IITians’ start-up converts diesel soot to ink

Delhi start-up, Chakr Innovation has found a unique solution in printing inks to the problem of air pollution caused by diesel smoke. The idea to convert diesel smoke to ink came when one of the co-founders of Chakr saw a diesel engine having blackened the wall near its installation. Three IIT graduates, Kushagra Srivastava, Prateek Sachan and Arpit Dhupar started researching about the problem and found that about 16 to 18 percent of particulate matter PM2.5 in India is generated from stationary diesel power generators. The company invented a device which can be retrofitted on a diesel generator. The device can capture 90 percent of particulate matter emission. The startup launched their first pilot in 2016 and won the ‘University of Chicago’s Urban Labs India Challenge’ in 2016.

The retrofit device invented by Chakr can be fitted on to an exhaust pipe of the engine and the captured pollutant – black carbon, is processed and converted into inks and paints.

What’s more, the company also offered service to the customers in return of the black carbon. The ink product is called POINK (Ink from Pollution). It can be used in numerous applications for textile printing, cardboard printing, painting etc. One of the clients for POINK is Dell Corporation. Because of its pollution angle and environmental sustainability, the company has been able to get a premium price for its inks.

The startup is working with leading names like BSNL, MTNL, ATC and Reliance and also has a strategic collaboration with BOSCH and Indian Oil for product research and development.

The device can control pollution without hampering the performance of the engine or environment. The health benefit to those operating the engines is one of the key advantages of the device. With pollution being one of the key health hazards of modern developed society, the device presents a noble relief to the common people. Apart from receiving accolades from the government, industry and common people, the innovation has also been awarded by many organisations in the country and abroad.