A team of researchers from the Northeastern University has found a way to transform plastic waste into a source of clean energy. Their waste combustor is a result of nine months of dedicated research. The apparatus comes with two tanks, first of which, i.e. the upper tank, converts solid plastic waste into gas, while the lower one contains oxidants that react with gas to generate heat and steam. Both steam and heat are vital for the whole process.
Yiannis Levendis, the team leader and a distinguished professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, says…
The inspiration behind my research is the quest to develop clean, cost-efficient power sources in the face of dwindling fossil fuel reserves. It will also help get rid of unsightly, non-biodegradable plastic waste that cannot be recycled.
The combustor utilizes the heat generated by the apparatus for its sustenance while the steam helps in generating electric power. Therefore, with no use of fossil fuel involved, the apparatus could drive electric power plants on clean energy.
Via: PhysOrg