29 Apr 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

April 29th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. A simple and fast solution to the Oxygen crisis
2. MACS 1407

1. A simple and fast solution to the Oxygen crisis

Context:

IIT Bombay shows how to solve the prevailing Oxygen shortage by converting Nitrogen Generator into Oxygen Generator.

Details:

• A pilot project of IIT-Bombay which converts a PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) Nitrogen Unit to a PSA Oxygen Unit has been tested successfully.
• Oxygen production could be achieved at 3.5 atm pressure, with a purity level of 93% – 96 %.
• This gaseous oxygen can be utilised for COVID-related needs across existing hospitals and upcoming COVID-19 specific facilities by providing a continuous supply of oxygen.
• How is the nitrogen unit being converted into an oxygen unit?
  • It has been done by fine-tuning the existing Nitrogen Plant setup and changing the molecular sieves from Carbon to Zeolite.
• The pilot project is a collaborative effort between IIT Bombay, Tata Consulting Engineers and Spantech Engineers, Mumbai, who deal with PSA Nitrogen & Oxygen plant production.

Pressure Swing Adsorption:

• Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is a technology used to separate some gas species from a mixture of gases under pressure.
• PSA operates at near-ambient temperatures (temperature relating to the immediate surroundings) and differs significantly from cryogenic distillation techniques of gas separation.
• Cryogenic separation is a commercial process that takes place at very low temperature.

2. MACS 1407

Context:

New variety of soybean developed.

About MACS 1407:

• Indian Scientists have developed a high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean.
• This newly developed variety called MACS 1407 is suitable for cultivation in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and North-Eastern states.
• Its seeds will be made available to farmers for sowing during the 2022 Kharif season.
• The new variety has been developed by scientists from MACS – Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.
• The variety was developed using the conventional cross breeding technique.
• MACS 1407 gives 39 quintals per hectare making it a high yielding variety and is also resistant to major insect-pests like girdle beetle, leaf miner, leaf roller, stem fly, aphids, white fly and defoliators.
• Its thick stem, higher pod insertion (7 cm) from ground, and resistance to pod shattering make it suitable even for mechanical harvesting.
• It is suitable for rain-fed conditions of north-east India.
• Its seeds have 19.81 % oil content, 41 % protein content and show good germinability.
• This high yielding, pest resistant, low water and fertiliser requiring soybean variety, suitable for mechanical harvesting has recently been released by the Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties of Agricultural Crops under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare making it legally available for seed production and cultivation.

Read previous PIB here.

April 29th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here