Reports on SSI Cluster Development Programme

1. PROJECT PROPOSAL

 : 

MONITORING AND UPGRADATION OF EXISTING FIRING FACILITIES IN THREE SELECTED POTTERY & CERAMIC UNITS AT KHURJA UNDER UPTECH SCHEME OF OFFICE OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER (SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES), MINISTRY OF SSI, GOVT.OF INDIA, NEW DELHI

2. TIME FRAME

 : 

6 Months

3. CONSULTANCY GROUP FROM MONITORING

 : 

Shri S. Chakrabarti, Scientist-in-Charge, - Advisor
Shri C. S. Prasad, Dy.Officer-in-Charge, Consultant
Shri D.P. Karmakar, Sct.-B - Member
Shri K.C. Singh, T.O. - Member

4. BACKGROUND
   
   Khurja has the largest agglomeration of small-scale ceramic industries in India. At present, there are more than 500 units engaged in production of stoneware crockery, bone china, electrical insulator, sanitary ware and decorative items. Due to spiraling rise of cost of fuels, raw materials and labour charges as well as globalization of the market in India, they are facing stiff competition as such facing acute problems for sustenance. Most of the units follow more or less similar technology for manufacturing the above mentioned items. Many of them switched over to ceramic fibre lined shuttle kiln and tunnel kiln firing systems to reduce level of pollution, fuel cost and increase productivity. At present they could achieve 18-20% energy efficiency in Shuttle kiln and 35-45% in Tunnel kiln. It has been observed that, there is further scope of increasing energy, provided appropriate steps are taken. Since manufacturing practice is common to all of them, implementation of improved technology in some of the units may lead to replication / dissemination the outcomes to other units.
   
   Keeping this in view, the Development Commissioner, Small Scale Industries (DCSSI) entrusted Tate Energy Research Institute (TERI) for undertaking a modernization programme for the pottery industry in Khurja. Accordingly, TERI conducted a Survey-cum-Diagnostic study of Khurja Pottery Industries in collaboration with Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) Khurja Centre and submitted a detailed report to the DCSSI.
   
   The report suggested improvement in many areas such as manufacturing, firing, energy conservation , pollution control etc. To begin with, Firing system has been chosen to improve the efficiency of furnace, its productivity and quality of the fired ceramic products. From this report, it has been transpired that after taking appropriate measures fuel / energy consumption for operating Tunnel / Shuttle kilns can be reduced by 15-20%. Potential areas are identified as stated below:
   
   
   • Replacement of conventional low air pressure burner by mono-block automatic off-on-burners.
   • Replacement of Sagger by Decker plates and tiles with props (Bats & props) for loading wares.
   • Replacement of conventional kiln cars with strong but low thermal mass kiln cars.

1. The scope of work includes the following:
   
   
   1.  On the basis of the diagnostic study carried out by the Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi and the discussions held with the Khurja Pottery Manufactures' Association (KPMA), following three measures have been identified for implementation under the modernization plan in following three units:

      M/s Bhatwara Industries	-	Installation of Auto-on/off burner
      M/s Naresh Potteries	-	Use of Decker Plates in place of Saggers
      M/s Gulraj Industries	-	Reduction in Dead Weight of Trolley

   2. Implementing & Monitoring Agency
      
      
      1. KPMA was nominated as the Nodal agency for implementing the above measures.
      
      
      
      2. CGCRI was nominated as the monitoring agency to monitor the benefits out of the implementation of the above.
   
   
   3. Financial details:
      
      The project cost was Rs.31.3 lakh which includes the cost of implementation, Consultancy fee of CGCRI, khurja for monitoring the project , purchase of equipments for monitoring , organizing seminar for dissemination of information on benefits arising out of the above measures and documentation. Government of India's support to the project was to the tune of Rs. 22.4 lakh. The balance amount was provided by the by the pioneering units where the demonstration plant was set up. A sum of Rs. 6.0 lakh was met from the above project cost towards the consultancy fee of CGCRI, khurja for monitoring the project and purchase of equipments for monitoring.

Final Work Report

1. M/s Naresh Pottery - Use of decker plate in place of sagger.
   
   Pottery items are placed inside an earthen pot called Sagger and put inside the furnace on trolley for firing. The space utilization was not found optimum due to this arrangement. Sagger was, therefore, replaced by Decker Plate. Gas analysis was conducted to ascertain the proper combustion inside the furnace. The details in connection with changing the cut saggers to decker plates and benefits from them are furnished below:

Therefore on the basis of the calculation above, we can say that the extra benefit after implementation of Decker plates considering oil consumption to be constant at M/s Naresh Potteries, Khurja are as under :

2. Gulraj Industries - replacing of conventional kiln car with low thermal mass kiln car.
   
   The kiln cars are like train bogies designed to place the green products for firing at respective maturing temperature of the products in shuttle or tunnel kiln. The kiln cars are constructed with the refractory and insulating bricks. The bricks are heavy and absorb more heat during firing cycle. Heat energy supplied to the kiln is absorbed by kiln cars, products, kiln walls and flue gas. More than 55% of the total heat energy supplied to the kiln is absorbed by the kiln cars. If the low thermal mass cars are used in conventional one, the benefit will be of insignificant amount with the saving in the fuel as well as saving of time to cool the kiln cars during production, which will be helpful to increase the production. In this connection the modification in the kiln cars were made by using castable block and ceramic fibre. The firing was conducted on two different days to know the benefit from the modification made in the kiln car.
   
