Inertization of small-scale chemical wastes using iron phosphate glass

The viability of small-scale heavy-metal waste immobilization into iron phosphate glasses was investigated. Several waste forms containing different amounts of heavy-ion wastes were evaluated (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 26%, 33%, 40% and 50% by mass) and their X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that no crystallization occurred in glasses with waste concentrations up to 26%. The dissolution rates for all of the reported glass compositions (ca. 10-8 g cm-2 min-1) are similar to those reported for the materials most commonly used for waste vitrification. Iron phosphate glasses thus proved to be very useful for the immobilization of heavy-metal wastes, exhibiting good contention and chemical durability comparable to that of borosilicate glasses.

Determination of herbicides residues in soil by small scale extraction

Herbicides such as trifluralin, simazine, atrazine, metribuzin and metolachlor are used in Brazilian agriculture. The efficiency of a small scale method for determination of these herbicides and two degradation products (deisopropylatrazine and deethylatrazine) in soil samples was evaluated. The compounds were extracted from soil samples (5 g) with 20 ml of ethyl acetate in a mechanical shaker for 50 min. Following the extraction, the supernatant was dried through anhydrous sodium sulphate, concentrated and analysed by high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) with thermionic specific detection (TSD). Mean recoveries obtained from soil samples fortified at three different levels ranged from 81 to 115% with relative standard deviation (RSD) values varying from 1.2 to 12.7%. The method detection limits ranged from 0.01 to 0.06 mg kg-1. The methodology was applied using soil samples from farms located near the town of Araraquara, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Decentralized management of organic household wastes in the Kathmandu Valley using small-scale composting reactors

The sustainable management of municipal solid waste in the Kathmandu Valley has always been a challenging task. Solid waste generation has gone rapidly high in the Kathmandu Valley over the last decade due to booming population and rapid urbaniza-tion. Finding appropriate landfill sites for the disposal of solid wastes generated from the households of the Kathmandu Valley has always been a major problem for Nepalese government. 65 % of total generated wastes from the households of Nepal consist of organic materials. As large fractions of generated household wastes are organic in na-ture, composting can be considered as one of the best sustainable ways to recycle organ-ic wastes generated from the households of Nepal. Model Community Society Development (MCDS), a non-governmental organization of Nepal carried out its small-scale project in five households of the Kathmandu Valley by installing composting reactors. This thesis is based on this small-scale project and has used secondary data provided by MCDS Nepal for carrying out the study. Proper man-agement of organic wastes can be done at household levels through the use of compost-ing reactors. The end product compost can be used as soil conditioners for agricultural purposes such as organic farming, roof-top farming and gardening. The overall average organic waste generation in the Kathmandu Valley is found to be 0,23 kg/person/day and the total amount of organic household wastes generated in the Kathmandu Valley is around 210 Gg/yr. Produced composts from five composting reac-tors contain high amount of moistures but have sufficient amount of nutrients required for the fertility of land and plant growth. Installation of five composting reactors in five households have prevented 2,74 Mg of organic wastes going into the landfills, thus re-ducing 107 kg of methane emissions which is equivalent to 2,7 Mg of carbondioxide.

Working fluid selection and design of small-scale waste heat recovery systems based on organic Rankine cycles

Demand for the use of energy systems, entailing high efficiency as well as availability to harness renewable energy sources, is a key issue in order to tackling the threat of global warming and saving natural resources. Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology has been identified as one of the most promising technologies in recovering low-grade heat sources and in harnessing renewable energy sources that cannot be efficiently utilized by means of more conventional power systems. The ORC is based on the working principle of Rankine process, but an organic working fluid is adopted in the cycle instead of steam. This thesis presents numerical and experimental results of the study on the design of small-scale ORCs. Two main applications were selected for the thesis: waste heat re- covery from small-scale diesel engines concentrating on the utilization of the exhaust gas heat and waste heat recovery in large industrial-scale engine power plants considering the utilization of both the high and low temperature heat sources. The main objective of this work was to identify suitable working fluid candidates and to study the process and turbine design methods that can be applied when power plants based on the use of non-conventional working fluids are considered. The computational work included the use of thermodynamic analysis methods and turbine design methods that were based on the use of highly accurate fluid properties. In addition, the design and loss mechanisms in supersonic ORC turbines were studied by means of computational fluid dynamics. The results indicated that the design of ORC is highly influenced by the selection of the working fluid and cycle operational conditions. The results for the turbine designs in- dicated that the working fluid selection should not be based only on the thermodynamic analysis, but requires also considerations on the turbine design. The turbines tend to be fast rotating, entailing small blade heights at the turbine rotor inlet and highly supersonic flow in the turbine flow passages, especially when power systems with low power outputs are designed. The results indicated that the ORC is a potential solution in utilizing waste heat streams both at high and low temperatures and both in micro and larger scale appli- cations.

