Diesel automobiles are a common alternative for these trying to purchase a used car in Asia, Europe, and elsewhere. In any case, diesel automobiles value much less to keep up, burn much less gasoline, and have an extended engine life. Though the pollutant emissions of a diesel engine are lower than these of a gasoline one, it nonetheless emits carcinogens, nitrous oxides, and soot. Older fashions don’t even have the emission-control options that newer ones do.
To cut back emissions, diesel automobiles use filters that catch exhaust particles and different contaminants. The filters can value hundreds of {dollars} to switch, nevertheless, as a result of they’re made with valuable metals.
Trying to make substitute filters extra environmentally pleasant and reasonably priced, a group of engineering college students from the Bangladesh College of Engineering and Know-how, in Dhaka, designed a carbon-based model with bamboo. The Inexperienced Warriors concept received the US $300 prize for greatest influence within the IEEE Girls in Engineering Massive Thought Pitch competitors. The competition’s objective is to encourage feminine engineering college students and researchers to develop into extra entrepreneurial as a approach to increase the variety of technical startups led by girls.
“We discovered that previous diesel automobiles are a big contributor to CO₂ emissions, and we needed to do one thing about that,” group chief Tasmiah Afrin stated in an e mail interview.
“Our groundbreaking activated-carbon-based filter represents a big leap ahead in environmental and financial effectivity,” {the electrical} engineering pupil added. “The filters can quickly and successfully seize carbon-based gases from car emissions, contributing to speedy enhancements in air high quality and diminished carbon emissions.”
A carbon-based particulate filter
Diesel engines produce extra polluting particulate matter than fuel engines. As a result of the particles are so small, they’ll go simply by way of a catalytic converter, which is designed to scale back a car’s poisonous emissions. Diesel particulate filters subsequently are put in within the exhaust system, usually on the exit of the catalytic converter. The most well-liked sort forces the exhaust by way of a ceramic honeycomb construction coated with a skinny layer containing a valuable metallic similar to platinum, palladium, or rhodium.
“Our venture,” Afrin says, “relies on a modified air filter for incoming air into the catalytic converter.”
The Inexperienced Warriors’ prototype filter is produced from bamboo and makes use of carbon granules to additional cut back emissions.
Activated carbon granules in an absorption chamber and metallic mesh type the filters, Afrin says. Gases go by way of both double or a number of chambers. Their prototype is extra aerodynamic and light-weight than present designs used for carbon filters, Afrin says.
“These filters provide a outstanding 5 to 7 p.c value effectivity enchancment in comparison with present filters, making them a less expensive answer for carbon seize in car exhaust methods,” she says. “Not solely are they cost-efficient, however additionally they boast a formidable absorption pace. This implies the filters can quickly and successfully seize carbon-based greenhouse gases from car emissions, contribute to speedy enhancements in air high quality and cut back carbon emissions.”
She says she believes the group’s diesel particulate filter would value lower than a present filter, which due to its precious-metal content material can value just a few thousand U.S. {dollars}.
A system for changing filters
The filters are only one a part of the group’s imaginative and prescient for decreasing auto emissions. The scholars’ pitch additionally included a transport-management system they’d construct referred to as CarGreenTech and its accompanying smartphone app. Utilizing the app, homeowners of older diesel automobiles might buy the substitute filter or prepare for one to be put in. An alternative choice can be for CarGreenTech to purchase the older automotive, outfit it with a brand new filter, and resell the car. The objective is to increase the life of those older automobiles, Afrin says.
“CarGreenTech is a platform to make present automobiles extra climate-positive—which gives an all-in-one answer,” Afrin says. “It captures carbon from the diesel engine exhaust by using layered energetic carbon filters, upcycling older automotive elements by way of a automotive shopping for/promoting/upgrading business-to-business and business-to-consumer answer.” A motivator for student-led startups
The group additionally consists of Ishman Tasnim, Fahmida Sultana Naznin, and Nusrat Subah Shakhawat. Tasnim is finding out industrial and manufacturing engineering, and Naznin is pursuing a level in laptop science and engineering. Shakhawat lately graduated from the college with a level in electrical engineering.
The group’s mentor was IEEE Member Toufiqur Rahman Shuvo, a lecturer on the college.
The scholars are all members of the IEEE pupil department on the Bangladesh College of Engineering and Know-how.
“IEEE WIE has an amazing influence on giving motivation to pupil startups like us,” Afrin says. “Getting into the IEEE WIE pitch competitors was one among our greatest choices. We had been enormously motivated by the judges and getting an award for our work.”
The IEEE WIE competitors was sponsored by the IEEE Life Members Committee and Sensible WTI, a supplier of IoT/synthetic water administration options. The corporate helps initiatives that purpose to contribute to a greener, extra sustainable future.