Abstract :

GUEST LECTURE DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING Title: INSECT INSPIRATION FROM THE BOMBARDIER BEETLE Speaker: Prof. Andy McIntosh Emeritus Professor, University of Leeds Date & Time 22nd November 2012, 2.00 PM Venue: Aerospace Engineering Class Room 1 Abstract : Insect Inspiration from the Bombardier Beetle The innocuous looking bombardier beetle is one of the most remarkable creatures around. This tiny insect is able to fight off any spider, frog, ant or bird that comes too close by blasting the attacker with a powerful jet of hot, toxic fluid. Furthermore, the beetle can aim its weapon in any direction (even over its head) with pinpoint accuracy, and can reach distances of up to 20 cm with its spray. The bombardier beetle, which is rare in Europe but common in Africa, Asia and warmer parts of the US, forms ats noxious spray by reacting small amounts of hydroquinone with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of the catalysts catalase and peroxidase in a pair of combustion chambers in its abdomen. This exothermic reaction produces a toxic solution of benzoquinone, other chemicals and water, and heats the solution (which is mainly water) to above its boiling point. Although some details of the chemical process have been known for years, until recently scientists did not understand how the beetle managed to eject this solution so powerfully. The answer to this puzzle, has led to building an experimental rig mimicking the major physics of the beetle ejection system and that knowledge could revolutionize industrial spray technology. The technology has led to much interest from industry in using the remarkable spray system for fuel injectors, pharmaceutical drug delivery systems such as nebulisers and also fire extinguishers Bio – Professor Andy C. McIntosh Professor Andy McIntosh (Univ. of Leeds, UK) holds an emeritus chair in Thermodynamics and Combustion Theory, and has lectured and researched in these fields for over 20 years. He has a PhD in combustion theory from the aerodynamics department of what was then Cranfield Institute of Technology (now Cranfield University ), a DSc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Wales and worked for a number of years at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, the Institute of Energy , the Institute of Physics and the Royal Aeronautical Society. A chartered mathematician and engineer. author of over 180 papers and articles, his research has been in combustion in fluids and solids. His work has also included investigations into the fundamental link between thermodynamics and information, and in the last few years he has been involved in research in the area of bio mimetics where the minute combustion chamber of the bombardier beetle has inspired a patented novel spray technology with applications to fuel injectors, pharmaceutical sprays, fire extinguishers and aerosols. This research was awarded the 2010 Times Higher Educational award for the Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology. Organized by: Prof. S. R. Chakravarthy ALL ARE WELCOME