IIT develops solar-based root zone heating system for plants in high-altitude areas

Researchers at Indian Institute of Techlogy (IIT), Kanpur have developed a solar energy-based root zone heating system and vermi-bed method for plants in high-altitude areas.

According to officials, techlogy for which researchers have also been granted a patent has been developed keeping in view scarcity of fresh vegetables or agricultural produce and lack of effective organic waste manment in high-altitude areas like Ladakh region.

" high altitude areas pose some crucial problems when it comes to availability of fresh produce and organic waste manment, especially for our defence forces that require a good amount of fresh produce in ir daily diet. Due to climate and wear conditions, it is difficult to avail fresh produce year-long," said Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur.

“Hence, this vel techlogy of root zone heating system and vermi-bed method developed by team at our institute is a significant step towards helping especially our defence forces deployed re with fresh vegetable supply and a solution to effectively mitigate organic waste," he added.

According to team, basic premise of techlogy is a greenhouse (polyhouse) plantation of vegetables and a provision of heating root zone of plants. root zone heating is scientifically studied and modelled by laying a network of GI (Galvanised Iron) pipes below ground carrying solar-heated water and by integrating aluminium sheet fins with buried GI pipes to enhance heat transfer.

“A significant temperature increase (7 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius) in soil was achieved during trial, depending upon temperature of hot water being flown inside GI pipes. This raised temperature helped plants grow in a faster and healthier way than plants grown outside at relatively low temperatures. Such a system in high altitude areas can better cropping cycle to produce fresh vegetables even in winter conditions," said Anubha Goel, Professor at IIT Kanpur's Department of Civil Engineering.

"This techlogy was field-tested that provided efficient solution producing good quality of vegetables in a protected environment and results were projected for high altitude areas where temperature goes to -15 degrees C and below," she added.

To resolve issue of waste manment, on-site treatment of organic waste by vermicomposting was also carried out inside polyhouse in a pit, wherein additional heat was provided to vermi-bed by running hot water through buried rubber pipes.

"Hence, this techlogy developed a symbiotic system that t only enhances fresh food supply in high altitude areas during winters but also provides solutions for producing nearly zero waste. techlogy can assist our troops deployed in high-altitude areas by making m self-reliant to a large extent in terms of fresh food supply by growing desired vegetables in a protected environment like a greenhouse with solar-operated root zone heating and at same time, it will assist in managing organic waste generated by maintaining high-temperature vermicomposting," said Anshul Rawat, MTech student.

"Thus we have a system where vegetables can be grown, and waste generated can be converted into compost, and furr utilised at same green and polyhouse to grow vegetables. This signifies a symbiotic system with inbuilt circular ecomy," he added. PTI GJS GJS AQS AQS