May 20, 2004
Working in a chemical engineering laboratory can have have its up and downs. Technically speaking, there are ups and downs everywhere, but experiences here can range from good to bad. Below is the link to the lab where I go and work. Its a good feeling to be putting something together.
LTT Research Group
A complete fuel processor. Hopefully, it should work. The individual components work separately, putting in a connected fashion in a single box and getting that to work is another story. Today I am calibrating the controller for the system. Its a six zone controller, with 4 active zones. In other words, we can monitor 6 temperatures, but can control only 4 of those temperatures. Now that worked since we had only 4 reactors that we had to control in the system. But in steps in the faculty and decides the system needs another reactor. Now, subtractions from a system are easy to do, addtions to a system....make room, more stuff in, more instrumentation and the worst part, another reactor to control. So, we have to add a SSR(Solid State Relay) to out controller to make another zone active. That's the easy part. Adding connectors to the system for the extra controller is bad. Neccetates us to pull the system apart and then put it back together.
Now, for the worst experience. A chemical engineering lab had tons of cylinders, you can see a few in the link above. At the last inventory done a week ago, there are 170 cylinders spread in 3 labs. So in the lab I worked there are definitely more than 50 cylinders with many being explosive gases. Here I go, the first time plugging in a brand new controller in the power supply and I hear a huge BOOM, it was one deafening BIG BOOM and a very loud whistle followed it. Damn to loud. I was shit scared, not knowing what it was or what I had done by plugging in the controller that caused the big boom. After few agonizing moments, I left the room and coudnt hear anything. I was shaking like anything. It turned out that a nitrogen cylinder with a faulty valve was venting a little nitrogen. The valve if faulty so it makes a huge noise when it does so. But boy, that was scary. Being in a lab that can blow up anytime and specifically just when I plugged in the controller for the first time.
Whew! On a good note, yesterday's cricket score 20 runs with no boundaries in nearly 9 over by me. Team ending at 144 in 18 overs. We win the match by picking up regular wickets.
LTT Research Group
A complete fuel processor. Hopefully, it should work. The individual components work separately, putting in a connected fashion in a single box and getting that to work is another story. Today I am calibrating the controller for the system. Its a six zone controller, with 4 active zones. In other words, we can monitor 6 temperatures, but can control only 4 of those temperatures. Now that worked since we had only 4 reactors that we had to control in the system. But in steps in the faculty and decides the system needs another reactor. Now, subtractions from a system are easy to do, addtions to a system....make room, more stuff in, more instrumentation and the worst part, another reactor to control. So, we have to add a SSR(Solid State Relay) to out controller to make another zone active. That's the easy part. Adding connectors to the system for the extra controller is bad. Neccetates us to pull the system apart and then put it back together.
Now, for the worst experience. A chemical engineering lab had tons of cylinders, you can see a few in the link above. At the last inventory done a week ago, there are 170 cylinders spread in 3 labs. So in the lab I worked there are definitely more than 50 cylinders with many being explosive gases. Here I go, the first time plugging in a brand new controller in the power supply and I hear a huge BOOM, it was one deafening BIG BOOM and a very loud whistle followed it. Damn to loud. I was shit scared, not knowing what it was or what I had done by plugging in the controller that caused the big boom. After few agonizing moments, I left the room and coudnt hear anything. I was shaking like anything. It turned out that a nitrogen cylinder with a faulty valve was venting a little nitrogen. The valve if faulty so it makes a huge noise when it does so. But boy, that was scary. Being in a lab that can blow up anytime and specifically just when I plugged in the controller for the first time.
Whew! On a good note, yesterday's cricket score 20 runs with no boundaries in nearly 9 over by me. Team ending at 144 in 18 overs. We win the match by picking up regular wickets.
May 18, 2004
Coming back to make my Blog, my dear friends. Again! This time, lets see how far I can take this thing. Been a few hectic days post my exams. Unfortunately as it happens, I will probably miss my Prelim deadline. But the work will go on. My fuel processor project is in a fast flow, with the actual hardware being assembled. From behold the theory and experimentation, we actually seem to be making something. Its a little contrary offcourse. Overstepping the realm of sciences, we are now doing the work of engineers. But what the heck. Its fun!
On a personal front, cricket is back and my feet still ache from yesterday. I batted and batted and batted. Almost all 16 of the total 18 over, falling only 4 runs of the target to make it a nail biting finish. That's one thing that bugs me. I always get out without finishing the full thing. Yes, I do come very near and leave with the team just a skin away from victory, but why do I get out? I normally open, and am out with about 2 over to go and 10 or so runs to get. The team almost wins always, but there have been cases where we lost by a couple of runs. Real heartbreaking those with so much hard work gone in.
That was a sob story. To the point where I need new tyres for my car. Will put me $250 or so behind. And with gas prices crossing the $2 mark here, its a hot topic. Amrikans just love to drive and want the cheapest gas they can get. Ditch this hot topic......
....and get another! Sonia, of the Gandhi fame, refusing to the take the top chair. So much being said. I take my daily intake of news. Howz the corporates doing out there. Hey Clc, howz the crash go in your company.
I saw "Mein Hu Na", bad movie. I wont even give a synopsis here. Heard that "Troy" is nice. With two heartthrobs, Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt, its a must see for the fairer kind. So live has the following components. Work, Cricket, Cooking, Cleaning, laundry, Movies, not necessary in that order.
Now, since I haven't written anything in a long long time, please be kind on me. Even though I cant get angry on you people to comment now, I humbly request my well wishers to drop a small note here.
With a long type finally. Loeuf to all of you.
On a personal front, cricket is back and my feet still ache from yesterday. I batted and batted and batted. Almost all 16 of the total 18 over, falling only 4 runs of the target to make it a nail biting finish. That's one thing that bugs me. I always get out without finishing the full thing. Yes, I do come very near and leave with the team just a skin away from victory, but why do I get out? I normally open, and am out with about 2 over to go and 10 or so runs to get. The team almost wins always, but there have been cases where we lost by a couple of runs. Real heartbreaking those with so much hard work gone in.
That was a sob story. To the point where I need new tyres for my car. Will put me $250 or so behind. And with gas prices crossing the $2 mark here, its a hot topic. Amrikans just love to drive and want the cheapest gas they can get. Ditch this hot topic......
....and get another! Sonia, of the Gandhi fame, refusing to the take the top chair. So much being said. I take my daily intake of news. Howz the corporates doing out there. Hey Clc, howz the crash go in your company.
I saw "Mein Hu Na", bad movie. I wont even give a synopsis here. Heard that "Troy" is nice. With two heartthrobs, Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt, its a must see for the fairer kind. So live has the following components. Work, Cricket, Cooking, Cleaning, laundry, Movies, not necessary in that order.
Now, since I haven't written anything in a long long time, please be kind on me. Even though I cant get angry on you people to comment now, I humbly request my well wishers to drop a small note here.
With a long type finally. Loeuf to all of you.
