Different ways to convert plastic into fuel
Pyrolysis
- Pyrolysis is the thermal degradation of plastic waste at different temperatures (300–900°C), in the absence of oxygen, to produced liquid oil.
Hydrothermal Processing
- This process places polypropylene in a reactor filled with water, heating it to extremely high temperatures – ranging from 380-500 degrees Celsius. At this high heat and pressure, water breaks down the plastic and converts it into oil.
- Most plastics are originally made from oil, so this process brings them back to their original form.
Pilot Scale Mobile Plant
- The plant converts various types of plastic waste into carbon-densified HC-Oil (Hydrocarbon Oil) through a low-stringent process named ICT-Poly Urja.
ICT-Poly Urja Process
- A special substance called Cu@TiO2 catalyst is added to the plastic waste. This catalyst helps break down the plastic into smaller molecules.
- The mixture of plastic waste and catalyst is heated up under moderate conditions. This means it doesn’t require extremely high temperatures.
- As the plastic waste is heated, it undergoes a chemical transformation called Catalytic Thermo Liquefaction (CTL). This process converts the plastic waste into a substance called Hydrocarbon Oil (HC-Oil).
What is space debris/junk?
Space junk, or space debris, is any piece of machinery or debris left by humans in space.
It can refer to big objects such as dead satellites that have failed or been left in orbit at the end of their mission. It can also refer to smaller things, like bits of debris or paint flecks that have fallen off a rocket.
- While there are about 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth at the moment, there are also 3,000 dead ones littering space.
- There are around 34,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10 cm in size and millions of smaller pieces.
Kessler Syndrome
Donald Kessler, in 1978, said that if there was too much space junk in orbit, it could result in a chain reaction where more and more objects collide and create new space junk in the process, to the point where Earth’s orbit became unusable.
National Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS)
- It is a joint study by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
- Aim of the survey: To evaluate the innovation performance of manufacturing firms in India.
- It had two specific components:
- Firm-level survey: It captured data related to types of innovations and innovative measures taken by firms, including the process of innovation, access to finance, resources, and information for innovation etc.
- Sectorial System of Innovation (SSI) survey: It mapped the manufacturing innovation system and its enabling role in achieving innovations in firms.
- The SSI study measured the convergence or divergence of current policy instruments in select five key manufacturing sectors important to the Indian economy – textiles; food & beverage; automotive; pharma; and ICT.
- The first National Innovation Survey was held in 2011.