A project for conversion of tender coconut husk into convenient form of fuel or fibre, demonstrated by the Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI), Alappuzha, in association with organisations such as The Energy and Resources Institute, is yet to gain adequate focus as an effective method to tackle the menace of the husk choking drains. The tender husk could be a potential polluting agent unless handled appropriately.
Machines for converting the husk into fibre as well as blocks were developed by CCRI and the technology was transferred to the authorities concerned.
The project could be taken up by the agencies concerned in the field, said Anita Das Ravindranath, a senior official of CCRI.
A report made by TERI for CCRI pointed out that the tender coconut husk is not utilised in an effective manner. Tender coconut husk, with its high moisture content, is generally not used for coir industry. The husk is required to be cut into pieces and dried for using it as a convenient biomass fuel.
Processing
Dried husk is used in specially designed gasifier based stove for cooking applications in domestic and community cooking applications. An appropriate business model is needed for collection of tender coconut husk and processing it at a centralised place. The processed husk could be packed into bags for sale in the market, the report prepared by TERI said.
The tender coconut husk is chipped into small pieces, de-watered using screw press and sundried. Screw pressed tender coconut husk can be sun dried within 3 days while ordinary husk will take much more time.
Mobile unit
CCRI developed a mobile fibre extraction machine which could be easily transported to the villages where the availability of husk is more, but lacking in centralised collection centres.
The machine was developed considering the fact that Kerala is forced to buy coir fibre for the coir industry from the neighbouring States. Research is in progress to improve the quality of coir pith as about 50 per cent of the pith produced in the country is exported, the CCRI official said.
The Kerala High Court had asked the authorities a few years ago to make use of the mobile fibre extraction machine developed by CCRI to solve the problem of pollution created by large quantities of tender coconut husk being piled up along Sabarimala trekking path.
Tender coconut husk not used in coir industry
State forced to buy coir fibre from other States
