|
|
 |
| A
Gas fired pot furnace designed by TERI |
Watch the Video 
The TERI intervention in Firozabad glass industry cluster was initiated
in 1994 as part of SDC’s (Swiss Agency
for Development and Cooperation) India programme in the energy
sector. This aims to achieve savings in energy and consequently lead
to carbon dioxide reductions in select energy intensive small scale
industry sectors. During the initial two years, a detailed diagnostic
study in various SSI (small scale industry) sectors was undertaken
by TERI and Firozabad glass industry cluster was selected as one of
the sectors for intervention. The selection was mainly on the basis
of the tremendous scope for energy savings and pollution reduction
that existed in the cluster. The project envisaged energy savings
and pollution reduction in selected glass industry segments through
fuel substitution and upgradation of the furnaces. This was to be
achieved through a combination of applied research, technical support,
capacity building, and awareness generation of the target groups.
 |
| A
view of Gas fired muffle furanes |
Although the initial interventions were
planned considering coal, which was the dominant fuel in use at
that time, the project had soon to change its focus—to develop
only NG (natural gas) fired systems, as use of other fuels in the
Taj Trapezium Zone was banned by the Supreme Court of India in response
to a Public Interest Litigation for the protection of the Taj Mahal
from environmental pollution. The Action Research phase of the project,
which started in 1996, focused on ‘pot furnaces’, which
are used for glass melting, and ‘muffle furnaces', colloquially
called ‘pakai bhatties', that are used for bangle
baking. The baseline study had indicated that both these categories
of furnaces together accounted for about 2/3rd of total energy consumption
in the cluster. The primary focus during this phase was to design
and demonstrate energy efficient pot and muffle furnaces using natural
gas as the fuel. Competence pooling and bottom-up participatory
approach were the hallmarks of the action research phase. The process
of technology development and demonstration involved close interaction
between the TERI team, the local industry, and the international
as well as the local consultants.
|
|
| |
|
 |
| TERI design system
at S Rajeev Glass |
In the earlier phase of the TERI-SDC partnership, project activities
in the Firozabad glass industry cluster focused on strengthening the
capacities of cluster-level service providers (local consultants,
fabricators, masons, and so on). The aim was to enable entrepreneurs
to adopt the energy efficient TERI-design pot furnace system without
having to seek support from external agencies. This strategy, of setting
in place cluster-level expertise for providing technical services
and backup support, continues to serve as an example of how the uptake
of clean, energy efficient technology can be promoted and sustained
in the long term. Four more pot furnace units in Firozabad have installed
TERI-design systems between February and May 2010, namely, Patel Glass
Works, New Jain Enterprises, S Rajeev Glass Works, and Meera Glass
Works. All four are open pot furnace units (12 pots each) that melt
glass for making bangles. The TERI-design system incorporates a highly
efficient heat recovery device called ‘modular recuperator’,
which yields fuel savings of around 30% compared to the conventional
gas-fired pot furnace. Meera Glass Works has installed the TERI-design
furnace system for the first time while S Rajeev Glass Works already
had one TERI-design system in operation. Both Patel Glass Works and
New Jain Enterprises earlier operated conventional gas-fired pot furnaces
coupled with locally designed, relatively less efficient ‘pipe
recuperators’ for waste heat recovery.
Two more open pot furnace units are in the process of adopting
TERI-design systems. They are (1) Liberty Glass Works, a 12-pot
unit that produces bangles, and (2) Renu Glass Works, a 10-pot unit
producing glass rods and hollow tubes for making beads. In addition,
three other pot furnace units have committed to switching over to
the TERIdesign recuperative system as soon as their existing conventional
furnaces complete melting campaigns. One of these units has already
initiated the procurement of materials for the new furnace system;
it expects to commence furnace lining in June 2010. |
|
|
|
Firozabad shows the way: sustained uptake of energy efficient technology