With the concept of 'Go Green' catching up rapidly, many educational institutions and firms have been adhering (or at least trying to adhere) to green initiatives in the coastal districts of the State.
However, Fr Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), a well known hospital not only in the region, but also in neighbouring states, has gone a step ahead and installed a biogas plant with help from Rotary, thereby saving a minimum of one cylinder (LPG) a day!It all began when Rotary Club approached Fr Muller Hospital with a proposal to set up a biogas unit, a few months ago. The hospital readily agreed to the novel proposal. As a result, the plant was set up on March 29.
The plant converts organic garbage into cooking gas. The plant has been set up at an estimated cost of Rs 5 lakh, and interestingly, the entire investment can be recovered within 19 months. According to Rotary Club office-bearer Prakash Kalbavi, about 14 kg of biogas can be produced using 300 kg of organic waste, which means that it can produce cooking gas commercially viable at Rs 1,035 per day. It consumes electricity worth Rs 60 and needs one person to sort and load the waste. The gas produced is compressed and connected to burners in the kitchen.
More interestingly, the energy produced is clean and the plant design has ensured that there is no foul smell in the feeding area or in the gas.
The calorific value of this gas is about 4500 cal, which is a little less than LPG. This means the cooking may take slightly longer, but savings in terms of cost, is enormous.
The technology has been provided by a Pune-based firm Mailhem Engineers Pvt Ltd. The basic concept of the design is based on a process known as upward sludge blanket developed by Lattingah in Netherlands. Speaking to Deccan Herald, FMCIAdministrator Rev Fr Rudolf Ravi D'Sa said, at present, only about 150 kg of waste is fed to the biogas plant as the remaining waste is supplied to piggery units of the hospital.
To run to its full capacity, there is a need to generate (feed) 300 kg of waste (vegetables, fish and meat, etc).
The hospital produces an average of 800 to 1,000 kg of waste a day as the hospital prepares food for about 800 patients (thrice a day) and another 1,200 persons (including students, hostelites, nurses and faculty members among others), thus preparing a total of 2,000 meals, three times a day. Apart from the biogas plant, the hospital also has three sewage treatment plants (1.5 lakh litres each and seven lakh litres each) which can take are of all the toilet (flush) and gardening necessities.
In addition, the hospital also has provided solar facilities to all departments and hostels and has replaced tubelights with CFL bulbs.
However, Fr Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), a well known hospital not only in the region, but also in neighbouring states, has gone a step ahead and installed a biogas plant with help from Rotary, thereby saving a minimum of one cylinder (LPG) a day!It all began when Rotary Club approached Fr Muller Hospital with a proposal to set up a biogas unit, a few months ago. The hospital readily agreed to the novel proposal. As a result, the plant was set up on March 29.
The plant converts organic garbage into cooking gas. The plant has been set up at an estimated cost of Rs 5 lakh, and interestingly, the entire investment can be recovered within 19 months. According to Rotary Club office-bearer Prakash Kalbavi, about 14 kg of biogas can be produced using 300 kg of organic waste, which means that it can produce cooking gas commercially viable at Rs 1,035 per day. It consumes electricity worth Rs 60 and needs one person to sort and load the waste. The gas produced is compressed and connected to burners in the kitchen.
More interestingly, the energy produced is clean and the plant design has ensured that there is no foul smell in the feeding area or in the gas.
The calorific value of this gas is about 4500 cal, which is a little less than LPG. This means the cooking may take slightly longer, but savings in terms of cost, is enormous.
The technology has been provided by a Pune-based firm Mailhem Engineers Pvt Ltd. The basic concept of the design is based on a process known as upward sludge blanket developed by Lattingah in Netherlands. Speaking to Deccan Herald, FMCIAdministrator Rev Fr Rudolf Ravi D'Sa said, at present, only about 150 kg of waste is fed to the biogas plant as the remaining waste is supplied to piggery units of the hospital.
To run to its full capacity, there is a need to generate (feed) 300 kg of waste (vegetables, fish and meat, etc).
The hospital produces an average of 800 to 1,000 kg of waste a day as the hospital prepares food for about 800 patients (thrice a day) and another 1,200 persons (including students, hostelites, nurses and faculty members among others), thus preparing a total of 2,000 meals, three times a day. Apart from the biogas plant, the hospital also has three sewage treatment plants (1.5 lakh litres each and seven lakh litres each) which can take are of all the toilet (flush) and gardening necessities.
In addition, the hospital also has provided solar facilities to all departments and hostels and has replaced tubelights with CFL bulbs.