The Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Pallavaram in Chennai treats around 3000 m3/day of wastewater from the tanneries in the cluster processing mostly semi finished to finished leather. The CETP at Pallavaram is managed byPallavaram Tanners Industrial Effluent Treatment Co., (PTIETC). It is about 3 km from the Chennai airport. Pallavaram is an industrial town in southern part of Chennai metro area and located on the Chennai-Trichy National Highway. There are nearly 200 tanneries operating in and around Pallavaram area. About 122 units in the Pallavaram cluster have established the CETP with a capacity of 3000 m3/day. Apart from the tanneries there are many downstream leather product industrial units, including shoes, garments and other leather goods factories. The total annual turnover of the Pallavaram leather industrial sector is in the order of Rs.1800 Crores.
The treatment process in the Pallavaram CETP includes primary physio-chemical treatment, followed by a secondary biological treatment and the treated effluent generally meets all parameters stipulated by the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), except for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) which represents the salt (mainly chloride and sulphates) in the effluent. These salts are not removed by conventional treatment systems and need complex & expensive treatment such as Membrane System including Reverse Osmosis (RO).
With an aim to achieve all parameters of TNPCB including TDS and to minimize the extraction of fresh water from natural sources by the tanning industry, the management of the Pallavaram CETP (PTIETC) initiated implementation of a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system by adopting RO for recovery of water from treated effluent and thermal evaporation for the management of saline reject from the RO system
No. 105, Anna Salai, Nagalkeni,
Chrompet, Chennai – 600 044
Telephone : 2238 6227 / 2241 6522.
Email : ptietc@yahoo.co.in
Contact person : Mr. Md. Nazeeb, Managing Director
CETP UPGRADATION : New mechanical screen, Optimization of primary and secondary clarifiers, Improved blowers and diffusers, Additional mechanical sludge dewatering system, Tertiary treatment to remove hardness and residual pollutants, Updated monitoring system
UF/RO SYSTEM IN NEW BUILDING: Post treatment including filtration, Ultra-filtration, Micro filter, Multiple stage Reverse Osmosis, Additional membrane system for TDS management, Automatic Control System.
MECHANICAL EVAPORATION/ RO REJECT MANAGEMENT: Multiple effect evaporation system, Additional system to reduce load to evaporator, Boiler system, Special centrifuge for separation of salts, Control system
SALT DISPOSAL YARD: Special disposal unit with proper corrosive-resistant flooring, sidewall and roofing is under final stage of completion. The recovered salt will be collected in a leak proof polymer bags and stored
RECOVERED WATER / RESIDUAL WATER DISCHARGE MANAGEMENT: This includes overhead water tanks and piping network for conveying the recovered water back to individual tanneries. Individual tanneries have been advised to provide storage tanks for their use with required storage capacity.
ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS AND STANDBY PROVISIONS: Required associated components such as service roads, storm water drain, illumination, safety components, etc.,
The implementation of the project was awarded to the Hyderabad based firm M/s Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. following two stage competitive tendering process. The contract value of the turnkey project is Rs.36Crores. The total project cost including administrative charges is Rs.37.8Crores.
All the vital project activities for functional completion were accomplished.
With respect to the Multiple Effect Evaporator (MEE), Boiler, Chimney and other accessories had been erected for saline water evaporation and these systems are in operational condition. Though the evaporator during the trial runs and commissioning performed its task of evaporation, there was some technical problem in the crystallization of concentrated reject. This was mainly due to the reported unique nature of the effluent with less chlorides and more organics. The matter had been referred for expert advice to CSIR-CLRI. The recommendations of CSIR-CLRI was discussed in the CEMCOT Board which constituted a four member Committee for the steps to be followed in completion of the CEMCOT-PTIETC project.
The Four Member Committee constituted by CEMCOT had a detailed review and provided its recommendations with regard to the alterative options in lieu of Multiple Stage Evaporator (MEE) in management of TDS such as dilution with treated domestic sewage, commitment of turnkey contractor for the alternative option, further roles and responsibility of PTIETC including obtaining clearance from Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and other required approvals for the alternative option, etc.
In accordance with the recommendations of the four member committee, steps were taken for the overall completion of the CEMCOT-PTIETC project. The PTIETC took the overall future responsibility of the O&M of the CETP from CEMCOT with effect from 20 July 2016. Detailed communications had been sent to DIPP, Govt. of India and TNPCB by CEMCOT on the mode of completion of the CEMCOT-PTIETC project.
Accordingly the project has been declared completed under the scope CEMCOT and further action plan and O & M of the upgraded PTIETC CETP has been taken over by PTIETC management.
The plant has been in regular operation since its takeover by the CETP management.