JNARDDC Nagpur develops PAC from aluminium dross for zero waste
   Date :20-Feb-2023

JNARDDC  
 
 
 
By Kaushik Bhattacharya
Taking a step forward to achieve zero waste in aluminium production sector, Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur has developed Poly Aluminium Chloride (PAC) from aluminium dross.
PAC is a chemical, which can be utilised for the treatment of waste water in water treatment plants. JNARDDC has developed a technology in which the dross, which is a hazardous waste of the aluminium industry, can be now reused to make PAC from it. “Aluminium dross is process reject designated as waste and one of the least exciting and unattractive aspects of the aluminium manufacturing process. Dross should be seen as an opportunity and a valuable resource that can be exploited if managed correctly within the primary industry and secondary dross processor’s end,” Dr Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC told ‘The Hitavada’. “JNARDDC has successfully completed a bench scale study to extract PAC from dross. With this process, we can reuse the hazardous waste into an essential chemical, which is required in the water treatment industry,” said Dr Agnihotri.
Dr Agnihotri said that, a zero waste management policy in line with zero discharge to encourage the utilisation of various waste and improve sustainability in the Aluminium sector, is the current agenda item of the Ministry of Mines under circular economy. It is estimated that as much as 50 per cent of around three million tonnes of aluminium dross generated globally and approximately 2 lakh ton from India each year is still disposed of in landfills.
“The smelting process in the primary aluminium industry generates around 2% to 5% of dross, which is a complete waste. Similarly, in the secondary processing industry, it increases by 5% to 10%, which is again disposed off in landfills,” said Dr Upendra Singh, Senior Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator of the project.
“So far, we are getting the PAC for the water treatment industry from bauxite, which is an expensive way to get it. JNARDDC is the first institute in the country that got success in extracting PAC from dross. This technology will help to reuse the aluminium waste into a useful chemical, which is the need of the hour in the current scenario,” said Dr Singh.
JNARDDC recently conducted a one-day showcase programme to demonstrate the process to the stakeholders so that the commercial level upscaling can be explored by primary and secondary dross producers. Several industry personnel from primary aluminium producers, secondary dross processors and PAC manufacturers attended the programme. Secondary processors are showing interest in the process and are keen to take up the know-how of the PAC process.