About Post-Harvest Machinery and Equipment Testing Centre

Image of PHME Testing Centre

Post-Harvest Machinery and Equipment (PHME) Testing Centre  at ICAR-Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana, Punjab, is authorized by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (Govt. of India). The aim of establishing PHME Testing Centres is to ensure the supply of quality agricultural machinery and equipment under Government Programs. PHME Testing Centres ICAR-Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Ludhiana, has modern precision measuring instruments, equipment for machine and material testing. In the financial year 2021-22, PHME Testing Centre, ICAR-Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Ludhiana, has issued 49 test reports.

Post-Harvest Machinery and Equipment Testing Staff

Image of Dr. Rajesh Kumar Vishwakarma

Dr. Rajesh Kumar Vishwakarma

Designation: Pr. Scientist & OIC PHMETC as Testing Authority
Qualification: Ph.D, ( Agril. Chemical Engg.)
Contact No.: +91-161-2313120
Email ID: Rajesh[dot]Vishwakarm[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in
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Image of Er. Indore Navnath Sakharam

Dr. Navnath Indore Sakharam

Designation: Scientist
Qualification: Ph.D.
Contact No.: +91-161-2313166
Email ID: navnathindore177[at]gmail[dot]com
Research Interests: AS&EM
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Image of Ms. Thongam Sunita Devi

Ms. Thongam Sunita Devi

Designation: Scientist
Qualification: M.Tech. (AS&PE)
Contact No.:
Email ID: thongam[dot]devi[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in
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Image of Dr. Ravi Prakash

Dr. Ravi Prakash

Designation: Scientist
Qualification: M. Tech. & Ph.D. (Dairy Engineering)
Contact No.:
Email ID: rdwivedi[dot]prakash[at]gmail[dot]com
Research Interests:
Cold-Chain, Energy-Storage, Nanofluids, Phase-Change-Materials
Major Research Accomplishments:
R & D:

  1. Successfully developed a Lab prototype of “Rechargeable Milk-Pail and a charging unit thereof”, at ICAR-NDRI, for chilling the fresh raw milk from the milking points in the rural areas. The unit is intended for immediate chilling and containing the fresh raw milk. The advanced features are enhanced energy storage rates, rapid milk cooling and ease of handling.
  2. Successfully developed a lab scale unit and novel methodology at ICAR-NDRI for “Fabricating low cost self-stable nano-dispersion for enhanced energy storage/exchange applications”.

Awards:
International Awards

  1. BRICS Young Innovator, First Prize, 2019, from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) co-operation Ministry, awarded in Brazil during the 4th BRICS-Young Scientist Conclave-2019 (Cash Prize : USD 25000).
  2. DST-Lockheed Martin-Tata Trusts, India Innovation Growth Program (IIGP)-Award-2019, from Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) & DST, Govt. of India (Research Grant : INR 10 Lakhs).

National Awards

  1. BIRAC-Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Award-2018, from Honorable President of India (Research Grant: INR 15 Lakhs).
  2. Winner in “Agri-India Hackathon-2021” organized by ICAR-IARI and Pusa-Krishi, Sponsored by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Govt. of India.
  3. Awardee, Biotechnology-Ignition-Grant (BIG) from BIRAC, Govt. of India, in 17th Call, 2021 (Research Grant : INR 50 Lakhs) for developing a farm-level centralized charging set-up (multi-pail system) for NePCM based milk pails.
  4. Winner-Animal Husbandry Start-up Grand Challenge 2.0; 2022, (for development of low-cost milk chilling device and data-logger) sponsored by Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India, Award presented by Honourable Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India.
  5. First Place in “Daikin Global Poster Design Competition-2019“, for the best innovation in the field of Refrigeration and Cold-Chain, Honoured by Refcold & Indian Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), India.
  6. Platinum Award Winner in KPIT-Sparkle-2021 contest, for the best innovation in “Energy & Mobility”, from Honourable Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India.

# Best Poster Awards: 02; Best Research Paper Awards: 02; Fellowships: 02; Appreciation certificate: 01.
 National level entrance exams:

  1. GATE-2013 Qualified in Engineering Sciences (AIR 271 in Engineering Sciences Stream).
  2. ICAR-National Eligibility Test (NET) Qualified in 2017 in Agricultural Process Engineering Stream for eligibility of Assistant Professorship/Lectureship.
  3. Rank 21, in AIEEA-PG (Dairy Engineering/Technology), 2014 conducted by ICAR.
  4. Rank 1, in All India level PhD Entrance Examination conducted by ICAR-NDRI in 2016.

