Coimbatore: Erode-based Kongu Engineering College has bagged a Union government grant of Rs.1 billion to conduct research into waste management technologies.
The college has proposed using hydrothermal liquefaction to convert waste plastic into fuel and charcoal. It presented the proposal entitled “Design and Development of a Continuous High Pressure Screw Reactor for Alkali-Catalyzed Hydrothermal Co-Liquefaction of Plastic Waste in Lignocellulosic Biomass” to the Technology Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology last November.
“As part of the project, we would convert plastic waste into fuel and coal using hydrothermal liquefaction. The carbon would be converted into carbon electrodes that could be used in a variety of things, including batteries. The research is carried out with the help of industries that supply us with plastic waste and provide analytical support, ”said Professor and Department Head of Food Technology V Chitra Devi. “In contrast to other processes, one of the main advantages of the process is that materials with a moisture content can also be fed in, so we don’t need to pretreat waste to remove moisture. In addition to plastic waste, we would also feed agricultural waste. “
“The three-year project would come in handy as we look to alternative sources of energy and dispose of plastic waste due to rising fuel prices,” she added.
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