Scientists from IIT Madras have developed a solar powered system to convert non-recyclable plastic into fuel that can substitute diesel used in generators, furnaces and engines.
The technology - which consists of a mobile unit that can collect and process waste - currently yields around 0.7 liters of fuel oil per kilo gram of plastic, researchers said.
"India produces approximately 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste in a day. Centralized systems for plastic waste management cannot work to effectively deal with this much plastic waste on a daily basis, said Ramya Selvaraj, a research student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Tamil Nadu.
"We thought that if the plastic can't come to the industry, let the industry come to the plastic," Selvaraj said.
The team showcased its project on the occasion of the World Environment Day, hosted by the United Nations (UN) in New Delhi.
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day was "Beat Plastic Pollution".
The conversion of plastic to fuel involves a process called pyrolysis - a thermochemical treatment that exposes the material to high temperature in the absence of oxygen, leading it to go through physical and chemical changes.
This creates a low-density fuel oil by breaking down the polymer chain of plastic at the temperature of 350- 500 degrees Celsius. This oil can be used as a substitute for diesel to power generators, furnaces and engines.
Scientists from IIT Madras have developed a solar powered system to convert non-recyclable plastic into fuel that can substitute diesel used in generators, furnaces and engines.
The technology - which consists of a mobile unit that can collect and process waste - currently yields around 0.7 liters of fuel oil per kilo gram of plastic, researchers said.
"India produces approximately 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste in a day. Centralized systems for plastic waste management cannot work to effectively deal with this much plastic waste on a daily basis, said Ramya Selvaraj, a research student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Tamil Nadu.
"We thought that if the plastic can't come to the industry, let the industry come to the plastic," Selvaraj said.
The team showcased its project on the occasion of the World Environment Day, hosted by the United Nations (UN) in New Delhi.
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day was "Beat Plastic Pollution".
The conversion of plastic to fuel involves a process called pyrolysis - a thermochemical treatment that exposes the material to high temperature in the absence of oxygen, leading it to go through physical and chemical changes.
This creates a low-density fuel oil by breaking down the polymer chain of plastic at the temperature of 350- 500 degrees Celsius. This oil can be used as a substitute for diesel to power generators, furnaces and engines.
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