An industrial ecology approach to maximize energy efficiency and minimize emissions from the silk reeling sector around Banglore
Student name: Ms Rashmi Kumari
Guide: Dr Suresh Jain
Year of completion: 2010
Host Organisation: Resource Optimization Initiative, Bangalore
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Megha Shenoy
Abstract: Silk reeling is one of the most important small scale and informal industries in the south Indian state
of Karnataka; many households in the sub urban and rural regions of the state run this business. The
main purpose of this investigation is to increase the performance of this sector by reducing
consumption of firewood, and emission of carbon di-oxide. In addition we aim to recycle waste
water/ channelize it to alternative uses so as to recharge the water bed in these regions.
Currently this sector consumes around 26 kg of firewood and more than 100 L of water to produce 1
kg of reeled silk. We aim to reduce firewood consumption and emissions by aiding in the installation
of solar water heating devices coupled to high efficiency but low cost stoves. In addition to increasing
efficiency of stoves and encouraging the use of solar water heating devices we propose to assess the
feasibility of using locally available agricultural wastes as fuel.
Apart from its high firewood consumption, silk reeling requires huge amount of water. Most of the
water that is consumed in the silk reeling process is obtained from groundwater and discarded into
the common drainage in these towns. This waste water is mixed with sewage and eventually
discarded into inland basins such as lakes and ponds. The two options to ensure sustainable water
management in this sector: (i) use the waste water to generate biogas or (ii) channel this waste water
(that is rich in protein and chemical free) to fertilize agricultural lands around these silk reeling
clusters and simultaneously recharge the water bed.
The availability of both resources (wood and water) is decreasing, causing a sharp rise in their
prices. Reduced consumption of these resources will increase profit margins for silk reeling units
while ensuring environmental sustainability. Previous attempts to impose environmental regulations
in this industrial sector is poor owing to policies that are aimed at alleviating poverty by
encouraging unhindered growth of cottage scale industries. Some attempts that use traditional
command and control mechanisms resulted in poor compliance to environmental norms due to sparse
implementation. In contrast, the implementation of cleaner technologies such as solar water heaters
and high efficiency stoves in the silk reeling process overcomes environmental hazards as well as
offers attractive benefits for industries.
Keywords: Heat Recovery Unit, Solar Water Heaters, Cocoons, Silk-reeling,
Backend and multi end reeling units
