IIT Bombay’s ‘Surya Shakti’
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay – IITBombay has unveiled an innovative solar-thermal technology, ‘Surya Shakti,’ at the IInvenTive 2024. Developed by ShubhamTiwari, SandipSaha, and ChandramouliSubramaniam, this innovation promises to revolutionize sustainable heating solutions, addressing a critical global challenge of greenhouse gas emissions from conventional heating methods.
The world currently relies heavily on non-renewable resources like wood, coal, petrol, diesel, and other hydrocarbons for heating, contributing to approximately 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions. ‘Surya Shakti’ emerges as a sustainable alternative, harnessing solar energy to generate heat with remarkable efficiency. While existing solar-thermal conversion materials and technologies offer only 60-70% efficiency and involve complex setups, ‘Surya Shakti’ boasts an efficiency of about 90% in converting solar energy to thermal energy, achieving surface temperatures of around 150°C under solar illumination.
This efficiency leap is achieved through the innovative use of functional coatings of nanocarbon florets (NCF), a technology indigenously developed at IIT Bombay. In line with the Indian government’s principles of energy security, this development significantly reduces reliance on imported materials for solar-thermal conversion.
‘Surya Shakti’ has been demonstrated in two critical applications:
1. **USHMA**: A smoke-free space-heating solution designed for the Indian Army operating in harsh climatic conditions (around 15,000 ft, with 13% oxygen saturation and temperatures of -15°C). USHMA effectively produces a temperature differential of 24°C in army shelters, offering a much-needed solution for soldiers stationed in extreme environments.
2. **URJA**: A continuous solar-water heating system that operates without any storage requirement. URJA efficiently heats water from 0°C to 56°C, showcasing its potential for widespread domestic and commercial applications.
Both prototypes, currently at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6), have been developed through a startup incubated at SINE, IITB. They represent a significant step towards reducing CO2 emissions by offering green heating solutions. ‘Surya Shakti’ is not just a technological innovation; it’s a move towards a more sustainable future, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
This technology is poised to bring a paradigm shift in heating solutions, reaffirming IIT Bombay’s commitment to developing sustainable and energy-efficient technologies.
For more information on ‘Surya Shakti’ and its applications, interested parties can reach out to ChandramouliSubramaniam at csubramaniam@iitb.ac.in.
– Rashmi Kumari
