An Eco-friendly Solution for Human Waste Management Bio Digester - A DRDO Presentation S Radhakrishnan OS & Director Industry Interface & Technology Management DRDO Bio Digester How and where it all began Our journey began from Siachen 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 2 Biodigesters Metal Biodigesters Biodigesters at Army Transit Camp Pang (Altitude: 15200 Ft) Spot test for inflammability of biogas 02/01/16 Biodigester at Siachen SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 4 Low Temperature Bio Digesters for High Altitude For more than 8 years these toilets are functioning in high altitudes 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 6 DRDO Bio Digester for Civil Applications 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 7 Priorities are Different • • • • 60% (626 million) in India do not have toilet This makes India the number one country in the world where open defecation is practised Indonesia with 63 million is a far second! Less than 10% of Gram Panchayats in India are ODF Telephone statistics - May 2012 ( Source: trai.gov.in ) Telephone Subscribers (Wireless and Landline): 960.0 million Land Lines: 31.53 million Cell phones: 929.37 million Monthly Cell phone Addition: 8.35 million Tele density: 79.28% Annual Cell phone Addition: 227.27 million Projected Tele density: 1.159 billion, 97% of population by 2013 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 9 Problems of Open Defecation • Pollution of fecal matter with drinking water leads to contamination of food, fruits & vegetables, animals (direct contact, flies & rodents) • Water borne diseases • Viral gastroenteritis • Typhoid • Cholera epidemics • Diarrhoea (annually kills 5 Lakhs children) • Viral hepatitis (100 cases per 100,000 people) • Organic pollution • Aesthetic nuisance 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 10 Dry Pit Toilets Most commonly used by NGOs in TSC Ventilated Dry pit toilet Twin (Dry) pit toilet The pits needs periodical evacuation Manual scavenging problem not solved 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 11 Twin-Pit Pour-Flush Toilet (Leach Pit Toilets) • Courtesy: SSWM Adapted from http://www.k4rd.org/r uraltech_pit.htm [Accessed: 01.06.2010] Apprx 16m2 reqd 4m X 4m • Junction / Inspection chamber • Pit Depth 2m Distance not less than the pit depth Periodical cleaning of Pit Required Manual Scavenging NOT fully eliminated Low water table area more frequent pit cleaning required 02/01/16 • • The pits are constructed in brick line (much like a honeycomb to facilitate the liquid to flow out) or with perforated concrete tubes (eg. pre-fab) Chances of Sewerage MIXING with ground water table very high A wooden or concrete slab to prevent people falling into them The pit shape can be circular or rectangular, but circular pits are more stable Pits should be placed symmetrically at the back of the latrine pan and have a minimal distance of the pit depth to prevent cross-contamination. If the spacing between the two pits is to be reduced, an impervious barrier should be provided between them SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 12 Septic Tank Outlet to drain / leach pit Sludge needs periodical evacuation (in case no drain more frequent evacuation of septic tank required) 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 13 AEROBIC Vs. ANAEROBIC Aerobic biodegradation Anaerobic biodegradation Forced aeration/ agitation is essential and is energy intensive No aeration is required Incomplete aeration (partial aerobic condition) leads to foul smell Complete anaerobic conditions Not effective in pathogen inactivation More than 99% Pathogens inactivation Can not tolerate detergents/ phenyl Anaerobes can even degrade detergents/ phenyl Generates large amount of sludge Sludge generation is very less Repeated addition of bacteria/ enzyme is One time bacterial inoculation is required for the process enough Maintenance & recurring cost is high 02/01/16 Minimal maintenance & no recurring cost SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 16 DRDO TECHNOLOGY - BIOTOILET BACTERIA (INOCULUM) BIO-DIGESTER Anaerobic microbial consortium developed by acclimatization / enrichment of microbes at low temperature and bio-augmentation with critical group of bacteria Fermentation container made of mild steel / SS / FRP / bricks. The dimensions and internal design varies with no. Of users, water availability and geo-climatic conditions 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 17 STEPS IN ANAEROBIC DIGESTION Large polymers are converted into simpler monomers Hydrolysis Robust Simple monomers are converted into volatile fatty acids Acidogenesis Volatile fatty acids are converted into acetic acid, CO2 & H2 Acetogenesis