The ICAR-AICRP on Energy in Agriculture and Agro-based Industries (EAAI) was launched in 1983 initially with 13 cooperating centres with its name as AICRP on Renewable Source of Energy (RES) for Agriculture and Agro based Industries. The name of the project was revised as (ICAR-AICRP on EAAI) with effect from 2015-16. Initially this project was initiated by combining two earlier projects, one on Solar Energy Utilization and another on Biogas technology, which were operating since 1977. Over the period, scope of the project was broaden and name and mandate of the project was revised as ICAR-AICRP on EAAI. Now this project contains three different components, namely Development of Renewable Energy Technologies (DRET), Energy Management in Agriculture (EMA) and Demonstration of Renewable Energy Systems (DRES). The R & D component of the Project (DRET) was further bifurcated into four sub-components namely DRET-SET (DRET- Solar Energy Technology), DRET-BCT (DRET-Bio-chemical Conversion Technology), DRET-TCT (Thermo-chemical Conversion Technology) and DRET-LBT (DRET-Liquid Bio-fuel Technology).
The approved mandate of the Project includes development of technologies and processes for enhanced use efficiency of renewable and non-renewable energy sources in production agriculture and agro-processing.
Development and demonstration of technologies and practices for enhancing utilization efficiency of conventional energy based systems and augmenting use of renewable energy in agricultural sector.
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering,
Nabibagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal – 462 038
Phone: 0755-2733383
Fax: 0755-2733383
Email: Vinod.Bhargav@icar.gov.in
S. No. | Name of Centre | Principal Investigator Location | Phone,
Fax No., E-mail address |
Activity | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R&D | PMW | PFT/FLD | ||||
1. | PDKV Akola | Dr. Vivek Khambalkar Research Engineer (AICRP on EAAI), Department of Renewable Energy Sources & Other Electrical Engineering, Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, PO - Krishinagar, Akola - 444 104 (Maharashtra) |
E-mail: vivek_khambalkar@hotmail.com | |||
2. | ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru | Dr. Carolin Rathinakumari Principal Scientist, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessergutta, Lake Post office, Bengaluru – 560 089 (Karnataka) |
E-mail: carolin.rathinakumari@gmail.com | |||
3. | ICAR-CIAE Bhopal | Dr. Sandip Gangil, Principal Scientist & Head, AEP Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Nabi Bagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal - 462 038 (Madhya Pradesh) |
E-mail: gangilsandip@yahoo.co.in | |||
4. | TNAU Coimbatore | Dr. P. Subramanian Professor & Head, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, College of Agricultural Engineering, Lawly Road, Coimbatore - 641 003 (TN) |
E-mail: manianpasu@yahoo.com |
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5. | SPCW Courtallam | Dr. G. Saravanapriya Research Engineer (AICRP on EAAI), Sri Parasakthi College for Women, Courtallam - 627 802 (Tamil Nadu) |
E-mail: saravanapriya.g@gmail.com |
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6. | ICAR-NRRI Cuttack | Er. Narayan Borkar
Scientist, Department of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack - 753 006 (Odisha) |
E-mail: ntborkar@gmail.com | |||
7. | UAS Dharwad | Dr. Geeta D. Goudar Jr. Microbiologist (AICRP on EAAI), Department of Microbiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005 (Karnataka) |
E-mail: geetagoudar@gmail.com | |||
8. (i) | CCSHAU Hisar (DRET-BCT) | Dr. (Mrs) Kamla Malik Professor & Head, Department of Microbiology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004 (Haryana) | E-mail: kamlamalik@rediffmail.com | |||
8. (ii) | CCSHAU Hisar (DRES) | Dr. (Mrs.) Yadvika Professor & Head, Department of Agricultural Processing & Energy, College of Basic Sciences, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004 (Haryana) |
E-mail: yadvika6@yahoo.co.uk | |||
9. | PAU Ludhiana | Dr. S. S. Sooch Professor, School of Renewable Energy Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana - 141 004 (Punjab) | E-mail: sssooch@pau.edu | |||
10. | ICAR-IARI New Delhi | Dr. Navindu Gupta Principal Scientiest & PI-AICRP on EAAI, Division of Environmental Sciences, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Nuclear Research Laboratory Building, Pusa, New Delhi - 110 012 | E-mail: guptanavindu@rediffmail.com | |||
11. | CSKHPKV Palampur | Dr. R. S. Rana Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur - 176 062 (Himachal Pradesh) | E-mail: rsr6268@rediffmail.com | |||
12. | GBPUA&T Pantnagar | Dr. T. P. Singh Professor & Head, Department of Farm Machinery & Power Engineering, College of Technology, GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar - 263 145 (Uttarakhand) | E-mail: tpsingh.fmp@gmail.com | |||
13. | UAS Raichur | Dr. Vijay Kumar Palled Research Engineer (AICRP on EAAI), College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur - 584 101 (Karnataka) | E-mail: vs.palled@gmail.com | |||
14. | BAU Ranchi | Dr. Uttam Kumar Associate Professor, College of Agril. Engineering, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi – 834 006 (Jharkhand) | E-mail: uttam.bauranchi@gmail.com | |||
15. | MPUAT Udaipur | Dr. N. L. Panwar Associate Professor & PI-AICRP on EAAI, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur - 313 001 (Rajasthan) | E-mail: nlpanwar@gmail.com | |||
16. | SPRERI Vallabh Vidyanagar | Dr. Gourav Mishra Director, Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute, Post Box No. 2, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388 120 (Gujarat) |
E-mail: dd@spreri.org E-mail: director@spreri.org |
A walk-in type solar tunnel dryer was designed & developed by MPUA&T, Udaipur centre for drying of high-value crops. The TNAU, Coimbatore centre undertook the popularization of the solar tunnel dryer. The dryer consists of a semi‐cylindrical tunnel structure and a solar collector made up of cement concrete floor coated with an absorber surface. The dryer is of a walk‐in type to facilitate loading and unloading of the product easily. The dried products depict superior quality than open-sun drying method. It reduces the drying time in the tune of 40-60 % and saving in the cost of drying up to 60 % depending upon the type of agro-products.
