Faculty Publications
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Publications by NITK Faculty
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Item Use of Microalgae for the Development of Carbon Neutral Bio-CNG Process(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2024) Datta, P.; Bej, S.; Madav, M.; Raval, K.The comprehensive chapter focuses on the upgradation techniques and conversion of the biogas generated from the huge amount of biowaste, to methane-enriched bio-compressed natural gas (bio-CNG). The sustainable bio-fixation of the extracted CO2 by employing various algal strains for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) along with the culture conditions has been discussed. The comparative analyses highlight that the integrated biorefinery approach does not involve harmful chemicals, high energy utilization and high operating expenses. The post-treatment and consumption of biogas-separated CO2 by algae make the process carbon neutral. The potential algal strains, their CO2 utilization capacity, and subsequent formation of high algal biomass along with several significant value-added products such as biofuels, biochemicals and biofertilizers in different types of photobioreactors and other process parameters, are also elaborated. The emerging role of efficient algal species in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the climate change issue has been illustrated for making it an eco-friendly strategy. The systematic valorization of algal biomass contributes to promising resource regeneration and promotes a circular economy in the sector of bioenergy industries to sustainably fulfill the global energy demand. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.Item A comprehensive review on integrating sustainable practices and circular economy principles in concrete industry(Academic Press, 2024) Barbhuiya, S.; Das, B.B.; Adak, D.This comprehensive review explores the integration of circular economy principles into the concrete industry, emphasizing their role in enhancing sustainability and resource efficiency. It covers the fundamental concepts of circular economy and examines the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in evaluating the environmental impacts of concrete production. The review highlights innovative strategies for recycling, reuse, waste reduction, and resource optimisation, showcasing how these approaches can transform concrete production practices. It also addresses the policy considerations, economic implications, and societal impacts associated with adopting circular economy practices. Furthermore, the review investigates recent technological advancements in circular concrete production, including self-healing concrete and 3D printing. By summarizing these findings and offering practical recommendations, the review aims to support the industry in transitioning towards more sustainable practices. This detailed analysis provides valuable insights into the benefits and challenges of circular economy adoption, helping stakeholders make informed decisions for a greener concrete sector. © 2024 The AuthorsItem Analysing the constraints of circular economy models and policy challenges in waste management(Inderscience Publishers, 2024) Jena, P.R.The exponential growth in the production of goods in the last few decades has raised concerns about ecological degradation. The current design of the linear structure of the industries would create an uneven balance between natural resources and technological advances. There has been a surge of research regarding a paradigm-altering structure to industries that is known as – circular economy (CE). The CE structure aims to convert the ‘take-make-dispose’ pattern of production and consumption. However, there is less understanding regarding its specific components. This paper reviews the results of the existing studies on CE and proposes solutions. The analysis is based on three thematic areas such as challenges in implementing CE models, public policy on CE, and the limitations of CE models. The major challenges for CE models stem from a lack of precise information on the costs, benefits, and technical knowledge of the circular use of resources. © © 2024 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.Item Predictive modeling of product yields in microwave-assisted co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic with enhanced interpretability using explainable AI approaches(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Rajpurohit, N.S.; Kamani, P.K.; Lenka, M.; Sankar Rao, C.Microwave-assisted co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic offers a transformative approach to converting waste into valuable resources such as bio-oil, biochar, and biogas, while simultaneously addressing critical environmental challenges associated with plastic disposal. This research employs explainable AI methodologies to enhance the prediction and analysis of product yields in biomass-plastic co-pyrolysis. Advanced machine learning techniques, including Decision Tree, Random Forest, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Artificial Neural Networks, were utilized to model yield predictions effectively. The models were fine-tuned through hyper-parameter optimization, achieving high accuracy levels. The study emphasizes the scientific importance of integrating explainable AI with pyrolysis processes to optimize waste-to-resource recovery, contributing significantly to sustainable waste management and circular economy initiatives. Among these, the XGBoost model demonstrated superior performance, achieving R² values of 0.91 for biochar yield, 0.92 for bio-oil yield, and 0.82 for biogas yield on testing sets. To enhance model interpretability, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Partial Dependence Plots (PDPs) were utilized to assess feature importance and examine parameter influences on yield outcomes, offering valuable insights into process optimization and control. Volatile matter and fixed carbon were key predictors for biochar yield, while moisture content and pyrolysis temperature were significant for predicting bio-oil and biogas yields. This study highlights the potential of explainable AI models in advancing sustainable and efficient bio-product recovery from waste materials. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.Item Exploring the potential of cashew nut shell biochar for chlorpyrifos pesticide removal(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Pandey, P.; Kenchannavar, P.; Surenjan, A.India generates over 620 million metric tons of agricultural waste yearly. Agricultural wastes have limited economic worth and are underutilized. Agro-waste recycling into circular economy products is essential for environmental health. In small-scale cashew industries, shell waste generation is 67.5 % of the seed weight. Cashew nut shells (CNS), a residual product of the industry, are burned following the extraction of pulp and oils, resulting in negative environmental impacts. This study focuses on the application of CNS biochar for the removal of chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide. Prepared biochar was analyzed using SEM, BET, and FTIR. After adsorption, the specific surface area of biochar decreased from 111.62 m²/g to 14.00 m²/g. For an initial chlorpyrifos concentration of 15 mg/L, the highest removal efficiency of 94.2 % was obtained with a 120-minute contact time, a biochar dose of 0.5 g/L and a pH of 6. Adsorption studies demonstrated a maximum adsorption capacity of 31.34 mg/g, with results following the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating monolayer chemisorption. The findings highlight CNS biochar as a promising alternative to conventional adsorbents, offering an environmentally friendly solution for water purification. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.