Methanogenesis Acetate & H2 are converted into CH4 & CO2 02/01/16 Sensitive SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 18 DRDO bio digester - Key benefits • • • • • • • • Zero maintenance No need to evacuate the digester tank at all as NO SLUDGE is formed All faecal matter completely digested and converted into water, methane ( bio gas) and CO2 Bio digester tank sealed tank construction - no mixing with ground water When implemented in SATURATION MODE and at every household, saves huge cost to Govts in design of city/municipal drainage systems (small drain pipes, less labour) Rivers, lakes and water bodies will become clean on its own in a short period - as raw sewage do not enter Huge cost saving for govt on health care especially towards BPL families that depend on open source water No need for STP as effluent from BIO DIGESTER is "safe" Effluent Safety Studies • • • • • Oral toxicity at 0.5% of effluent ➢ Acute toxicity ➢ Chronic toxicity Extensive studies on animal models conducted No clinical signs such as excitability, CNS stimulation, uncontrolled urination, bulging eyes, depression observed No change in biochemical parameters No toxicity found in both rat and fish models (Report: DRLT/PT/Tech Report-Biodigester /01 /2012, May 2012) FRP Tank 700 Ltr for 5 – 6 persons Onboard Treatment of Human Waste in Indian Railways Indian Railways • World’s largest rail network 115000 km • Runs 10000 trains daily • Approx 30 million passengers travel by train every day • Around 60000 passenger coaches Lifeline to the Nation …. 3 Crs Passengers travel daily in 60000 Coaches 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 21 Installed Digesters • 15000 Bio digesters fitted in 5000 Coaches • By 2016-17, all new coaches will be fitted with Bio digesters • Retro fitment of all old coaches will be completed by 2021-22 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 22 • • • • • • Biotank: A Low Cost Ecofriendly Alternative to Septic Tank Size: 1/4th to 1/10th Less space requirement Low material/ construction cost Can treat bathroom/kitchen wastewater also No foul smell Maintenance free Bio Tank 1m3 1.2m X 1m X 1m BioTank cum Reed Bed 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 26 Conventional Drainage System Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) DRAIN (Semi Solid/ Sludge) Polluted/ Untreated Water from STP Polluted rivers Bio-Digester: Flush & Forget Drainage System Community Bio-Toilet Complex Bio-Digester Tank Bio-Digester Tank Bio-Digester Tank Bio-Digester Tank Bio-Digester Tank Clean Affluent Water Clean & Green Drainage System Clean Water from Bio-Toilets • No STP • No Manual Scavenging • Helps in Cleaning River DRDO BIO DIGESTER Green technology that has the potential to "wipe out Manual Scavenging" completely from the face of the Earth in an Eco Friendly and Cost Effective way SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq BIODIGESTER/BIOTANK : WATER QUALITY Septic Tank Biodigester/ Biotank Biotank + Reed bed treatment pH 6.7-7.5 7.0-7.2 7.0-7.5 Turbidity (NTU) 500-800 70-90 2-5 90-120 50-80 Total Suspended Solids 150-300 (mg/L) TDS(mg/L) 500-850 350-450 100-300 VS (mg/100ml) 50-60 20-30 5-12 COD (mg/L) 1200-2000 250-300 15-25 BOD 5 (mg/L) 350-500 70-120 2-4 Coliforms (MPN/ml) >3000 300-350 0-12 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 29 LANDMARKS 02/01/16 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 30 Hon’ble PM inaugurating toilet complex based on DRDO Biodigester @ Valmiki Mandir, New Delhi Oct 2nd 2014 Bio Digester - A DRDO Presentation Acknowledgements • Dr Lokendra Singh Director, DRDE, Gwalior • Dr Vijay Veer, Director Defence Lab Tezpur • Mr Nirankar Saxena Senior Director, FICCI Hon’ble MoC built 40 individual household toilets based on DRDO Bio Digester technology in her 2 adopted villages in West Godavari Distt, AP under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana DRDO Technology for Clean Ganga Initiative DRDO Bio Digester for clean Ganga Initiative 3rd Nov 2012 3rd November 2012 INKING CEREMONY OF MOU BETWEEN DRDO & PARMATH NIKETAN INAUGURATION OF MOBILE TOILETS BASED ON BIODIGESTER TECHNOLOGY Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 68th Independence Day 2014 …….Has it ever pained us that our mothers and sisters have to defecate in open? Whether dignity of women is not our collective responsibility?..... …….Can`t we just make arrangements for toilets for the dignity of our mothers and sisters?........ ……… all schools in the country should have toilets with separate toilets for girls. Only then our daughters will not be compelled to leave schools midway. Our parliamentarians utilizing MPLAD fund are there. I appeal to them to spend it for constructing toilets in schools for a year…….