THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Thomas Alva Edison was no engineer, yet has so many inventions to his name,” says city-based lawyer Shanavas Sainulabdeen, who has always been passionate about inventing things. And his passion got him a patent for a device which has the ability to generate the heat upto 700 degree celsius using solar energy.
Shanavas, who began carrying out experiments a few years back, has made three prototypes so far. The first prototype was built in the shape of a gas stove and was initially used for cooking purposes. The latest model of the solar powered thermal device disintegrates 5 kg of poultry waste.
Shanavas says, “I have used GI sheets as the base. Staineless steel can also be used. A chimney has been attached to filter out any resultant smoke. Once you power the device, it just requires 5 to 10 minutes to generate 700 degree celsius of heat. Once the base turns red hot, you can feed the waste which catches fire and slowly disintegrates into powder form. The fire is contained and also the smoke generated is very less.”
According to the lawyer, the device works both on solar batteries as well as electricity. He adds, “When there is no sun, the device can be run on electricity. While an average induction cooker uses up 2,000 watts or 2 units of electricity per hour to generate heat, the solar device, when used for cooking purpose, is more energy efficient and profitable.”
Shanavas says a mechanism has been set in place to deal with any kind of foul smell and even the stubborn waste-like plastic can be disintegrated. He says, “Rather than vapourising plastic which is toxic for the environment, it can be liquified by exposing it to a temperature of 150 to 200 degree celsius inside the incinerator. The molten plastic can be then used to make containers.” For Shanavas, the experiments were a result of a light bulb moment he had during one of his travels. He says, “During a Goa-Bangalore trip, I came across a hilly area where the sky almost seemed to touch the ground. Suddenly, a lighting spark struck and this started a thought process.”
It was not a easy journey. He had to face many obstacles during the initial days. He adds, “At first, I was not able to control the temperature, due to problems with the heat regulating device. There were times when the components would disintegrate or melt.”
Tasting success, he intends to use the model as a solution for waste disposal. Shanavas wants to approach the government for the same, if possible. He adds, “Garbage disposal has always been a major problem here. Normally, once the temperature crosses a particular point, it becomes very difficult to control it. However, there is no risk of such a problem occurring here, This makes it a perfect solution for waste disposal. I am thinking of approaching the corporation for a similar project, at some point of time. One of the main obstacles is the huge investment for the same.”