Assessment of techno-economic use cases for small-scale island grids

The main objective of the study was to define the methodology for assessing the limits for application island grids instead of interconnecting with existing grid infrastructure. The model for simulation of grid extension distance and levelised cost of electricity has been developed and validated by the case study in Finland. Thereafter, sensitivities of the application limits were examined with the respect to operational environment, load conditions, supply security and geographical location. Finally, recommendations for the small-scale rural electrification projects in the market economy environment have been proposed.

Implications of Government Sponsored Social Security and Welfare Schemes on Socioeconomic Status of Small Scale Marine Fisherfolk in Kerala

A socio-economic research is required as an attempt to address the socio-economic issues facing small-scale fisheries. A study of the socio economic conditions of small-scale fishermen is a prerequisite for good design and successful implementation of effective assistance Programmes. It will provide an overall pidure of the structure, activities and standards of living of small-scale fisherfolk The study is confined to the coastal districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram districts. It also gives a picture of socio-economic conditions of the fisher folk in the study area. The variables that may depict the standard of living of the small-scale fisherfolk are occupational structure, family size, age structure, income, expenditure, education, housing and other social amenities. It attempts to see the asset creation of the fisherfolk with the help of government agencies, and the nature of savings and expenditure pattern of the fisherfolk. It also provides a picture of the indebtedness of the fisherfolk in the study area. The study analyses the schemes implemented by the government through its agencies, like Fisheries Department, Matsyaboard, and Matsyafed; and the awareness of fisherfolk regarding these schemes, their attitude and reactions, the extent of accessibility, and the viability of the schemes.

Performance of District Industries Centers in Kerala : An Application of augmented solow Model

This thesis "Entitled performance of district industries centres in kerala :An application of augmented solow model.The first chapter deals with evolution of approaches for promoting small scale production and the growth of small scale industries in india.the developing countries face the problems like sluggish growth capital shortages high levels of unemployment,enoromous rural-urban economic disparities regional inequalities increasing concentration of capital and chronic difficulities in the export sector.Review of literature and methodology of the study are presented in the second chapter. In the third chapter an attempt has been made to make an in-depth study of the emergence and growth of district of district industries centres.In the chapter four an attempt was made to study the organisational structure of DICs functions and responsibilities assigned to the functional managers and performance of the functionaries.

Performance of District Industries Centres in Kerala

This thesis "Entitled performance of district industries centres in kerala :An application of augmented solow model.The first chapter deals with evolution of approaches for promoting small scale production and the growth of small scale industries in india.the developing countries face the problems like sluggish growth capital shortages high levels of unemployment,enoromous rural-urban economic disparities regional inequalities increasing concentration of capital and chronic difficulities in the export sector.Review of literature and methodology of the study are presented in the second chapter. In the third chapter an attempt has been made to make an in-depth study of the emergence and growth of district of district industries centres.In the chapter four an attempt was made to study the organisational structure of DICs functions and responsibilities assigned to the functional managers and performance of the functionaries.

Entrepreneurship and Motivation in Small Business Sector of Kerala

This thesis Entitled entrepreneurship and motivation in small business sector of kerala -A study of rubber products manufacturing industry.Rubber-based industry in Kerala was established only in the first half of the 20th century.the number of licensed manufacturers in the State has increased substantially over the years, particularly in the post- independence period. 54 rubber manufacturing units in 1965-66, the number of licensed rubber-based industrial units has increased to 1300 units in 2001-02. In 2001-02 Kerala occupied the primary position in the number of rubber goods manufacturers in the country.As per the latest report of the Third All India Census of Small Scale Industries 2001-02, Kerala has the third largest number of registered small scale units in the country next after Tamil Nadu and Utter Pradesh.This study of entrepreneurship in the small-scale rubber goods manufacturing industry in Kerala compares a cross section of successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs with respect to socio-economic characteristics and motivational dynamics. Based on a sample survey of 120 entrepreneurs of Kottayam and Ernakulam districts successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs were selected using multiple criteria. The study provides guidelines for the development of entrepreneurship in Kerala.The results on the socio-economic survey support the hypothesis that the successful entrepreneurs will differ from unsuccessful entrepreneurs with respect to education, social contacts, initial investment, sales turnover, profits, capital employed, personal income, and number of employees.Successful entrepreneurs were found to be self~starters. Successful entrepreneurs adopted a lot more technological changes than unsuccessful entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs were more innovative — the percent of successful entrepreneurs and unsuccessful entrepreneurs reporting innovations in business were 31.50 and 8.50 percent respectively.