 Recognitions:

  1. Interviewed by All India Radio for an Episode “Parikrama” broadcasted on 23rd Nov, 2019 at 16.30-17.00.
  2. Invited Talk in District Development Managers’ Meet at NABARD, Bangalore on 14th Jan,
  3. Invited as a Speaker in 9th National Seminar on “Entrepreneurship in Dairy & Food Industry: Concept to Commercialization” organized by NDRI-Graduates Association & ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal on 14-15 Sep, 2018 at ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal.
  4. Invited as a Lead Speaker in 47th Dairy Industry National Conference, Feb 7-9, 2019, Patna, Bihar, organized by Indian Dairy Association.
  5. Invited as a Speaker in 4th Convention and Alumni Association, College of Dairy Technology, Warud (Pusad), Yavatmal, Maharastra, 14-15 Dec, 2019, India.
  6. Invited for a motivational talk for ICAR-NDRI students on “Science, Spirituality & Mind Management, May 20, 2022, presided by Director, ICAR-NDRI, at Dr. D. Sundaresan Auditorium, NDRI, Karnal.

Training:

  1. Short term course on “Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis”, July-Sep, 2018, at Niharika Institute of Computational Engineering, Bangalore.
  2. Hands on Training on “Nanofabrication Technologies”, under INUP program of MeitY, Govt. of India, 12-22 Feb, 2019, at CeNSE, IISc, Bangalore.
  3. “Design Thinking and IP Workshop: IPR Filing and Prosecution”, 4-7 Aug, 2020, at IIT, Bombay.
  4. “SINE-Start-up Training to Achieve Right Target”, 4 weeks training program for early-stage-innovators, 6th Oct-11th Nov, 2021, organized by SINE-Incubator, IIT-Bombay.

Patents, Technology, Methodology, Genetic Stock, Variety, etc.:

  1. Ravi Prakash, Manjunatha, +7. (2018) Design and development of nanofluid based extended surface module for milk cooling, Indian Pat. # 201811021472. Status: FER defended, Grant Awaited.
  2. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra. (2020) A pail for cooling milk simultaneous to milking. Indian Pat. # 202011033807. Status: FER defended, Grant Awaited.
  3. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra, Devaraja Hosapalya Chikkathimmaiah. (2021) Self-Stable Metal Ion Based Nano-dispersion for Thermal Energy Storage and Exchange and the Method of Preparation Thereof. Indian Pat. # 202111026625. Status: Filed, Published, Examination under process.

Publications:
List of Research Publications (02)

  1. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra, Heartwin Amaladhas Pushpadass, Muniandy Sivaram, S Jeyakumar, K Jayaraj Rao (2022). Milk chilling using nanoparticle enhanced phase change material capsuled inside a jacketed cylindrical module: A numerical and experimental study. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, Volume 81, 103112. (Impact Factor 7.104; NAAS Score: 13.10). 
  1. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra (2023). Cold thermal energy storage for milk chilling: A numerical and experimental study. Journal of Food Engineering, Volume 337, 111223. (Impact Factor 6.203; NAAS Score: 12.20). 

# Review Papers: 6; Full Length Conference Papers: 8; Abstracts: 13. 
Book Chapters (03) 

  1. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra and M. Manjunatha, Enhanced Heat Transfer with Nano-Fluid Media: Principles, Methods, and Applications in the Dairy Industry, Nanotechnology Applications in Dairy Science Packaging, Processing, and Preservation, CRC, Apple Academic Press, FL, USA, Vol 26. ISBN: 9780429425370.
  2. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra, Energy Storage using Phase Change Materials: Principles, Methods, Numerical Simulations, and Applications in Food Processing. Handbook of Research on Food Processing and Preservation Technologies. Ed.1. CRC, Apple Academic Press, FL, USA, Vol 3: 12-32, ISBN: 9781003184591.
  3. Ravi Prakash, Menon Rekha Ravindra, Robotic Engineering: A Tool for Quality and Safety of Foods. Handbook of Research on Food Processing and Preservation Technologies. Ed.1., CRC, Apple Academic Press, FL, USA, Vol 5: 11-21, ISBN: 9781003184720.
Image of Dr. Shrikrishna Shrinivas Nishani

Dr. Shrikrishna Shrinivas Nishani

Designation: Scientist
Qualification: Ph.D.
Contact No.:
Email ID: shrikrishna[dot]nishani[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in
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Image of Sh. Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon

Sh. Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon

Designation: Technical Assistant
Qualification: M.E. Mechanical Engineering
Contact No.: +91-161-2313185
Email ID: sukhwinder[dot]sekhon[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in
Research Interests: Manufacturing Technology
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