Case Study
Asian Paints Limited
(Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh)
Project Overview
Industry: Paint & Coatings Manufacturing
Sludge Type: Biological sludge
Capacity: 0.5 TPD
Technology: Solar Sludge Dryer (Manual System)
Facts and Figures
Sludge Generation: 0.5 TPD
Available Area: 73 m²
Input Moisture: ~75%
Output Moisture: <10%
Energy Consumption: ~50–100 units/day
Operation Mode: Manual
The Challenge
- Sludge generated from paint industry contains pigments, binders, and fine suspended solids, making drying behavior inconsistent
- High initial moisture (~75%) leading to bulky sludge and frequent disposal
- Limited available footprint (73 m²) restricting system size
- Small capacity plant where automation would increase cost disproportionately
- Requirement for cost-effective drying without complex systems
The Solution
- Installation of compact Solar Sludge Dryer optimized for small footprint
- Manual operation mode selected to eliminate unnecessary automation cost
- Greenhouse-based drying using solar radiation
- Natural air circulation for moisture removal
- System designed for low throughput with high efficiency
The Benefits
- Achieved >85% moisture reduction despite compact system
- Significant reduction in disposal frequency and logistics cost
- Low CAPEX and optimized OPEX due to manual design
- Stable drying performance for pigment-based sludge
- Suitable benchmark for small-scale industrial installations
