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Information from secondary sources was used to develop this case study. The sources of the data included the organization’s website, yearly reports, news releases, reports that have been published and documents that are accessible online.

As of 2023, Kenya generated around 0.5–1.3 million tons of plastic waste per year, of which only 8% was recycled. The remaining waste was either dumped into landfills, burned or released back into the environment. In addition to the plastic problem, a deforestation crisis was looming large in the country. Despite the country’s efforts to improve recycling, banning the use of single-use plastic to reduce plastic pollution, plastic waste continued to be a major issue. Growing up in the Kaptembwa slums of rural Kenya, Lorna saw the adverse impact that plastic waste had on the local ecosystem. Also, she was perturbed by the widespread cutting down of trees for construction of buildings, etc., which had resulted in deforestation. Lorna’s concern for the environment and her desire to address these issues motivated her to found EcoPost, a business that promoted a circular economy by gathering and recycling plastic waste.

With the common goal of enhancing circularity, EcoPost and Austria-based chemical company Borealis collaborated to stop waste from seeping into the environment and to make a positive socioeconomic and environmental impact. The funding from Borealis would help EcoPost in increasing its capabilities, providing training and recruiting more waste collectors. The funds were also supposed to help formalize the work of the waste pickers (mostly youth and women from marginalized communities) by financing the entrepreneurial start-up kits. Lorna aimed to create a business model that would not only solve the plastic waste problem but would also contribute to the social and economic development of local communities. Amidst these gigantic problems of plastic waste and deforestation that Kenya was facing, how will Lorna achieve her ambitious goal of reducing plastic waste and save trees? How will EcoPost pave the way to a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future?

This case is intended for use in MBA, post-graduate/executive level programs as part of entrepreneurship and sustainability courses.

This study aims to address the low thermal conductivity and suboptimal performance of phase change materials (PCMs) by examining the impact of geometric adjustments on their melting rate.

A two-dimensional numerical model was created to investigate the effect of different positions and angular inclinations of the inside heating surface (IHS) on the melting rate of PCM within a latent heat thermal energy storage system. The model analysed the IHS at the centre and below the centre at various positions (10, 20, 30 and 40 mm) and inclinations (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75° and 90°).

The 90° inclination (vertical) significantly reduced the melting time by 75% compared to the 0° inclination (horizontal). The best melting performance was recorded with the IHS positioned 20 mm below the centre. At a 30° inclination, the maximum reduction in melting time was observed with the IHS at 30 and 40 mm placements. The system demonstrated the highest energy storage capacity of 307.72 kJ/kg at a 75° inclination with the IHS positioned 10 mm laterally, and the lowest capacity of 255.02 kJ/kg at a 0° inclination with the IHS at a 30 mm lateral position.

To address the deficient part of PCM like low thermal conductivity and below level performance characteristics, a structural (geometrical) adjustment was developed to study the effect on the melting rate of PCM without any cost addition. Using the computational model, an optimised thermal energy storage system is developed that can play a pivotal role in improving the applicability of thermal energy storage systems.

This research is novel in simultaneously investigating the numerical characteristics of PCM melting behaviour with different lateral positions and angular orientations of the IHS. A unique design modification was introduced, using a 2D numerical model and simulations to explore the effects under isothermal conditions.