By combining rice husks, shredded plastic waste with dolomite limestone powder, two students from the Mekong Delta have created a fuel pellet that burns better and produces more energy than coal.
Tin (left) and Phuc – students of Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt High School for the Gifted (Rạch Giá City, Kiên Giang) have researched and transformed plastic waste into environmentally friendly fuel pellets, winning first place in the Provincial Scientific and Technological Competition for the 2023-2024 school year – (PHOTO: CHÍ CÔNG)
Concerned about plastic waste polluting the marine environment, two students from Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt High School for the Gifted (Rạch Giá City, Kiên Giang) have diligently researched and combined rice husks and shredded plastic waste with dolomite limestone powder to create eco-friendly fuel pellets.
The two students are Trương Thành Phúc, an 11th-grade physics student, and Hoàng Đức Tín, a 10th-grade chemistry student at Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt High School.
Phúc shared that in April 2023, he and Tín began their research, reading both domestic and international literature to guide their work.
To successfully produce these eco-friendly fuel pellets, they faced numerous challenges and setbacks, particularly in finding the right catalyst for combustion, which turned out to be rice husks.
“Balancing schoolwork, Tín and I managed to go to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in Hanoi to conduct our experiments. I utilized almost all my time to research and find the optimal formula for creating these fuel pellets,” Phúc said.
The fuel pellets created by Phúc and Tín are made by combining rice husks, shredded plastic waste with dolomite limestone powder, burning efficiently, and producing more heat than coal – (Photo: CHÍ CÔNG).
Initially, during their experiments, Phúc found that the most effective fuel pellet sample consisted of 70% rice husks and 30% plastic. However, their goal was to efficiently process plastic waste along the coast of Kiên Giang, leading them to avoid samples with high rice husk content.
Subsequently, Phúc decided to add several other catalytic combustion aids and sought prominent additives in Kiên Giang such as kaolin, limestone, and dolomite limestone powder.
“Among these three materials, we chose dolomite limestone powder because it reduces potassium and chlorine emissions found in fly ash. From there, we successfully produced pellets with a composition of 62.5% plastic, 20.8% rice husks, and 10.7% dolomite.”
“When the burner operates at high temperatures, we observed that the fuel pellets burn quickly, releasing heat better than coal and reducing the residue problem often seen with burning rice husks, making it highly suitable for industrial production,” Phúc added.
Cleaning the Environment While Opening Up Startup Opportunities According to Mr. Nguyễn Danh Ngôn – the project advisor at Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt High School for the Gifted, throughout their research, the two students worked very seriously. Although they faced failures along the way, with encouragement from their teachers, they overcame difficulties and successfully created the fuel pellets, winning first place in the Provincial Scientific and Technological Competition for the 2023-2024 school year. Ms. Lâm Ngọc Ny – Vice Principal of Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt High School (Rạch Giá City) – stated that the school administration always supports Phúc and Tín in participating in scientific and technological competitions and collaborates with research institutes to help them deepen their understanding and successfully implement their project. “Phúc and Tín’s project not only contributes to spreading the message of environmental cleanliness but also opens up sustainable startup opportunities by transforming coastal waste into high-value fuel pellets, gradually replacing other depleting fuel sources and increasing income for farmers by utilizing rice husks, thereby stabilizing family livelihoods,” Ms. Ny said. |
