The reason for publishing my PhD Thesis online and blog of synopsis after a long time of 40 years, is not to get credit for my work but to motivate research workers and water plant administrators to explore the promising technology of dual media filter for economical upgradation of water treatment plants.
I do not claim that my work is of high standard, without any errors or thoroughness of research methodology adopted. But I am proud to get a rare opportunity of large scale field trial of dual media filter in Kanpur Water Works by using Indian Bituminous Coal as an indigenous import substitute for Anthracite coal being used in foreign countries.
Based on my work, I presented a paper on "Conversion of Rapid Sand Filter into Coal-Sand Dual Media Filter" in National Convention of Institute of Public Health Engineers at Calcutta in 1975. The paper was well received and my paper was selected for Best Paper prize The award was given to me in second convention at New Delhi in 1976 at the hands of Hon. Minister Shri. Karan Sigh. I was happy and hoped that my work will be accepted for further exploration and large scale applications. However, my wish could not be materialised.
Idea of dual media filter is very clear and simple. A coarse sized but less dense inert granular media is placed above sand layer which remains on top even after backwashing of filter, thus providing depth filtration instead of surface clogging. Indian bituminous coal though inferior in quality than Anthracite coal as regards impurities and fuel value, it is best suited as a filter media fulfilling density, inertness and hardness requirements. There is abundance of bituminous coal in India and it can be crushed easily to produce filter media of desired specifications at relatively low cost as compared to Anthracite or even the graded filter sand.
I must admit that I failed in pursuing city authorities and govermnent environmental engineers for more field scale trials of this technology, which could have established design and operational norms for such filters on prototype scale. I recall a lively discussion about this topic in the Annual Convention of Indian Water Works Association in February 1982 where myself and Prof. J. M. Gadgil presented a paper on Conversion of fiters using coal sand dual media. On my appeal for doing such field studies, one of the senior engineer said "We cannot spend public money on research and experimentation. We have to use only established and well tested technologies."
I had argued that unless we do research and experimentation, we cannot progress.
May be you need not rely on the research finding for entire project, but you must spare some part of expenditure to do test the efficacy of advanced technology. Practically nobody agreed with me at that time, and research remained only as a resource to turn out more ME and PhD projects.
One Government engineer from Maharashtra, Shri. Kardile developed dual media filter technology using crushed coconut shells, however, his work restricted to rural water supply due to limited supply of such media and he could not opprtunity to try this technology on city water treatment plants.
The main reason I realised in non-adoption of new technology was that the main contracting firms were averse to use of any technology for which they need research and experimentation. Major suppliers of Water Treatment Plants in India were multinational companies which relied on the technology developed and used in foreing countries or their homeland.
Fortunately, DEGREMONT ( US company, now SUEZ) did provide two dual media filters using Anthracite coal in Bhandup Water Treatment Plant in Mumbai as a showcase. But its wide scale use did not happen due to high cost of importing Anthracite filter media.
Recently I read in the UP Jal Nigam Report published in 2015 that coal-sand dual filter in Kanpur water works is still functioning well giving higher filtration rate. I thank the administration for keeping that filter in working condition.
However, the use of dual media filters has still remained a distant possibility for other water treatment plants on large scale or as an economical way for upgradation of existing plants.
Still I must say on lines on Great seer Shri Bhavabhuti,
के नाम केचिदिह न: प्रथयन्त्यवज्ञाम्
जानन्तु ते किमपि तान्प्रति नैष: यत्न: ।
उत्पत्स्यते हि मम कोऽपि समानधर्मा
कालोह्ययं निरवधिर्विपुला च पृथ्वी ।।
- भवभूति
(Those who deride or ignore my work —let them know: my efforts are not for them.
There will come along someone who shares my spirit: the world is vast, and time endless.)
I am sure that in future, this technology will be put test and trial and would provide a solution to overloaded existing city water treatment plants. I appeal research workers and environmental engineers to develop indigenous technologies and strive for their implementation for actual use.
I do not claim that my work is of high standard, without any errors or thoroughness of research methodology adopted. But I am proud to get a rare opportunity of large scale field trial of dual media filter in Kanpur Water Works by using Indian Bituminous Coal as an indigenous import substitute for Anthracite coal being used in foreign countries.
Idea of dual media filter is very clear and simple. A coarse sized but less dense inert granular media is placed above sand layer which remains on top even after backwashing of filter, thus providing depth filtration instead of surface clogging. Indian bituminous coal though inferior in quality than Anthracite coal as regards impurities and fuel value, it is best suited as a filter media fulfilling density, inertness and hardness requirements. There is abundance of bituminous coal in India and it can be crushed easily to produce filter media of desired specifications at relatively low cost as compared to Anthracite or even the graded filter sand.
I must admit that I failed in pursuing city authorities and govermnent environmental engineers for more field scale trials of this technology, which could have established design and operational norms for such filters on prototype scale. I recall a lively discussion about this topic in the Annual Convention of Indian Water Works Association in February 1982 where myself and Prof. J. M. Gadgil presented a paper on Conversion of fiters using coal sand dual media. On my appeal for doing such field studies, one of the senior engineer said "We cannot spend public money on research and experimentation. We have to use only established and well tested technologies."
I had argued that unless we do research and experimentation, we cannot progress.
May be you need not rely on the research finding for entire project, but you must spare some part of expenditure to do test the efficacy of advanced technology. Practically nobody agreed with me at that time, and research remained only as a resource to turn out more ME and PhD projects.
One Government engineer from Maharashtra, Shri. Kardile developed dual media filter technology using crushed coconut shells, however, his work restricted to rural water supply due to limited supply of such media and he could not opprtunity to try this technology on city water treatment plants.
The main reason I realised in non-adoption of new technology was that the main contracting firms were averse to use of any technology for which they need research and experimentation. Major suppliers of Water Treatment Plants in India were multinational companies which relied on the technology developed and used in foreing countries or their homeland.
Fortunately, DEGREMONT ( US company, now SUEZ) did provide two dual media filters using Anthracite coal in Bhandup Water Treatment Plant in Mumbai as a showcase. But its wide scale use did not happen due to high cost of importing Anthracite filter media.
Recently I read in the UP Jal Nigam Report published in 2015 that coal-sand dual filter in Kanpur water works is still functioning well giving higher filtration rate. I thank the administration for keeping that filter in working condition.
However, the use of dual media filters has still remained a distant possibility for other water treatment plants on large scale or as an economical way for upgradation of existing plants.
Still I must say on lines on Great seer Shri Bhavabhuti,
के नाम केचिदिह न: प्रथयन्त्यवज्ञाम्
जानन्तु ते किमपि तान्प्रति नैष: यत्न: ।
उत्पत्स्यते हि मम कोऽपि समानधर्मा
कालोह्ययं निरवधिर्विपुला च पृथ्वी ।।
- भवभूति
(Those who deride or ignore my work —let them know: my efforts are not for them.
There will come along someone who shares my spirit: the world is vast, and time endless.)
I am sure that in future, this technology will be put test and trial and would provide a solution to overloaded existing city water treatment plants. I appeal research workers and environmental engineers to develop indigenous technologies and strive for their implementation for actual use.
Though I am not capable enough to talk technically, but I agree with the concept of vastness of world and endlessness of time.
ReplyDeleteSurely, it will happen as you think.