German-backed tech tested in Tirupur to treat textile wastewater

T Christuraj, Collector, inaugurated a pilot electrochemical ozone oxidation reactor and CDI at Kunnankalpalayam CETP in Tirupur.

A collaborative pilot initiative with German involvement aimed at treating textile effluents was launched at the Kunnankalpalayam Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in Tirupur. The three-year project, funded by the Indo German Science and Technology Centre, falls under the Indo German collaboration. Following laboratory assessments, a pilot-scale electrochemical ozone oxidation process (ECOOP) reactor and CDI have been installed at Kunnankalpalayam CETP, capable of treating 350 litres of effluent per hour. This technology, spearheaded by one of the principal investigators, Indumathi M Nambi of IIT Madras, eliminates colour and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), avoids sludge production, circumvents two conventional effluent treatment processes, and results in cost, manpower, and space savings.

The project, initiated in 2020, will undergo field-level trials for approximately six months. According to a press release, the technology has the potential to diminish land requirements, aeration needs, and the skill and time demands associated with biological wastewater treatment. Partners in this venture include IIT Madras, RWTH Aachen University, Goeth Universitat, Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company, Ibacon, and Eurofins. The pilot plant inauguration was carried out by T Christuraj, the District Collector of Tirupur. Detailed information about the project can be accessed at efectro.org.