SREC professor finds new way to recycle aluminum scrap

Coimbatore: Dr C. Bhagyanathan, professor of Mechanical Engineering at Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College (SREC) reported that the existing technology to recycle aluminum scrap into graded quality aluminum ingots in batches not only involves the deployment of huge manual laborers for sorting of the scraps but also requires exclusive high capacity furnace for producing the graded ingots at huge investment. 

In this backdrop, he has created an innovation that can successfully recycle aluminum scrap which can be used in production of ingots and which boast of superior metallurgical properties. The recycling technique developed by the city-based professor involves adding of chromium, zinc, boron, manganese and strontium to aluminum, that enhance the metal properties. 

The innovation was presented by the professor as a project titled 'Technology System Development of recycling of aluminum alloys for Industrial Applications'. "The project is sanctioned through Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) programme under Technologies Development and Transfer Division (TDTD) programme to the tune of '118 Lakh. While Dr C. Bhagyanathan is principal investigator of the project, Dr P. Karuppuswamy vice-principal of SREC and Dr M. Ravi, senior principal scientist CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram are other investigators of the project." Dr N. R. Alamelu principal, SREC said. 

The new technology supports the MSMEs to recycle scraps in batches with their existing facilities economically at higher efficiencies and reduced pollutants. Dr N. R. Alamelu recently signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to transfer the developed technology to MSMEs in the presence of Padmashri G. D. Yadhav, chairman of Waste Management Technologies programme of DST and Dr Krishna Kanth Pulicherla, coordinator of advanced manufacturing technology and waste management technology programme.