International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

Kathmandu, Nepal

Building Back Better Brick Kilns

in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Bidya Banmali Pradhan

Atmospheric Environment Specialist

Brick Production

Global production ~ 1500 Billion

bricks/Year

Vietnam2%

Rest of the world11%

South Asia20%

China67%

India78%

Pakistan15%

Bangladesh5%

Nepal2%

South Asia production ~ 310 Billion bricks/Year

Largest stationary sources of BC emissions internationally include brick kilns, coke

ovens, and industrial boiler, accounting for 20% of total worldwide black carbon (BC)

emissions

• India ~ 100,000

• Pakistan ~11,000

• Bangladesh ~ 6338

• Nepal ~ 800

Also damaged :

~350 brick kilns in

Nepal, including 105

kilns within the

Kathmandu Valley

289,000 houses-

destroyed

255,000 houses damaged

~25,000 public buildings

destroyed or damaged

Nepal Earthquake, 25 April 2015

Crisis into Opportunity

• Seismic consideration

• Improved energy efficiency

• Lower emissions

• Worker-friendly

Multi-sector Policy Meeting

Preparation of kiln rebuilding

manual

• Output of four months of intensive work

• A technical committee comprising of experts and entrepreneurs from Nepal and India

• Detailed assessment of damaged kilns

• Design incorporates both practical experiences and scientific analysis

• Consultation and feedback from broad range of stakeholders includingTERI, Punjab State Council, CPCB

Manual Launch

First of its kind in South Asia

Tunnel KilnHybrid Hoffman Kiln

Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln

Bulls Trench KilnClamp Kiln

Fixed Chimney BTKMoving Chimney BTK

Fixed Chimney zig-zag BTK

Fixed Chimney Bull Trench Kiln

Preheating zone

Firing zone

Cooling zone

ModificationHeat loss - 4.7 to1.6%,

structurally safe

Seismic safe,

VFD fan for better control

Fast construction

Ground heat loss minimum

Straight Line and Zig-zag Firing

FCBTK Zigzag kiln

FCBTK Zigzag kiln

200-400gm1-1.5Kg

Time for firing process

FCBTK: 14-20 days

Zig-Zag: 6-12 days

Preliminary Measurement Result

Name Kiln Type PM 2.5

(mg/m3)

Tri- Mahesh

(TM)

Natural

draft

straight

line

Non-

feeding

51

Feeding 557

Jai Ambe Natural draft zig-zag 53

Swet Bhairab Forced draft zig-zag 169

RK Forced draft zig-zag 127

Mountain Air Engineering

Build Back Better

• Structurally safe and earthquake-resistant

• Energy efficient ~ 20-30% compare to ND straight line

• Lower emitting ~ 20-40% reduction in emissions

• Better quality bricks ~ 90% A class bricks, breakage below 5%

• Less coal

Win-Win

Cleaner

Brick Kilns

Thank you !!!

Short film on kiln reconstruction