The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Are gasifier crematoria the right choice for city?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 27, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Are gasifier crematoria the right choice for city?

Karthik Subramanian

Corporation says the technology cuts pollution, but some residents are not sure Corporation says it cuts pollution, but some residents are not sure

CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation's decision to adopt biomass gasifier-based furnaces for several city crematoria replacing electrical furnaces has been questioned by some residents. They doubt if the technology is environment-friendly.

Residents living in colonies near the Besant Nagar crematorium and a voluntary organisation that is operating an electric crematorium at Kannamapet burial ground, T.Nagar, claimed that the new system would not be suitable to local conditions.

Two major factors

The civic agency, on the other hand, maintains that the technology is superior to electrical furnaces and that it helps to cut pollution and operational costs (see table). Two major factors influence this: the high temperatures possible in the furnace as well as the use of low-cost firewood as fuel.

Corporation Commissioner M. P. Vijayakumar said: "We are promoting the technology only because results of the trial run of gasifier crematoria in Moolakothalam and Kannamapet have been good. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has been involved right from inception of the project and we have ensured that the project complies with the Union Ministry of Environment's recommendation for bio-medical waste incinerators."

Gasifier technology

Gasification, in its simplest definition, is the conversion of solid bio-mass fuel into a mixture of combustible gases termed as `producer gas'. In case of crematoria, firewood is burnt to create producer gas.

Juwaala Consultants, which is setting up the gasifiers for Corporation, has already run gasifier-based crematoria in Madurai. It points out inherent advantages in the system where the furnace can be maintained at temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius required for complete combustion of bodies. Corporation officials say the temperatures in electrical crematorium do not reach such high levels.

Gasifier technology is also backed by Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency as a `preferred' non-conventional energy solution. Its chairman K. Allauddin said they had recommended all local bodies in the State to use gasifiers as a safe source for both thermal and power generation applications.

The Corporation plans to install 13 gasifier-based crematoria in the city by the year-end. It will be commissioning an unit in the Mylapore burial ground next week.

Residents' fear

A section of Besant Nagar residents which suffered because of pollution in the past is not convinced with the Government claims. The residents filed a public interest litigation petition against the Chennai Corporation in the Madras High Court demanding the closure of the cremation ground on the ground that it was not being operated as per environmental norms.

N.S. Venkataraman, a chemical engineer, says the gasifier crematorium is not capable of removing all suspended particles from the exhaust gas.

It has a `wet scrubber' treatment system which passes the exhaust gas through water to remove particulates before being let out of chimney.

But Mr. Venkataraman says an electrostatic precipitator must follow the wet scrubber for removal of small and particulate matter.

S. Abhayakumar, chairman, Param Shanti Nilayam, said the `producer gas' in gasifiers contained carbon monoxide and other combustible gases and needed to handle with extreme care.

"It could lead to potentially disastrous consequences if not handled with care."

Promoters of the technology say the apprehensions are ill-founded because they have successfully operated gasifiers at crematorium in Madurai for more than eight years without any problems.

Operational results

The Corporation experienced teething problems earlier this week with the newly-inaugurated gasifier crematorium at Besant Nagar.

But after some repairs to the furnace doors and exhaust treatment system on Thursday, the unit was functioning well with visible changes.

The smoke coming out the chimney was a lot finer than seen before.

Lack of information

Officials said the apprehensions over the technology were because of lack of information.

Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board officials have inspected the facility and are expected to submit a report to the High Court next week when proceedings of the public interest litigation petition by Besant Nagar residents are taken up.

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