Development of filtration technique for reducing salinity for micro-irrigation
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Date
2021
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
A study was conducted to develop a filtration technique based upon adsorption to make saline
water fit for drip irrigation system. Laboratory studies were performed for selection of
effective adsorbent from various adsorbents based on two methods of adsorption i.e. column
method and batch method. The lab studies conducted by batch method showed that activated
chitosan, silica sand and chitosan of different sizes reduces electrical conductivity (EC), while
activated charcoal, zeolite and rice husk ash increases electrical conductivity. Chitosan and
silicate were selected based on the performance of lab studies conducted under batch method
for further detailed studies to determine optimum contract time. The lab studies conducted by
column method showed that silica sand showed better salt adsorption (EC) as compared to
chitosan. Batch method was found better adsorption technique than column method in case of
adsorbent chitosan for achieves maximum salt adsorption while in case of silica sand the
column adsorption performed better results. The adsorbent chitosan from batch studies was
able to reduce electrical conductivity (EC) by approx. 24 percent. The adsorbent silicate from
column studies was able to reduce electrical conductivity (EC) by approx. 12 percent.
Optimum contact time for both batch and column studies was found out to be 30 minutes.
Based on results of laboratory studies, the developed filtration technique was based on
combination of two adsorption techniques. Firstly the chitosan reduced EC to 24% by batch
method and then same treated water was passed through silica sand when reduced EC to 12%.
To evaluate the performance of developed filter, a field test was carried out in which
simulated saline water having EC of 5 dS/m was passed through two adsorbents with different
technologies. The life cycle of both adsorbents were measured by treating simulated saline
water with same adsorbents. In case of chitosan the salt adsorption varied from 23.20 % to
20.50 % in six cycles respectively. In case of silica sand the life cycle of adsorbent was six in
which the salt adsorption varied from 13.50 % to 9.33 %.
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Citation
Amarpreet Singh (2021). Development of filtration technique for reducing salinity for micro-irrigation (Unpublished M.Tech. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.