Waste to Fuel Initiative
Waste to Fuel Initiative

Waste to Fuel
BRICS Waste to Fuel is a research collaboration working the development of platinum-based catalysts for modular reforming, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and fuel cell applications.
The collaboration includes researchers from the Catalysis Institute, Cape Town (South Africa), the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun (India) and the Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, Campinas (Brazil).
BRICS Waste to Fuel was nominated for a
IChemE Global Award in the Energy Category in 2020
Research Areas

Process modelling
Rework well-developed, robust technology in a way that decreases complexity and cost and allows for modular, off-grid applications.

Catalyst development
Developing catalysts that have favorable activity, selectivity and stability for each of the catalytic processes within the decentralized diesel process.
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Projects
Modelling and evaluation of a single pass reactor configuration for a Fischer-Tropsch biogas-to-distillate process

Modelling and evaluation of a single pass reactor configuration for a Fischer-Tropsch biogas-to-distillate process


Design of a single pass waste-to-liquid plant for remote fuel production.


Thermal annealing of Au/Ag modified Pt nanowires: influence of reactive gases on segregation behavior

Steam reforming of glycerol for syngas production using Pt-Ni nano particles

Thermodynamics of a lognormal distribution of cobalt crystalliites

Deactivation mechanisms in a Pt-Co/Al2O3 Fischer-Tropsch catalyst operated at high conversion

Manganese as a promoter for cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalysts operated at high conversion

Activity and selectivity of Pt-Co/Al2O3 operating at high conversion

Platinum promoted cobalt supported on metal-organic framework

The effect of platinum deposition order on the active surface of Pt-Co/SiO2 for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Methane tri-reforming over bimetallic Pt catalysts
Zinc aluminate as a novel support for high conversion Fischer-Tropsch
BRICS Team
Scientific group leading the project

Eric van Steen
South African Reaction Engineering Research Chair

Ankur Bordoloi
Senior Scientist CSIR Indian Institute of Petroleum

Chelsea Tucker
Waste to Fuel Initiative Research Coordinator

Dean H. Barrett
Joint Researcher at University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and National Centre for Energy and Materials research (Brazil)

Cristiane Barbieri Rodella
Leader of the XPD Group at Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory
BRICS Researchers

Jyoti Ghatori
Aqueous Fischer-Tropsch

Sweta Kotnala
Glycerol reforming

Lovjeet Singh
Catalysts characterization and testing

Gerard Letaba
Catalyst synthesis

Avela Kunene
Catalyst testing
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Thobani Gambu
Fuel cell and computational catalysts

Sandeeran Govender
Fischer-Tropsch

Tracey Van Heerden
Computational catalysis
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Vuyisile Mahlaba
Reforming catalysis

Silethukuthula Mathe
Manganese promoted cobalt catalysts