IIT-Ropar Develops Air Nano Bubble Tech to Reduce Water Usage in Textile Sector

Textile is one of the most water-intensive industries, and there is a growing need to address the issue of managing water usage in the textile industry, which is associated with water contamination. We are inventing and incorporating new-age processing methods at IIT Ropar to conserve water for future generations, said Rajeev Ahuja, Director of IIT Ropar, in a statement.

According to Neelkanth Nirmalkar, the inventor of this technology, 200-250 litres of water are required to process one kilogramme of cotton fabric.

According to laboratory reports, air nanobubbles dispersed in water can reduce water consumption and chemical dosage by 90-95 percent, saving 90 percent of energy consumption as well, according to Nirmalkar.

Water is used in many steps required for fabric preparation in the textile industry, including dyeing, finishing chemicals in textile substrates, desizing (a process of removing sizing material from yarn), scouring, bleaching, and mercerizing (chemical treatment of fabric to increase affinity towards dye), according to the statement.

At the same time, the textile industry generates the most wastewater. According to the report, pre-treatment, dyeing, printing, and finishing of textile materials are the major sources of water pollution.

The technology is based on nano air and ozone bubbles. Because the bubbles are hydrophobic in nature, they interact with the fabric better than water and distribute chemicals and dyes in the fabric much more efficiently than water, according to Nirmalkar.

These bubbles are 1/10000th the size of human hair in size. According to Nirmalkar, an assistant professor at IIT Ropar's chemical engineering department, ozone nanobubbles efficiently remove extra dye during fabric washing and degrade the dye in the water.

Aside from reducing water consumption, water treated with a nanobubble machine can be reused. According to him, the nanobubble acts as a carrier for the processing chemical, reducing the amount of extra chemical required. This patented technology aids in the preservation of a garment's true colour for outdoor use. It aids in achieving 2-D effects, easy care, water repellency, and fabric softening," Nirmalkar added.

IIT Ropar created eco-friendly technology as part of a start-up called NanoKriti Pvt Limited, which is also working to clean up the environment and developing new applications ranging from water treatment to healthcare.