A study of industrial co-operatives in kerala with special reference to modern small scale sector

The report of the Steering Committee of the Kerala State Planning Board for the preparation of the VIII five Year Plan on Industry and Hiningzslisted several factors inhibiting and promoting growth of small industrial units. Kerala's educated manpower, the native intelligence of the Keralites best suited for taking up logic—based professions and availability of a Hell—developed and broad~based physical infrastructure particularly in the transport and communications sectors, are a few of the positive factors identified. On the negative side, may be mentioned high wage rates, preference on the part of the educated for white collar Jobs, lack of entrepreneurship, paucity of essential resources for industrial use, high density of population and the distance factor which places Kerala away from the major domestic markets. In this context, it would appear that the industrial co-operative movement could possibly play a vital role in accelerating-the momentum of small industrial development of Kerala which has a Health of highly educated and skilled manpower. However, in spite of the encouragement extended by the Government, the movement does not seem to have.been picking up in the modern small scale sector. The present study is an attempt to analyse the factors that have affected the performance of the industrial co—operatives in the small scale industrial sector of Kerala.

Study on the Socio-Psychological Background of Entrepreneur - Managers of Small Scale Industrial Units in Ernakulam District, Kerala

The understanding of the theory of entrepreneurship depends upon one set of definitions which provide the base for analytical study. The main objective of the study was to understand the distribution of entrepreneurship in the manufacturing sector among different categories of people in kerala and to differentiate the socio - psychological background of successful entrepreneur- managers from unsuccessful entrepreneur-managers. The purpose of the study, a sample of 150 entrepreneur-managers of SS1 units spread over Ernakulam district was surveyed through a specially designed questionnaire.

Comparative effectiveness of solar disinfection using small-scale batch reactors with reflective, absorptive and transmissive rear surfaces

This study investigated the enhancement of solar disinfection using custom-made batch reactors with reflective (foil-backed) or absorptive (black-backed) rear surfaces, under a range of weather conditions in India. Plate counts of Escherichia coli ATCC11775 were made under aerobic conditions and under conditions where reactive oxygen species (ROS) were neutralised, i.e. in growth medium supplemented with 0.05% w/v sodium pyruvate plus incubation under anaerobic conditions. While the addition of either an absorptive or a reflective backing enhanced reactor performance under strong sunlight, the reflective reactor was the only system to show consistent enhancement under low sunlight, where the process was slowest. Counts performed under ROS-neutralised conditions were slightly higher than those in air, indicating that a fraction of the cells become sub-lethally injured during exposure to sunlight to the extent that they were unable to grow aerobically. However, the influence of this phenomenon on the dynamics of inactivation was relatively small

Sustainability of Small Scale Farming in a Mountain Region: Case Study of the Khaling Rai Population of the Solukhumbu, Nepal

The Khaling Rai live in a remote area of the mountain region of Nepal. Subsistence farming is central to their livelihood strategy, the sustainability of which was examined in this study. The sustainable livelihood approach was identified as a suitable theoretical framework to analyse the assets of the Khaling Rai. A baseline study was conducted using indicators to assess the outcome of the livelihood strategies under the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social and environmental. Relationships between key factors were analysed. The outcome showed that farming fulfils their basic need of food security, with self-sufficiency in terms of seeds, organic fertilisers and tools. Agriculture is almost totally non-monitized: crops are grown mainly for household consumption. However, the crux faced by the Khaling Rai community is the need to develop high value cash crops in order to improve their livelihoods while at the same time maintaining food security. Institutional support in this regard was found to be lacking. At the same time there is declining soil fertility and an expanding population, which results in smaller land holdings. The capacity to absorb risk is inhibited by the small size of the resource base and access only to small local markets. A two-pronged approach is recommended. Firstly, the formation of agricultural cooperative associations in the area. Secondly, through them the selection of key personnel to be put forward for training in the adoption of improved low-cost technologies for staple crops and in the introduction of appropriate new cash crops.