Session: 11-02: Process Heat for Desalination and Industrial Decarbonization

Paper Number: 132182

132182 - Integration of Solar Distillation in Dairy Effluent Treatment: A Step Toward Reducing Carbon Footprint 

Abstract: 

Integration of Solar Hybrid Distillation in Dairy Effluent Treatment: A Step Toward Reducing Carbon Footprint

Vikrant P. Katekar^a*, Sandip S. Deshmukh^b

a.     Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. vpkatekar@gmail.com.

 

b.     Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hyderabad Campus, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Hyderabad, India. ssd@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in.

* Corresponding author

 

Abstract:

The dairy industry is widely renowned for being the most polluter of water. Water is a valuable resource in milk processing plants, where it is utilised for a variety of tasks such as cleaning, washing, disinfection, cooling, and heating. It is estimated that 2.5 to 3 litres of effluent are produced for every litre of milk pasteurised. Dairy effluents are responsible for the unpleasant aroma and turbidity in the water. The organic content in wastewater becomes harmful to aquatic ecosystems. As a result, every dairy factory requires an effluent treatment plant. It does, however, use a lot of energy. The mean value of total unit energy consumption relative to flow for the complete effluent treatment plant was calculated to be 2.29 kWh/m³, with biological treatment using 1.17 kWh/m³ and dissolved air flotation consuming 0.05 kWh/m³. As a result, 2.4 kg of CO₂ was emitted per cubic metre of flow rate. Integration of a renewable energy-driven effluent treatment plant as a support system to the main effluent treatment plant may be installed to minimise the energy consumption of the effluent treatment plant. The current study presents a renewable energy-driven effluent system that may be incorporated into the central effluent treatment system. The proposed system includes a solar distillation system for wastewater treatment that works in tandem with the central effluent system. The system comprises five water channel-type solar thermal distillation systems, each of 10 square meters. 30-40% of the effluent from the effluent storage tank feeds into the solar distillation system. Effluent is evaporated and condensed in the distiller basin, leaving the salt and other impurities in the distiller channels. The daily distillate yield was 4 to 5 litres per meter square area. According to the numerical estimates, the suggested configuration significantly lowered the energy consumption of the effluent treatment facility. As a result, it contributes to reducing the carbon impact. This is also essential to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals such as SDG 3, 6, 7, and 9.   

Keywords: Carbon footprint; Dairy plant; Effluent treatment; Renewable energy; Solar distillation; Water pollution.

Presenting Author: Sandip Deshmukh Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Hyderabad, India.

Presenting Author Biography: Prof. Deshmukh has more than twenty years of experience in teaching and research.

Authors:

Vikrant P. Katekar Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
Sandip S. Deshmukh Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Hyderabad, India.