Vizag’s Father-Daughter Team Patents Low-Cost Anti-Pollution Device

Visakhapatnam:A father and daughter duo from Visakhapatnam city has developed and patented an innovative device designed to reduce engine exhaust emissions, making a significant contribution to combating automobile pollution.

The invention of retired Naval Dockyard mechanical supervisor Margana Ramarao and his daughter Dr. Tulasi, a radiologist, has received a Government-of-India patent on June 27, 2025. It has the potential to decrease vehicular pollution by up to 50 per cent, providing a cost-effective solution to one of the country's most urgent environmental challenges.

Ramarao started working on this concept over 20 years ago while still employed with the Naval Dockyard. Whenever he worked on the device at home, his then school-going daughter joined him with ideas. The father-daughter duo designed a device, which Ramarao tested on naval vehicles. The pioneering efforts got him medals and recognition from Indian Navy authorities.

Over the years, Ramarao and his daughter continued to improve on the device, which the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Road Transport Authority, Andhra University, and GITAM University have tested and validated its effectiveness. Laboratory tests have confirmed a reduction of between 20 and 50 per cent in pollution.

Since 2022, the device has been successfully installed on trucks, Boleros, and three-wheeler autos. It is affordable, easy to install, and adaptable to engines of varying capacities.

The mechanism is simple yet effective; exhaust gases are directed into a chamber filled partially with water and chemicals. As the gases mix with the solution, pollutants are trapped, forming sludge that settles at the bottom. This sludge, rich in carbon, nitrates, sulphur, and particulate matter, can be collected and recycled into useful by-products.

Importantly, the device does not create any back pressure on the engine, ensuring smooth vehicle performance.

The inventors highlight that their device can even be used on older vehicles that are banned under current emission norms. This will enable such vehicles to meet the BS-3 and BS-4 standards.

Routine maintenance involves removing the sludge every 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres and refilling the device with water and chemicals.

"The engine exhaust emission reduction device offers a practical solution to India’s worsening air quality crisis," Ramarao states.

Dr. Tulasi underscores the broader implications: "Nearly half of India’s pollution comes from automobile emissions, which contribute to respiratory illnesses, eye irritation, and environmental damage. Forests, agriculture, and public health are all at risk, while issues like global warming and ozone depletion are compounded. Government’s ban on vehicles older than 15 years imposes high economic costs on people. Our invention provides a low-cost alternative that reduces harmful emissions and extends vehicle life."

Ramarao and Dr. Tulasi are currently collaborating with the AP State Road Transport Corporation. The device is being fitted to APSRTC buses as part of a pilot project. "We are determined to make the RTC bus pollution control project a success," the father and daughter combine assert.