1. Title -  Margination of white blood cells (WBCs) in a passive microfluidic device

Theme - Biomechanical Engineering

Speaker - Dhiren Mohapatra

Abstract https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijft.2024.100751

White blood cells (WBCs) play a vital role in immunity and serve as indicators for diseases such as infections, inflammation, genetic disorders, and cancer. Efficient separation of WBCs is essential for diagnostics, but conventional methods are often labor-intensive and prone to cell loss. This research explores the use of microfluidic devices to separate and enrich WBCs by leveraging fluid mechanics and the biophysical properties of blood components. By optimizing flow conditions, channel design, and cell-cell interactions, these devices enable precise, cost-effective separation. The talk will highlight the design principles and potential applications, including on-chip disease screening, demonstrating their promise for advanced biomedical diagnostics.

Bio -

Dhiren Mohapatra is a doctoral researcher in Mechanical Engineering Department at IIT Bombay, working under the supervision of Prof. Amit Agrawal. His research focuses on microfluidic BioMEMS and lab-on-a-chip technologies for advanced biomedical diagnostic applications, combining experimental microdevice development with computational modeling. His research interests include point-of-care technologies, translational diagnostics, and process analytics. He holds a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from BPUT, Rourkela, and an M.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Rourkela.

-----

2. Title -  Interfacial MHD instability in Hall-Héroult aluminum reduction cells

Theme - Materials Modeling and Characterization, Solid and Fluid mechanics

Speaker - Amit Jha

Abstract  https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0146465

The Hall-Héroult process for aluminum production consumes 12,000–14,000 DC-kWh per tonne, with about half the energy lost as heat—primarily in the resistive electrolyte layer between the anode and cathode (ACD). Reducing the ACD improves efficiency but risks magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability, which can cause short-circuiting and reverse reactions. This research investigates the mechanisms of interfacial MHD instability using analytical modeling, industrial experiments, and simulations, revealing the critical role of previously unstudied bichromatic modes—distinct spatial frequencies along cell dimensions—in destabilizing the interface. Findings show that vertical magnetic fields mainly affect lower modes, while horizontal fields can destabilize all modes when friction is low. Cell design factors like aspect ratio and local anode perturbations also influence stability. The study provides key insights for designing more energy-efficient and stable aluminum reduction cells

Bio

Amit completed Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from BIT Mesra and is pursuing PhD at IIT Bombay (as External candidate) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has worked on MHD instability in Aluminium reduction cells (thesis submitted). He has acquired over 15 years of experience in aluminum smelting, in diverse roles across design, process control, operations, and strategic project management. Currently, he oversees upstream operations for four smelters at Hindalco, driving productivity and cost efficiency through technical innovation and standardization. He has cultivated a strong blend of industrial expertise and research-driven insight to advance energy-efficient and high-performance smelting technologies.