchers to ask tough questions knowing that finding the answers will take time and effort.

Strong Research Collaboration

Due to the vibrant research environment at IITK, there is regular exposure to new ideas, which helps young researchers to identify the current research thrust areas. Faculties often collaborate with other academic disciplines, Indian and foreign universities, research centres, and industry.

Independent Research

Quality research happens more often in a culture where free thinking is encouraged and that is very true for most of the departments at IITK. The researcher is supported by a dynamic research administration that has a non-bureaucratic work culture. The drive and commitment for research are sustained because at IITK, a researcher can enjoy the research work to the fullest.

Interdisciplinary Research

The department's initiatives are highly collaborative and multidisciplinary, involving researchers from most of the engineering streams, the physical and life sciences. There are inter-disciplinary academic programmes and inter-disciplinary research centres & facilities at IITK. These lead to great interdisciplinary interaction at IITK and facilitate collaboration for interdisciplinary research.

Teaching & Research

The teaching done by faculty helps the faculty grow. The faculty is encouraged to develop new courses based on their research. The faculty also have the freedom to modify existing courses to include content related to their research. The faculty benefit from the dedicated PhD students of IITK, who is a key to the success of research at IITK. At IITK, young faculty can start teaching early in their career, and this enhances their ability to do challenging research.

Union Cabinet has approved a programme titled Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education aimed at tapping the talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs internationally to encourage their engagement with the institutes of Higher Education in India so as to augment the country's existing academic resources, accelerate the pace of quality reform, and elevate India's scientific and technological capacity to global excellence. GIAN is envisaged to catalyse higher education institutions in the country, and that it will initially include all IITs, IIMs, Central Universities, IISc Bangalore, IISERs, NITs and IIITs subsequently cover good State Universities where the spinoff is vast. GIAN is an evolving scheme which will initially include participation of foreign faculty in Institutes as Distinguished / Adjunct / Visiting faculty / Professors of Practice, etc., to participate in delivering Short or Semester-long Courses. Other activities will be included in due course.

Upcoming Courses

Fundamentals of Micromachining

Foreign Faculty: Prof. Shiv G. Kapoor, University of Illinois, United States of America
Host Faculty: Prof. J. Ramkumar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Tentatively Starts from: 14th Aug, 2017 to 21th Aug, 2017

Brochure: Fundamentals of Micromachining

Boiling and Condensation: Theory and Applications

Foreign Faculty: Prof. Amitabh Narain, Michigan Technological University, United States of America
Host Faculty: Prof. P. S. Ghoshdastidar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Tentatively Starts from: 6th Sep, 2016 to 14th Sep, 2016

Brochure: Boiling and Condensation: Theory and Applications

Recently Concluded Courses

Combustion: Science, Technology, and Processes

Foreign Faculty: Prof. Thierry Poinsot, France
Host Faculty: Dr. Santanu De, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Tentatively Starts from: 9th May, 2016 to 18th May, 2016

Brochure: Combustion: Science, Technology, and Processes

Pipe Inspection Robots for Structural Health Monitoring

Foreign Faculty: Professor Harutoshi Ogai, Waseda University, Japan
Host Faculty: Prof. Bishakh Bhattacharya, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Design Programme, IIT Kanpur
Tentatively Starts from: 27th Feb, 2016 to 6th Mar, 2016

Brochure: Pipe Inspection Robots for Structural Health Monitoring

For more information please click here.

Ankush Punamchand Sharma
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NL 216 (Northern Laboratories)
0512-2597509
Roll No.: 11105162
Stream: Solid Mechanics and Design