   The following modifications were made at M/s Gulraj Industries, khurja to reduce the weight of the kiln cars.

   • Ceramic fibre blankets were used at the base of the cars instead of refractory bricks.
   • Use of light weight thin insulating castable blocks at the side of the kiln car instead of heavy refractory blocks.
   • Use of hollow pillars for supporting decker plates instead of refractory bricks.
   • Use of cordierite plates instead of refractory plates.

   The details of the kiln car used at M/s Gulraj Industries Junction Road, Khurja are furnished below:

3. M/s Bhatwara Ceramics - installation of Auto On / Off Burner.
   
   An auto On/Off gas fired burners was installed at M/s Bhatwara Industries, Khurja by replacing the old fired conversion burners. CGCRI conducted experiment for flue gas analysis.
   
   The detail results before installation and after installation of auto on/off burners in tunnel kiln for firing of crockery ware are furnished below:

For any information, interested person may contact :

1. Technology Management Division,
   OFFICE OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER
   ( SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES),
   Ministry of Small Scale industries,
   Govt. of India,
   7th Floor, Nirman Bhawan,
   New Delhi -110011
   Ph.- 011- 23010091/ 23012249



2. Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute,
   Khurja Centre, G.T.Road, Khurja-203131 (U.P.),
   Ph-91011-242501, 245081,
   Email: cgcrikc@indiatimes.com , cgcrikc@yahoo.co.in
   (a laboratory under CSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India).



3. Khurja Pottery Manufacturers' Association (KPMA),
   Industrial Estate, G.T. Road, Khurja, U.P.
   Ph. - 05738242425

1. PROJECT PROPOSAL

 : 

STANDARDIZATION OF PROCESS PARAMETERS FOR COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION OF NEEM BASED PRODUCTS UNDER UPTECH SCHEME OF OFFICE OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER
(SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES), MINISTRY OF SSI,
GOVT. OF INDIA, NEW DELHI

2. TIME FRAME

 : 

2 Years

3. CONSULTANCY GROUP FROM MONITORING

 : 

Shri S. Chakrabarti, Scientist-in-Charge, - Advisor
Shri C. S. Prasad, Dy.Officer-in-Charge, Consultant
Shri D.P. Karmakar, Sct.-B - Member
Shri K.C. Singh, T.O. - Member

A project on ' Standardization of process parameters for commercial exploitation of Neem based products' has been sponsored by Office of the Development commissioner(Small Scale Industries), Ministry of SSI, Govt. of India, under UPTECH scheme.

2. The objective of the project were to search for standard processes for commercial exploitation of Neem based products and create awareness in Small Scale Sector. Therefore, attempts have been made for (i) Collection of information relating to availability of neem, geographical distributions of neem trees/ seeds, prevailing harvest and collection practices, post harvesting processing and storage techniques (ii) separation of bitter constituents from neem seed kernels and to obtain good quality of oil and cake and (iii) Utilization of neem isolates viz. bitters, oil and cake, in product development like pesticides, skin care and oral hygine products.



3. During the first phase of the project, the emphasis of the project has been on the collection for information relating to availability of Neem, geographical distribution of neem trees/ seeds, prevailing harvest and collection practices, post harvesting processing and storage technique. Detailed literature survey has been thoroughly dealt and documented.



4. Commercial techniques for processing of neem oil like refining (alkali & solvent) and bleaching were carried out for obtaining neem oil low in FFA and Colour. It was observed that the alkali refining, solvent refining and bleaching processes only moderately improved the neem oil in terms of FFA and Colour.



5. In the later phase of the project two processes were developed for extraction of bitters and for obtaining good quality oil and cake from crushed neem seed kernels. Out of these processes developed process No. I (Soxhlet Extraction) & II (Cold Extraction/Leaching with Solvent System without Acid) were proved to be best for extraction of bitters having high azadirachin content, light coloured oil with low FFA and biters free deoiled neem cake.



6. On the basis of lab. Experiments different batches on pilot scale experiments of process II were also carried out in the existing solvent extraction unit of the center. Economics of these experiments were also carried out and was very much encouraging.



7. The methodologies so far developed yield four products (i) oil rich in FFA containing some Quantity of bitters (ii) oil with reduced FFA content, free from bitters (iii) cake in granular form which is also free of bitters (iv) bitters in crystalline or semisolid form with high azadirachtin.



8. Based on the neem isolates (bitters, oil and cake), center has developed following products:-
   
   
   1. Neem oil/bitters based pesticides
   2. Neem Coated Urea
   3. Neem Cold/Vanishing/Shaving Creams
   4. Neem Face Pack
   5. Neem Soap
   6. Neem Mouthwash
   7. Neem Herbal Phenyl


9. Neem oil based cold cream has been tested in Indian Toxicological Research Centre, Lucknow for preclinical trials and report was very encouraging.

For any information, interested person may contact :

1. Technology Management Division,
   OFFICE OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER
   ( SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES),
   Ministry of Small Scale industries,
   Govt. of India,
   7th Floor, Nirman Bhawan,
   New Delhi -110011
   Ph.- 011- 23010091/ 23012249



2. Principal Director,
   Fragrance & Flavour Development Centre,
   Industrial Estate, G.T. Road,
   P.O. Makrand Nagar,Kannauj- 209726 (U.P)
   Ph.- 05694-34465, 34791