The PAU, Ludhiana centre designed & developed the large capacity biogas plant of 25 – 500 m3/d capacity. The biogas plant is of fixed dome type and gas-holder is hemispherical in shape which is structurally safe & crack-resistant. The construction of this type of plant is easy and is and similar to the Deenbandhu Biogas Plant. This plant can be constructed with around 50-60% cost as compared to the cost of other conventional floating drum types ( KVIC ) biogas plants.
A Forced Circulation Solar Dryer was developed by PAU, Ludhiana centre for drying of high-value produce. The solar dryer mainly consists of a greenhouse, evacuated tube solar air heating system, drying chamber, tray-rack system and humidity controlled exhaust fan. The initial drying of high-value agro-produce is carried in the tray-rack system while final drying is done in the drying chamber. This dryer overcomes the limitations of open sun drying as drying is carried out in a greenhouse in which air temperature is maintained around 65oC by the hot air coming from solar air heaters.
Biphasic technology for bio-methanation of green/moist agro-residues was developed by SPRERI, VV Nagar centre. The pilot plant for biphasic bio-methanation of 3 t/d of vegetable market waste was installed at Anand Municipal Corporation, Gujarat. The process involved bio-methanation of the leachate extracted from fruits and vegetables and the solids left after leachate extraction is either composted or dried and pelletized for combustion.
The TNAU, Coimbatore centre designed and developed a pilot plant to produce biodiesel from vegetable oils through the transesterification process. The biodiesel plant consists of a biodiesel reactor with heating and agitating device, chemical mixing tank, glycerol settling tanks and washing tank. 50 l of raw oil per batch is fed into the reactor by using a feed pump. The reaction temperature of 60oC is maintained by supplying the steam around the reactor from a steam generator. The chemical tank is used for preparing the sodium methoxide solution by mixing of sodium hydroxide with methanol and supplied to the reactor.
Field-tested designs of top feeding and side feeding portable improved biomass cook-stoves were developed by the SPRERI, VV Nagar centre. The body of the stoves is made of mild steel, the reactor of stainless steel and the grate of cast iron. The weight of the stove was 7.8 kg & 8 kg for top feeding and side feeding cookstove, respectively. The efficiency of the stove is 26.19% & 26.27 % for top feeding and side feeding cookstove, respectively.
High efficiency, low tunnel solar dryer for agro-products drying was developed by the SPRERI, VV Nagar Centre. It is especially suitable for drying high-value products which should not be exposed to direct sunshine. It is a standalone system for on-farm drying where grid supply is not available. Hot air temperature is controlled automatically with the variation in solar radiation. The capacity of the dryer is 45 to 60 kg/batch. The glazing material used in the dryer is toughened glass and absorber material is black painted GI sheet. The drying air temperature in the dryer lies in the range of 50-70°C. The cost of technology is INR 1,50,000.
An above ground biogas plant made up of Mild Steel (M.S.) sheet was designed and developed by PAU, Ludhiana centre. It was made air-tight by covering its opening with steel cover and the outlet pipe was fitted on the top cover. 1.6 t paddy straw and 0.4 t of cattle dung is fed into the digester in layers. Requisite quantity of water is also added through a pipe connected at the bottom to saturate the paddy straw. The gas production starts after about 4 – 5 days in the range of 3-4 m3/d and continues for about 3 months. Digested material collected from the plant is rich in organic humus which can be used in the field as organic manure. The cost of this plant is INR 1,50,000.