An Eco-friendly Solution for Human Waste Management

Bio Digester - A DRDO Presentation

S RadhakrishnanOS & Director

Industry Interface & Technology Management

DRDO Bio Digester How and where it all began

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Our journey began from Siachen

Biodigesters

Metal Biodigesters Biodigesters at Army Transit Camp Pang (Altitude: 15200 Ft)

Spot test for inflammability of biogas Biodigester at Siachen12/21/12 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 4

Low Temperature Bio Digesters for High Altitude

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For more than 8 years these toilets are functioning in high altitudes

DRDO Bio Digester for Civil Applications

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Priorities are Different

Telephone statistics - May 2012 ( Source: trai.gov.in )

Telephone Subscribers (Wireless and Landline): 960.0 million Land Lines: 31.53 millionCell phones: 929.37 millionMonthly Cell phone Addition: 8.35 million Tele density: 79.28% Annual Cell phone Addition: 227.27 millionProjected Tele density: 1.159 billion, 97% of population by 2013

• 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

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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

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Dry Pit Toilets Most commonly used by NGOs in TSC

Ventilated Dry pit toilet

Twin (Dry) pit toilet

The pits needs periodical evacuationManual scavenging problem not solved

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Twin-Pit Pour-Flush Toilet (Leach Pit Toilets)• 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

Courtesy: SSWM

Distance not less

than the pit depth

Junction / Inspection chamber

Adapted from http://www.k4rd.org/ruraltech_pit.htm [Accessed: 01.06.2010] Apprx

16m2 reqd4m X 4m

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Pit Depth 2m

Periodical cleaning of Pit Required Manual Scavenging NOT fully eliminatedLow water table area more frequent pit

cleaning required

Septic Tank

Sludge needs periodical evacuation (in case no drain more frequent evacuation of septic tank required)

Outlet to drain / leach

pit

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AEROBIC Vs. ANAEROBICAerobic 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 required for the process

One time bacterial inoculation is enough

Maintenance & recurring cost is high Minimal maintenance & no recurring cost

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DRDO TECHNOLOGY - BIOTOILETBACTERIA

(INOCULUM) Anaerobic microbial consortium developed by acclimatization / enrichment of microbes at low

temperature and bio-augmentation with critical group of bacteria

BIO-DIGESTER 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

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STEPS IN ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

Hydrolysis

Acidogenesis

Acetogenesis

Methanogenesis

Large polymers areconverted into simpler monomers

Simple monomers are converted into volatile fatty acids

Volatile fatty acids are converted into acetic acid, CO2 & H2

Acetate & H2 are converted intoCH4 & CO2

Robust

Sensitive

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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"

• 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)

Effluent Safety StudiesFRP Tank 700 Ltr for 5 – 6 persons

Onboard Treatment of Human Waste in Indian Railways

Lifeline to the Nation ….3 Crs Passengers travel daily in 60000 Coaches

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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

Installed Digesters

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• 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

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 Bed12/21/12 SRK DI2TM DRDO Hq 26

DRAIN (Semi Solid/ Sludge)

Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)

Polluted/ Untreated Water from STP

Conventional Drainage System

Polluted rivers

Bio-Digester: Flush & Forget Drainage System

• No STP• No Manual Scavenging• Helps in Cleaning River

Clean Water from Bio-Toilets

Clean Affluent Water

Bio-Digester Tank

Bio-Digester Tank Bio-Digester Tank Bio-Digester Tank

Community Bio-Toilet Complex

Clean & Green Drainage System

Bio-Digester Tank

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

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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

Total Suspended Solids (mg/L)

150-300 90-120 50-80

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

BIODIGESTER/BIOTANK : WATER QUALITY

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LANDMARKS

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INKING CEREMONY OF MOU BETWEEN DRDO & PARMATH NIKETAN

INAUGURATION OF MOBILE TOILETS BASED ON BIODIGESTER TECHNOLOGY

3rd November 2012

DRDO Bio Digester for clean Ganga Initiative3rd Nov 2012

DRDO Technology for Clean Ganga Initiative

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…….

Acknowledgements• Dr Lokendra Singh

Director, DRDE, Gwalior• Dr Vijay Veer, Director Defence Lab Tezpur• Mr Nirankar Saxena Senior Director, FICCI

Bio Digester - A DRDO Presentation