Current Affairs 24th February 2018

Current Affairs 24th February 2018 - Imprtant Points

• First super critical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) Brayton Test Loop facility developed by- IISc scientists
• First sale of electoral bonds from - 1st March 2018

Current Affairs 24th February 2018 - Details

First super critical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) Brayton Test Loop facility developed by- IISc scientists

Scientists from IIS in Bengaluru India have  recently established country’s 1st super critical carbon dioxide S-CO2 Brayton Test Loop capability. The capability was initiated at the IISc campus. It is 1st test loop technology joined with solar heat source in world that will produce clean energy from power plants, containing solar thermal.
Key Points

• The capability is part of Indo-US association- Solar Energy Research Institute for India and SERIIUS from USA.
• It was produced by scientists group at inter-disciplinary centre for energy research of Indian  Institute of Science as part of association.
• Department of Science and Technology issued the finance under Indo-US Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre initiative.
• This capability utilises supercritical CO2 inspite of steam to produce more power. Supercritical subjects to state of CO2 more than its critical temperature of 31 C and critical-pressure of 73 atmospheres, which makes it double dense as steam. S-CO2 worked in closed loop Brayton cycle rises efficiency of energy conversion by approximately 50 percent or more.
  Importance
• This next-generation, effective, dense, waterless super critical CO2 Brayton cycle test loop for energy production will be helpful for completing energy requirements of the nation.
• It has latent to replace steam-based nuclear and thermal power stations, therefore, reducing the carbon foot-print meaningfully.
• Apart from this, the fresh technology will make power stations inexpensive with decreased operating costs.

First sale of electoral bonds from - 1st March 2018

The 1st sale of electoral bonds will begin from March 1st, 2018 for time period of ten days at 4 chief branches of SBI in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Chennai. These bonds will have a lifespan of fifteen days, and residents of India or an entity recognized in the nation can buy them.
Electoral bonds

• The electoral bonds plan was declared in Union Budget 2017 with an objective for risinig clarity in
  political finance.
• It enables India 1st nation in the world to have such kind of exceptional bonds for electoral capital.
• These bonds are carrier instrument in nature of promissory note and free of interest banking tool.
• It goals at eliminating present system of mainly unidentified cash donations done to political parties which results into production of black money in the economy.
  Important Points
• These electoral bonds can be purchased for any value in multiples of Rupees 1,000, Rupees 10,000 Rupees 1 lakh, Rupees 10 lakh or Rupees one crore after completing all present KYC standards and completing payments from bank account. It will not transmit name of payee.
• The bond placed by any qualified political party to its account shall be credited on the similar day.
• No payment shall be done to any payee political party if bond is placed after expiry of validity term.
• State Bank of India has been permitted to release and encash these bonds startlingly at its 4 authorised branches.
• Only listed political parties, that have got not less than 1 percent of votes polled in past election of
• Lok Sabha or legislative assembly of state, will be entitled to receive electoral bonds.