A micro industry with closed energy and water cycles for sustainable rural development

Sustainable development requires combining economic viability with energy and environment conservation and ensuring social benefits. It is conceptualized that for designing a micro industry for sustainable rural industrialization, all these aspects should be integrated right up front. The concept includes; (a) utilization of local produce for value addition in a cluster of villages and enhancing income of the target population; (b) use of renewable energy and total utilization of energy generated by co and trigeneration (combining electric power production with heat utilization for heating and cooling); (c) conservation of water and complete recycling of effluents; (d) total utilization of all wastes for achieving closure towards a zero waste system. Enhanced economic viability and sustainability is achieved by integration of appropriate technologies into the industrial complex. To prove the concept, a model Micro Industrial Complex (MIC) has been set up in a semi arid desert region in Rajasthan, India at village Malunga in Jodhpur district. A biomass powered boiler and steam turbine system is used to generate 100-200 KVA of electric power and high energy steam for heating and cooling processes downstream. The unique feature of the equipment is a 100-150 kW back-pressure steam turbine, utilizing 3-4 tph (tonnes per hour) steam, developed by M/s IB Turbo. The biomass boiler raises steam at about 20 barg 3 tph, which is passed through a turbine to yield about 150 kW of electrical power. The steam let out at a back pressure of 1-3 barg has high exergy and this is passed on as thermal energy (about 2 MW), for use in various applications depending on the local produce and resources. The biomass fuel requirement for the boiler is 0.5-0.75 tph depending on its calorific value. In the current model, the electricity produced is used for running an oil expeller to extract castor oil and the castor cake is used as fuel in the boiler. The steam is used in a Multi Effect Distillation (MED) unit for drinking water production and in a Vapour Absorption Machine (VAM) for cooling, for banana ripening application. Additional steam is available for extraction of herbs such as mint and processing local vegetables. In this paper, we discuss the financial and economic viability of the system and show how the energy, water and materials are completely recycled and how the benefits are directed to the weaker sections of the community

Buried clay pot Irrigation for horticulture in arid zones: A case study

709-712This study presents technical, environmental and socio economic benefits under some case studies carried out by using buried clay pot irrigation for establishing small orchards in Rajasthan, India. Feasibility of treating saline water locally by multieffect distillation and using product water mixed with saline water for irrigation in clay pots has also been studied

Growth of tree saplings of <i>Azadirachta indica</i> Juss (Neem) under fertigation with untreated and treated domestic wastewater

616-621Effect of irrigation to Azadirachta indica Juss saplings by untreated domestic wastewater (N1), wastewater treated by phytoremediation (N2) and tap water as control (N3) on their establishment and growth were compared. Constructed wetland (CW) was able to reduce BOD, N, P and K to a significant level. Growth measured in terms of morphological and bio-chemical parameters was in the order N1> N2 > N3. Concentration of heavy metals in biomass (g/g) varied in the order Fe > Zn > Cu > Cr under all treatments. Total uptake of iron under three treatments varied in the order N1 > N2 > N3 while uptake of Zn, Cu and Cr was in the order N3 > N2 N1

Trigeneration using biomass energy for sustainable development

Purpose – The paper aims to design and prove the concept of micro-industry using trigeneration fuelled by biomass, for sustainable development in rural NW India. Design/methodology/approach – This is being tested at village Malunga, near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The system components comprise burning of waste biomass for steam generation and its use for power generation, cooling system for fruit ripening and the use of steam for producing distilled water. Site was selected taking into account the local economic and social needs, biomass resources available from agricultural activities, and the presence of a NGO which is competent to facilitate running of the enterprise. The trigeneration system was designed to integrate off-the-shelf equipment for power generation using boilers of approximate total capacity 1 tonne of fuel per hour, and a back-pressure steam turbo-generator (200 kW). Cooling is provided by a vapour absorption machine (VAM). Findings – The financial analysis indicates a payback time of less than two years. Nevertheless, this is sensitive to market fluctuations and availabilities of raw materials. Originality/value – Although comparable trigeneration systems already exist in large food processing industries and in space heating and cooling applications, they have not previously been used for rural micro-industry. The small-scale (1-2 m3/h output) multiple effect distillation (3 effect plus condenser) unit has not previously been deployed at field level. </jats:sec

Purification of water using vertical multiple effect distillation unit

634-638This study presents use of a vertical multiple effect distillation (VMED) technique for defluoridation and dearsenification of contaminated water and desalination of sea water. Distillation of tap water was also undertaken for comparison. VMED unit has been found able to remove all types of salt from water to produce good quality distilled water