From 25 July to 27 September 2026 PhD Student Bartłomiej Kowal from AGH University of Krakow visited the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) as a part of the European internship program – CUPOLA, whose main theme was “Carbon-neutral pathways of recycling marine plastic waste”. His research focused on developing the numerical model of the plastic waste pyrolysis process in rotary furnace using Discrete Element Method (DEM).
The main objective was to simulate the kinetic behavior of plastic waste, represented by simplified polyethylene particles, in order to optimize the mixing process during pyrolysis. The particle motions and collisions registered during furnace rotation were used to evaluate optimal feeding procedure. Three particle sizes and different mixing sequences were analyzed. Based on the simulation results, particle distribution, translational velocity and rotational velocity were investigated.
He was also invited to the laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Automation where he presented his scientific background and discussed various numerical methods for recycling marine plastic waste. Afterwards PhD Students from HUST gave a tour around their laboratory presenting highly specialized workstations equipped with advanced measuring devices and high-tech visual systems. It was an excellent opportunity to exchange scientific knowledge and share research experiences between local and international PhD students.
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