Indian Scientists develop a new cost-effective aluminium scrap recycling technology, inspired by ‘Make in India’ initiative

According to a recent report, a team of scientists in India has developed a new cost-effective and efficient aluminium scrap recycling technology that reduces material losses in the process. This new technology can be used by tiny & cottage industries, small-scale industries, MSME aluminium foundries, and also recycling industries.

The new technology is developed by Dr C. Bhagyanathan and Dr P. Karuppuswamy, Associate Professor and Professor from Sri Ramkarishna Engineering College, Coimbatore, along with Dr M. Ravi, Sr. Principal Scientist from CSIR-NIIST Trivandrum, inspired by the Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST). The technology combines value added/ non-value added and hazardous/ non-hazardous wastes, aluminium alloys and assorted scraps for industrial applications and recycle them efficiently.

Conventional aluminium recycling techniques require high investment and generate hazardous residues in form of ferrous, tin, lead, etc. But this new technology improves the purity and quality of recycled aluminium melt, equipped with advanced Aluminium Melting and Holding Furnaces, a degassing unit, filtering setup, an industrial washing machine, and Oven.

While conversion rate in existing conventional technologies is 54 per cent, the new technology has increased it by 70 to 80 per cent depending on various cases of scraps dealt with.

Currently, the technology is in the 7th stage of Technology Readiness Level (TRL).  Dr. C. Bhagyanathan’s team is further working on another aluminium recycling process that will suit medium and large-scale industries.