Prof. Veena Sahajwalla
Director, Sustainable Materials Research & Technology, UNSW Sydney, Australia
Professor Veena Sahajwalla is the Director, Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology at University of New South Wales and has received global accolades for her work on Polymer Injection Technology for utilizing used tyres to produce steel in Electric Arc Furnace substituting Coking Coal in the process.
Topic 1: Use of waste rubber to reduce coke dependence in steelmaking
Abstract: The conceptual and scientific breakthroughs that underpin ‘green steel’ have paved the way for an unparalleled portfolio of new ‘waste to value’ science, built over years of research at the Smart Centre, with valuable contributions from industry partners. The internationally commercialized EAF ‘green’ steelmaking process is utilizing millions of waste tyres otherwise destined for landfill as a partial replacement for coke. The high temperature environment in steelmaking is leveraged to revolutionize the role of steelmakers to play in globally significant in large scale recycling of rubber tyre. This innovation offers an excellent opportunity to improve efficiency while positively impacting the environment through energy savings and the transformation of waste tyre.
Topic 2: Alternative Way To Make Ferro Silicon
Abstract: This innovative approach has the potential to transform end-of-life automotive waste, like glass, plastics, and oxidized metal into value-added materials− a valuable (Si, C, Fe) resource for green manufacturing of ferrosilicon. The process involves the novel technique of using high temperature processing of a mixture of the components of the waste to reform into green materials including ferrosilicon and silicon carbide. Therefore, our world first discoveries have created a new resource from automotive waste; which is currently disposed off in landfill. This research won ‘Sydney Engineers Excellence Award’ in 2014 for both Research and Development Excellent Award and President’s Award categories.